testpageforprinter

Canon printer not printing?

A Canon PIXMA that will not print is usually a power state, the wrong printer selected, a communication setting, or ink that is not reaching the page.

What is your Canon doing?

Step 1 of 2
What is your Canon doing?

Most likely causes

  1. The printer is off, stuck or not selected

    A printer that is off or in an odd state, or one where another printer is chosen in the print dialog, will not print the job you sent.

  2. A communication or port setting

    On Windows, bidirectional support on the printer’s Ports tab and the right port are needed for the computer to talk to the printer.

  3. Blocked nozzles or an ink problem

    If the printer feeds paper but prints nothing, the print head may be blocked or a tank empty. The nozzle check pattern shows which.

  4. A driver problem

    A damaged driver can make jobs fail, and a clean reinstall of the latest driver fixes it.

What to try, in order

  1. 1Power cycle the printerTurn it off, unplug the power cord, wait about 30 seconds, plug it in and turn it on.
  2. 2Check the selected printer and portChoose the right Canon printer in the print dialog. On Windows, open Printer properties, then the Ports tab, and make sure Enable bidirectional support is ticked.
  3. 3Run a nozzle checkPrint the nozzle check pattern from the printer or the driver. Gaps mean blocked nozzles; see our nozzle check and the print head cleaning guide.
  4. 4Reinstall the driverUninstall the printer, restart, and install the latest driver for your model from Canon’s support site.

Print head cleaning uses ink. Run one cleaning, check the pattern, and follow Canon’s guidance for your model on repeats.

When to stop and replace

If the printer still does not print after a power cycle, the port setting check, a nozzle check with cleaning and a driver reinstall, contact Canon support with the model name and any error code.

Inkjet or laser?

Inkjet printers

Canon PIXMA printers are inkjets, so a nozzle check is the quickest way to tell blocked nozzles from a connection problem.

Print a nozzle check

Laser printers

Canon laser printers have no nozzles. If one will not print, check the display for a toner message and follow the connection steps on this page.

Check other printer problems

Start with the basics Canon lists

Canon’s support pages begin with simple checks: make sure the printer is on, make sure the right printer is chosen, and if needed turn the printer off, unplug it for about 30 seconds and start it again. These clear a printer that has stuck in an odd state.

Windows communication errors

When Windows says it cannot communicate with the printer, Canon points to the Ports tab in the printer’s properties: enable bidirectional support and choose the correct port. If that is already right and printing still fails, uninstall the driver and install the latest one. See also printer offline.

When it feeds paper but prints nothing

Then the question is ink. Print the nozzle check pattern. If it has gaps, clean the print head once and check again, following Canon’s guidance for your model. Our guide to reading a nozzle check and print head cleaning guide explain what to look for.

More help

For the steps to print a Canon nozzle check, see our Canon guide. For other faults, see black ink not printing and all printer problems.

Good questions

Why is my Canon printer not printing?
Common causes are a printer that is off or stuck, the wrong printer selected, a communication setting, blocked nozzles or a driver problem. Power cycle it first, then check the selected printer and port, then run a nozzle check.
What is bidirectional support on a Canon printer?
It is a setting on the Windows printer Ports tab that lets the computer and printer exchange status. Canon’s support pages say to make sure it is enabled and the correct port is chosen when Windows cannot communicate with the printer.
Why does my Canon print blank pages?
The print head may be blocked or an ink tank empty. Print the nozzle check pattern: gaps mean blocked nozzles. See printer printing blank pages.
Why is only black or a color missing on my Canon?
Print the nozzle check pattern to see which ink has gaps. For black, see black ink not printing.
How do I print a Canon nozzle check?
Steps differ by model. See our Canon guide.

Related problems

More print problems

All print problems · All test pages · How-to guides