How does your print look?

Your printer passed this check.

Can mean: toner fogging or a worn drum (laser), or stray ink or a color cast (inkjet). Tinted paper can also look like this.

1. 1.Compare the page with an unprinted sheet from the same ream.
2. 2.On a laser printer, check the toner cartridge and drum for wear or leaks.
3. 3.On an inkjet, run one cleaning cycle only if you see color on the page.

Fix blank pages

Likely cause: debris or damage in the paper path or on the drum or rollers (laser), or ink on a roller or leaking ink (inkjet).

1. 1.Turn the printer off and check the paper path for specks or scraps of paper.
2. 2.Run the printer’s own cleaning routine for the rollers or drum if it has one.
3. 3.Reprint. If the lines are in the same place every time, a part may need service.

Fix streaks or lines

Can mean: loose toner or paper dust (laser), or ink drops from an overfilled or dirty head (inkjet). Marks that repeat at the same spacing often point to a roller or drum.

1. 1.Print a second copy. Random specks that disappear are usually dust.
2. 2.If marks repeat at a fixed distance down the page, check the toner cartridge and drum.
3. 3.Use fresh, clean paper stored flat.

Fix smudges

Likely cause: ink or toner on a roller or in the paper path that is rubbing onto the paper.

1. 1.Turn off the printer and gently wipe accessible rollers with a lint-free dry cloth, following the manual.
2. 2.Reprint and check again.

Fix smudges

Can mean: the printed side is the wrong way up, a cartridge is empty, or the nozzles are fully blocked.

1. 1.Check paper orientation for your printer and look at the other side of the sheet.
2. 2.Check ink or toner levels and remove any protective tape from new cartridges.
3. 3.Print the nozzle check sheet to see whether any color prints.

Fix blank pages