All printer fixes
99 problems, each with a quick fix and step-by-step instructions for Windows, Mac, Chromebook and phones.
Connection & offline
Printer shows offline, disappears from the network, or your computer can’t find it.
- Printer shows as offline Your printer is switched on but your computer or phone says it's offline. Work through these checks to get Windows, Mac, Chromebook or phone printing again.
- Computer can't find my network printer Your Wi-Fi or network printer doesn't show up when you try to add it. Check the network and discovery settings, then add it directly by IP address.
- Wi-Fi printer keeps disconnecting Your wireless printer works for a while, then drops off the network or shows offline. Fix the signal, sleep settings and changing IP address for good.
- USB printer not recognized You plugged in your printer with a USB cable but the computer doesn't detect it. Check the cable, the port and the driver on Windows or Mac.
- Printer stopped working after its IP address changed Your router gave the printer a new IP address and your computer is still looking at the old one. Find the new address, update the port and lock it in.
- Wi-Fi Direct printing isn't working You can't connect to your printer's Wi-Fi Direct network or print over it. Find its name and password, connect your device, then get back to home Wi-Fi.
- Printer won't connect after a new router or Wi-Fi password New router, new internet provider or a changed Wi-Fi password, and now the printer won't connect? Rejoin it, check bands and security, then re-add it.
- No AirPrint printers found on iPhone, iPad or Mac Your iPhone, iPad or Mac can't find your AirPrint printer. Check the network, guest Wi-Fi and isolation, VPNs and mesh settings, and that AirPrint is on.
- Shared printer isn't showing on other computers A printer shared from one Windows PC won't appear or connect on others. Check sharing, network discovery, the host PC's sleep settings and common errors.
Won’t print
Jobs stuck in the queue, blank pages, nothing happening when you press Print.
- Printer is on but won't print You press Print and nothing comes out. Check the printer, the queue and the selected printer, then reset printing on Windows or Mac.
- Print jobs stuck in the queue Documents sit in the print queue and won't print or delete. Clear the queue, restart the Print Spooler and empty the spool folder on Windows or Mac.
- Print Spooler keeps stopping The Windows Print Spooler service stops or crashes on its own, so printers vanish and jobs fail. Find the cause and stop it happening again.
- Printer prints blank pages Paper feeds through but comes out blank. Work out whether it's ink or toner, a clogged print head or a software setting, and fix it.
- Printing is very slow Pages take minutes to start or creep out one at a time. Speed things up with the right quality setting, a better connection and spooling options.
- Printer prints gibberish or random symbols Pages come out covered in strange characters, code or random symbols. Clear the bad job and make sure the correct driver is installed.
- PDF files won't print Other documents print fine but a PDF won't, comes out blank or stalls. Try another PDF app, print it as an image and check the file itself.
- Computer keeps using the wrong default printer Jobs keep going to the wrong printer or your default keeps changing. Turn off automatic switching and set the default you want on Windows or Mac.
- Printer is paused and won't resume Your printer or print queue says Paused and nothing comes out. Tell a paused printer from a paused job, resume it on Windows or Mac, and stop it pausing again.
- Printer won't print in color Everything comes out in black and white even though you have color ink or toner. Check grayscale settings in the driver and apps, then the cartridges and driver.
- Printer prints an extra blank page An empty sheet comes out at the end of every job or between jobs. Find hidden page breaks, separator pages, paper size mismatches and driver settings that cause it.
- Printout is cut off or the wrong size Edges are missing, text runs off the page or everything prints too small. Match Letter or A4, fix scaling and margins, and stop photo apps cropping your pictures.
- Can't print from Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox Pressing Print in your browser does nothing, saves a PDF or prints blank pages. Check the destination, use the system dialog and rule out sites and extensions.
- Word or other Office documents won't print Word, Excel or Outlook won't print while other apps do, or Office freezes when you click Print. Test the printer, start Office in safe mode and repair it.
- Printer prints pages on its own Pages come out when nobody pressed Print. Trace it to old queued jobs, another device, a fax, email printing or a printer reachable from the internet.
- Only the first page prints You print a multi-page document but only page one comes out, or the printer stops partway. Check the page range, layout, PDF and spooling settings and memory.
Print quality
Faded, streaky, smudged, blurry or wrongly colored pages.
- Prints are faded or too light Pages coming out pale, grey or washed out? Check ink or toner, turn off draft and saver modes, set the right paper type and clear clogged nozzles.
- Streaks or lines on printed pages White gaps, dark stripes or repeating marks on your prints? Work out whether nozzles, alignment, the drum or the scanner glass is to blame, and fix it.
