Posted by HP printers offer great print performance but can encounter a range of issues. A myriad of issues can occur from the printer’s inability to print to paper jams and poor print quality. However, you needn’t worry, as HP printer troubleshooting is available for all these common errors.
This article will give you common printing problems with HP printers and how to fix them.
1. Fix HP Printer Won’t Print
HP printers not printing or being unresponsive is one of the most frequent issues. Here are three troubleshooting techniques to use.
Cancel prior printer jobs
- Access the Windows Control Panel.
- From here, choose ‘Devices and Printers.’
- Now, in the list of printing devices, locate your HP printer.
- Choose the one that isn’t printing and right-tap on it.
- From the drop-down, choose the ‘See what’s printing’ option.
- On the new page, tap the ‘Printer’ menu. It is on the top-right part.
- Now from the drop-down menu, choose ‘Open as Administrator.’
- Launch the Printer menu once more.
- This time, select the ‘Cancel all documents’ option.
- A confirmation box will launch for you to confirm the action by tapping ‘Yes.’
- After that, give a print command and see if your HP printer prints properly.
Fix printer connection
Follow this simple HP printer troubleshooting guide to see whether the printer is properly connected.
- Examine the connection cables of your printer’s power connector and the wall power.
- Ensure that the cables from your computer to your HP printer are linked to each other.
- The USB cable should be in its correct position.
- If using a network cable for network printing, ensure that the Ethernet cable is in its place.
- Review the user manual to check whether the lights should blink or not in case of a network connection.
- If the printer doesn’t seem like it’s on, replugs it.
- You can also change the power plug if your current outlet isn’t working optimally.
Set the printer as default.
- Launch the ‘Run’ box from the Windows search bar.
- Here, input the control panel.
- Choose ‘Devices and Printers’ on the Control Panel.
- Now right-tap on your HP printer in the subsequent window.
- Choose the ‘Set as default printer’ option.
- You must see a green checkmark below the printer’s icon.
2. Clear the Paper Jam in the HP Printer
The correct HP printer troubleshooting for the paper jam will help you clear the error quickly.
- Remove the jammed paper from the printer’s input and output trays.
- Open the ADF cover.
- Check and remove jammed paper from there.
- Try printing.
- If the issue persists, turn off the printer.
- Disconnect the power cord.
- Take away the stuck paper from the toner cartridge access area.
- Open the access door and remove the jammed paper.
- If you use a Laserjet printer, remove the cartridge and the imaging drum to get to the paper jam.
- Remove stuck paper from under the paper path cover.
- Similarly, remove the paper from the input tray and the rear access door.
- Replace the printer parts you removed.
- Now, reconnect the power cord and turn on your printing device.
3. Fix HP Printer in Error State issue
When the message ‘HP printer is in an error state’ displays, your printer will become unresponsive. Use these fixes to bring it out of the error state.
Bring the printer online.
- Head to the ‘Control Panel’ section.
- Find ‘Devices and Printers’ and click it.
- Find your printer and confirm its status.
- If it is in a Standby mode, right-click on the menu and choose ‘Use Printer Online.’
- The display should change to Ready.
Reinstall HP drivers
A good HP printer troubleshooting technique is to reinstall printer drivers.
- Navigate to the official HP Support website.
- Find your printer model in the ‘Download’ section.
- Double-tap on the executable file of the compatible driver.
- Extract it to your preferred directory on your computer.
- On this directory, double-tap the .msi file.
- The driver package installer will run.
- It will update HP drivers.
- Lastly, restart your system and check if your printer is in an error state.
4. Troubleshoot Print Quality Issues
There are various resolutions for troubleshooting poor print quality.
Examine the paper-type setting.
- Choose the ‘Print’ option from your software program.
- Choose your HP printer and tap ‘Properties.’
- After that, tap the ‘Paper/Quality’ tab.
- Tap ‘More…’ from the paper type drop-down.
- Enlarge the ‘Type Is;’ list.
- Choose the paper category that correctly describes your paper.
- Choose the option for your current paper type and tap ‘OK.’
- Exit the Document Properties box by tapping ‘OK.’
- Now tap ‘OK’ in the Print dialog box to take a test print.
Inspect the toner or ink.
- In the printer settings, locate the toner levels for the current cartridges.
- Replace the cartridges that you find are low in ink.
- If you use a Mac system, tap the Apple menu, and go to ‘System Preferences.’
- Here, tap ‘Printers and Scanners.’
- Choose your printer name in the list and choose ‘Options and Supplies.’
- Tap the ‘Supply Levels’ tab.
Perform a printhead cleaning.
There is yet another HP printer troubleshooting technique for fixing poor print quality. It is cleaning the printhead through these steps.
