How-to · Printer brand
HP printer test page and print quality report
HP printers use a print quality report and printhead alignment and cleaning tools. Names vary by model.
Print the built-in test page
HP touchscreen and button models label these tools differently. Look for a maintenance or tools menu.
- 1Load plain white paperLoad plain Letter or A4 paper and make sure there are no error lights.
- 2Open the maintenance or tools menuOn many HP inkjet models with a touchscreen, look for Printer Maintenance and options such as Align the Printhead and Clean the Printhead. HP’s wording varies by model.
- 3Look for reportsLook for a print quality or diagnostic report in the same menu, or in your printer’s manual.
- 4Follow the promptsFollow the on-screen instructions. Some HP printers ask you to perform several levels of cleaning.
The HP Smart app can request reports from many HP printers.
- 1Open HP SmartOpen the HP Smart app and select your printer.
- 2Find Printer ReportsLook for Printer Settings, then Tools, then Printer Reports, or Printer Reports directly, depending on your app version.
- 3Print the quality reportChoose Print Quality Report.
- 4Windows test page (optional)For the plain Windows connection test, open Printer properties and use Print Test Page on the General tab.
HP makes inkjet, laser and cartridge-free models, and tool names differ across them. The steps above are typical for HP inkjets. Laser printers rarely have printhead tools, so check your model’s support page.
Run a nozzle check
HP calls its quality check a Print Quality Diagnostic or Print Quality Report. Wording varies by model.
- 1Print the reportUse the printer panel or HP Smart to print the report on plain white paper.
- 2Check the patternsHP describes two test patterns. If lines in the first are not straight and connected, align the printhead. If color blocks in the second show white lines or are faded or missing, clean the printhead.
- 1AlignOn many HP models, Printer Maintenance then Align the Printhead is the path. Confirm on your model’s page.
- 2CleanOn many HP models, Printer Maintenance then Clean the Printhead is the path. HP says to follow the front-panel prompts and run further cleaning levels only if needed.
- 3Print the report againCheck the result before you clean again.
Print our own pattern too: nozzle check sheet. Cleaning cycles use ink, so stop after two and recheck.
What a test page tells you
- A print quality report tests the printer. A Windows test page tests the connection. They answer different questions.
- Use plain white paper so you can judge the patterns honestly.
- Align only if the lines are crooked. Clean only if you see white lines or faded blocks.
- If you have a laser printer, printhead cleaning does not apply. Try the black and white test page and check toner instead.
Official sources
Steps follow these pages. Menu names can change with updates.
For HP printers, “test page” can mean three things: the Windows connection test, HP’s own print quality report, or a test sheet you print yourself. Knowing which one you need saves time.
The connection test
In Windows, the Print Test Page button on the General tab of Printer properties proves the computer and the printer can talk. It says little about ink. See print a test page in Windows for the steps.
HP’s print quality report
HP’s support pages describe a print quality diagnostic or report with test patterns. In the HP Smart app, the report is under Printer Reports. On many inkjet models you can also reach tools from the printer’s own menu. HP’s guidance is that crooked lines in the first pattern call for alignment, while white lines or faded blocks in the second pattern call for printhead cleaning.
Why we keep the panel steps general
HP sells many printer families, and menu names are not the same across them. Instead of listing one fixed button path as if it applied to everything, we point to the typical names and send you to HP’s support page for your exact model.
Using our sheets with HP
- The nozzle check sheet gives you an independent look at all four inks.
- The alignment page shows whether the printer or the file is crooked.
- The color test page shows tones, gradients and small text.
Download them from the PDF hub, in Letter or A4.
Next steps
If the report looks fine but prints are not, the issue may be in the file or settings. See streaks or lines, misaligned print and blank pages.
Good habits
Print reports on plain white paper and look at them in good daylight. Keep a copy from when the printer was healthy so you can compare later. Repeat the same report after changing a cartridge, and avoid running cleaning cycles more often than the printer’s guide suggests, since cleaning uses ink.