- Prints are smudged or smeared Ink that smears, toner that rubs off, or marks on the back of pages? Fix the paper type setting, drying time, dirty rollers and fuser problems.
- Printer prints the wrong colors Colors coming out wrong, missing or tinted? Check cartridges, nozzles and slot order, then fix grayscale and color management settings on Windows and Mac.
- Prints are blurry, fuzzy or misaligned Fuzzy text, doubled lines or content printing crooked or off-center? Align the print head, fix quality and paper settings, and set the paper guides.
- Ghost images or faint repeats on laser prints Faint copies of text or images repeating down your laser prints? Learn what causes ghosting and fix it with paper settings, power, drum and fuser checks.
- Printer won't print black but color works Colors print but black text is missing or faint? Check the black cartridge and its tape, clear blocked black nozzles and fix paper type and grayscale settings.
- Photos print grainy, dull or banded Photos coming out grainy, flat or striped? Match the paper type, load the right side, raise the quality, check image resolution and clear clogged nozzles.
- Spots or repeating marks on prints Dots or smudges that repeat down every page? Measure the gap to find the roller at fault on a laser, or clear ink build-up from an inkjet's paper path.
- Gray background or shading on laser prints Laser pages coming out with a light gray haze or shading? Check the drum and toner, use dry paper, reset the density and run the printer's cleaning routine.
Paper & feeding
Jams, false jam errors, paper not feeding, envelopes and labels.
- Paper jam: how to clear it safely Paper stuck inside your printer? Learn where jams hide, how to pull paper out without tearing it, and how to stop jams from coming back.
- Printer says paper jam but nothing is stuck Paper jam error but no jammed paper in sight? Check for hidden scraps, a blocked carriage, open doors and dirty rollers, then reset the printer.
- Printer won't pick up paper Printer whirs but won't grab paper from the tray? Check how the paper is loaded, the guides and tray settings, then clean the pickup rollers.
- Printer pulls in several sheets at once Two or more sheets going through together, causing blank pages or jams? Fan the paper, fix the guides and stack height, and clean the separation pad.
- Pages come out wrinkled, creased or curled Prints coming out wavy, creased or curled at the edges? Fix paper storage, the paper type setting and output path, and check rollers and the fuser.
- Double-sided printing not working Two-sided option missing, greyed out or printing the back upside down? Check your printer supports it, enable the duplex unit and fix flip settings.
- Envelopes jam or print in the wrong place Envelopes jamming, creasing or printing upside down or off-center? Load them the right way, set the envelope size, use the right slot and any envelope lever.
- Labels print misaligned on the sheet Label text drifting off the labels or shifting down the sheet? Pick the matching template, print at 100%, set Letter or A4 correctly and feed the sheet straight.
- Printer says out of paper but there is paper Out of paper or load paper message with a full tray? Push the tray fully in, set the guides, pick the right tray, check the paper sensor and clean the rollers.
- Printer uses the wrong tray or asks for manual feed Printer pulling from the wrong tray or asking you to feed paper by hand? Match tray settings on the printer, set the paper source and fix your Windows and Mac defaults.
Ink & toner
Cartridges not recognized, wrong ink levels, clogged heads, drum errors.
- Printer doesn't recognize the cartridge Cartridge error, incompatible cartridge, or not detected after a swap? Reseat it, remove the tape, clean the contacts and check the model number.
- Ink levels look wrong or show empty Ink gauge shows empty on a full cartridge, or never changes? Learn how printers estimate ink, then reseat, reset and check levels the right way.
- Toner low message after replacing the cartridge Still seeing toner low or replace toner after fitting a new cartridge? Remove seals, reseat it, reset the counter and check the drum to clear it.
- Clogged print head or missing colors Gaps, missing colors or blank pages from an inkjet? Run nozzle checks and cleaning cycles the right way, then try deeper fixes for stubborn clogs.
- Drum error on a laser printer Seeing replace drum, drum end soon or a drum error on your laser printer? Reseat it, clean the corona wire, reset the counter or replace the drum.
- Cartridges stopped working after a printer update Non-original cartridges rejected after a firmware update? Confirm the cause, ask the seller about a replacement or refund, and choose how future updates install.
- Ink cartridge is leaking or dripping Ink dripping from a cartridge or pooling in the printer? Clean up safely, work out whether the cartridge or the printer is leaking, and stop it happening again.
- Printer uses color ink when printing black Color cartridges emptying when you only print black? See why printers mix color into black, then set black-ink-only printing and cut maintenance ink use.
Ink tank printers
EcoTank, MegaTank, Smart Tank and other refillable printers: refills, air in tubes, ink pads.
