What the page is
HP calls it the Print Quality Diagnostic report or page. On the inkjet models covered here, it is a built-in test pattern you can print from the printer’s controls to examine ink output and alignment without printing a document from your computer. See our guide to reading a nozzle check for the general idea of examining a test pattern.
HP writes its support steps for specific printer models, and the menus, buttons and report patterns differ between them. Use this page to understand the result, and use HP’s own page for your model for the exact steps. These inkjet instructions are not LaserJet maintenance instructions; start with our HP test page guide if you need a different kind of test.
How to print it
HP’s pages show different routes depending on the printer. Load plain white paper first, then use the one that matches your printer.
- ENVY 5530 family and DeskJet Ink Advantage 4510 series (4515/4518): tap the Settings (wrench) icon, then Tools, then Print Quality Report. HP’s model-specific instructions.
- OfficeJet Pro 9720: on the Home screen touch Menu, then Utilities, then Tools, then Reports, then Status Reports, then Print Quality Diagnostic Report, then Print.
- Buttons only, Ink Tank 310 and 410: press and hold the Start Copy Color button for 3 seconds.
- Smart Tank 500, 508, 511, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519 Wireless and Plus 551, 555, 559 Wireless: press and hold Copy Color and Resume together for three seconds. HP’s instructions and supported model list.
What a healthy page looks like
For the ENVY 5530 and DeskJet Ink Advantage 4510, HP’s example page has three parts: sample text, an alignment pattern and color bars. A good page has every color bar present, solid and even in color, with no streaks, and black text with no streaks. If yours looks like that, HP says to go back and check the print settings, the paper and the quality of the file you were printing. Our test page prints but documents do not page covers that case.
What the problems mean and what HP says to do
| What you see | What to check next for your model |
|---|---|
| Streaks, white lines, or faded or missing ink in the color or black boxes | Follow your model’s print-quality troubleshooting steps. If those steps call for cleaning, examine the resulting test page before continuing, and follow HP’s instructions for additional cleaning. |
| Alignment lines jagged, or not straight and connected | Follow HP’s alignment procedure for your model. For the ENVY 5530 family and listed DeskJet Ink Advantage models, HP instructs you to print an alignment page and scan it. |
| Black completely missing, or an almost blank page | Check your model’s ink-level and cartridge or tank guidance before following its cleaning steps. See black ink not printing. |
| Ink smears on the back of the paper | Use Clean Smear only if HP’s instructions for your model provide that tool. |
| Track marks or smeared text on the front | Check HP’s model-specific instructions before manual cleaning. For the ENVY 5530 family and listed DeskJet Ink Advantage models, HP describes cleaning around the nozzles and warns against platen cleaners or alcohol. Do not apply that procedure to other printers without matching instructions. |
A missing color or streaked bar is a reason to consult the troubleshooting steps for that model, not proof that one particular part needs replacement. Our print head cleaning guide explains the general precautions; use HP’s instructions for your printer’s cleaning sequence.
Cartridges and when cleaning does not help
Follow the cartridge or tank checks in HP’s support page for your exact model rather than treating every defect as a reason to buy supplies or replace a print head. For example, HP’s ENVY 5530 and listed DeskJet Ink Advantage guidance includes cartridge checks, while the listed Smart Tank models use ink tanks and separate print heads.
Follow the cleaning levels, waiting periods and stopping instructions for your printer. HP’s DeskJet 3700 guidance says a badly clogged print head might need another cleaning cycle, with a wait of at least 30 minutes before cleaning again; that is not a universal interval for all HP printers. If the prescribed troubleshooting does not resolve the problem, use HP’s model-specific replacement or service guidance instead of repeating cleaning indefinitely.
Next steps
Our downloadable test sheet offers an additional comparison print. It does not reproduce HP’s model-specific diagnostic report or replace its interpretation instructions. Our HP test page guide has the other ways to print a test page, and HP printer not printing covers connection problems.
Sources reviewed October 24, 2026: HP support pages for the ENVY 5530 family and listed DeskJet Ink Advantage models, listed Smart Tank 500 models and DeskJet 3700. Existing printing instructions for the OfficeJet Pro 9720 and Ink Tank 310 and 410 were checked October 5, 2026.