- Load paper into the paper tray and hit ‘Setup.’
- Highlight ‘Tools’ by holding the Down arrow button.
- Now hit ‘OK.’
- Highlight ‘Clean printhead’ by holding the Down arrow button.
- Press ‘OK.’
- HP printer will start cleaning the printhead and provide you with a test page after that.
- Review this page for print quality.
- If you don’t find it satisfactory, repeat the cleaning procedure.
5. Fix HP Printer Not Printing Color Issue
Use this HP printer troubleshooting guide if you find your printer not printing colored text.
Modify the color themes and color options.
- HP Color Laser printer users should select ‘Print’ from their program.
- Next, select ‘Preferences.’
- Tap ‘Advanced’ and locate the ‘Color Themes’ dropdown.
- If you want to print photos, choose the ‘Photo (sRGB)’ option.
- If you want business graphics, select the ‘Vivid (sRGB)’ option.
- Head to the ‘Paper/Quality’ tab.
- Select ‘Color.’
Update outdated drivers
- Use the Run dialog box and navigate to the ‘Device Manager.’
- Expand the ‘Print Queues’ category by double-tapping it.
- Right-click on your printer name and tap ‘Update driver.’
- Let the update happen.
- Follow the on-screen instructions after that
Find of the toner cartridge has damage.
Any damage in the toner cartridge for your printer will prevent it from printing properly.
- Remove the cartridges.
- Also, remove their sealing tape.
- Now, rock them gently. It will dispense the powder toner.
- Examine the toner’s memory chips carefully.
- After that, have a close look at the cartridge’s roller surfaces.
- They should be fine.
- While doing so, don’t touch the roller.
- If you find fingerprints or scratches on the roller, replace the cartridge.
- If there’s no damage on the rollers, rock the cartridges like before.
- Reinstall them.
- Check if your problem has been fixed.
6. Fix the Ghosting Issue in Your HP Printer
This HP printer troubleshooting guide will give you different techniques to fix the ghosting problem in your printer.
- Install the printer in a dry place.
- Humidity causes the toner powder to clump and adversely affects the print output.
- Use the right paper from HP Inkjet and Laser printer models.
- Don’t use paper that is too glossy or thick.
- HP Laser printer users should ensure that their paper settings align with their Laser printer type.
- Adjusting paper settings will resolve the ghosting problem.
- Find the ‘Cleaning’ feature in your printer.
- Run it a few times to resolve the printing problem.
- Examine the printer’s drum, and if you find excess toner powder on it, wipe it.
- After that, slide the corona wire a few times.
- Finally, clean the fuser and replace it if the issue doesn’t resolve.
7. Can’t Print onto Envelopes
Envelopes often cause issues in HP Laser printers. Here are some points to remember while printing on envelopes.
- Select ‘Envelopes‘ within 20 lb in thickness and weight.
- Ensure that the envelope adhesive can tolerate the fuser heat.
- If you find the envelopes printed wrinkled, they may be too stiff.
- In such a case, access the printer’s rear and let them exit at that specific place.
Final Thoughts
This exhaustive guide will be extremely useful when you encounter different printer problems. Refer to it whenever you cannot fix a specific problem. Ensure that you perform the instructions correctly. If you need more Printer fixing error assistance, call an expert HP Printer Support Expert.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I diagnose my HP printer problems?
Use the HP Smart app to diagnose common printer problems. On the ap, go to the ‘Diagnose and Fix’ section and tap ‘Start.’ Adhere to the prompts to fix the problem.
How do I reset my HP wireless printer?
Turn on the printer and take out its power cord. Take out the cord’s other end. After 60 seconds, re-link the cord to the printer and the outlet.
How do I troubleshoot my HP wireless printer?
Take out the USB cable from your printer. Now, through the control panel of your PC, uninstall the printer. Turn on the printer and download the printer drivers from 123.hp.com.
What to do when my HP printer does not print?
Find out whether there is a paper jammed or stuck on the feed. Cancel all stuck print jobs. Set the HP printer as your default device and update its drivers.
Why is my HP printer running but not printing?
See if you have set your HP printer as your default device. Go to the Settings of your system and clear the print queue. You can also update your driver.
Why is my printer not printing even though it is connected?
Reset the printer connection. Shut your printer down to reset it. Check whether you have installed an outdated or wrong driver. Clear the print queue and see if it works.
Related Resources:
- A Guide to Resolving Various HP Printer Error Codes
- Easy Resolutions for HP Printer Won’t Turn On Issue
- How to Recover HP Printer Paused Error with Genuine Steps?
- How to Resolve HP Printer Driver is Unavailable Windows 10?