- Ink tank printer won't print after refilling Refilled the tanks and now nothing prints, or a color is missing? Check the caps and valve, the fill line, the level reset and the nozzles, in that order.
- Air in the ink tubes or ink not reaching the print head A color prints blank or keeps dropping out even with ink in the tank? Air in the ink path is a likely cause. Here's how to clear it and keep it out.
- Printer says the ink pad is at the end of its life Ink pad, ink absorber or maintenance box full? Learn what the waste ink system does, which models have a box you can swap, and when it needs service.
- Wrong color ink poured into a tank Filled a tank with the wrong color? Stop printing, work out how much went in, then choose between printing it through, removing it or getting it serviced.
- Ink level doesn't update after refilling The tanks are full but the printer or app still shows low ink? See why ink tank estimates drift, how to confirm a refill and when to trust your eyes.
- Ink tank printer is leaking ink Ink around the tanks or under the printer? Find the source, from a loose cap or open transport lock to a full waste ink pad, and clean up safely.
- Faint or streaky prints after the printer sat unused Prints faint, striped or missing colors after weeks without use? Clear dried nozzles with a nozzle check and spaced cleanings, then keep the ink moving.
- New ink tank printer stuck on initial ink charging Setup stuck on ink charging or priming? It can take several minutes. Check the tanks, transport lock, print heads and covers before restarting carefully.
- Print head error on an ink tank printer Print head problem, head not detected or warning lights after setup or a move? Reseat user-installed heads, check tape, latch and contacts, and know when to get service.
- Ink bottle won't fit or ink won't flow into the tank Bottle won't go in, or ink won't come out? Check the bottle code and color, remove the seal, seat it upright and see whether the tank is already full.
Power & hardware
Won’t turn on, blinking lights, strange noises, a stuck carriage or a frozen screen.
- Printer won't turn on Nothing happens when you press the power button? Check the outlet, cable and power adapter, drain leftover power, and know when the power supply has failed.
- Printer turns off by itself Your printer switches itself off after a while or partway through a job. Change auto power-off and schedule settings, then check ventilation and power.
- Printer error light is blinking An orange or amber light keeps flashing on your printer. Find out what the common light patterns usually mean, clear the cause and reset the printer.
- Printer makes grinding or clicking noises Your printer grinds, clicks or knocks. Learn which sounds are normal maintenance, then check for torn paper, foreign objects and a blocked carriage.
- Print carriage is stuck or won't move Carriage jam or carriage error on your inkjet? Remove packing tape and transport locks, clear paper and objects from its path, and check it moves freely.
- Printer screen is blank or frozen Your printer's display is dark, stuck on one screen or ignores touches. Wake it, check brightness, do a power reset and recover from a failed update.
- Printer is stuck on initializing Your printer says initializing, preparing or please wait and never finishes. Check for hidden jams, the carriage and cartridges, then reset it safely.
- Printer keeps going to sleep or won't wake up Your printer falls asleep too quickly, drops off Wi-Fi while asleep or ignores print jobs. Adjust sleep and wake settings from the panel or its web page.
Drivers & software
Driver unavailable, installs that fail, printers broken by an update, apps that won’t open.
- Printer driver is unavailable Windows shows Driver is unavailable under your printer and it won't print. Clear out the broken driver and install the right one for your PC.
- Printer driver won't install The printer software installer fails, freezes or shows an error. Remove old drivers, get the right download and install it in the right order.
- Printer stopped working after a Windows update Your printer worked until a Windows update, and now it's offline, missing or showing an error. Reinstall it, update the driver or roll back safely.
- Printer stopped working after a macOS update Your printer worked until you updated macOS, and now it won't print, says Filter failed or can't be found. Re-add it and reset printing if needed.
- Older printer has no driver for Windows 11 There's no Windows 11 driver listed for your printer. Try Windows Update, the built-in driver, a Windows 10 driver or a universal driver before replacing it.
- Duplicate printers appear (Copy 1, Copy 2) Windows lists the same printer several times, with names ending in Copy 1 or Copy 2. Find the copy that works, remove the rest and stop new ones appearing.
- Printer app won't open or can't find the printer The maker's app crashes, won't load or can't see your printer. Repair or reinstall it, allow local network access, and remember you can usually print without it.
Scan, copy & fax
Scanner not detected, document feeder jams, scan to email, copies and faxes that fail.
- Scanner not working or not detected Computer can't find your scanner, or scanning won't start? Check the connection, install the full software, restart the scan service and test again.
- Scan to computer from the printer not working Pressing Scan to Computer on the printer does nothing or can't find your PC or Mac? Set up the maker's software, network and firewall to fix it.
- Scans come out blank, black or all white Scanner producing blank, white, black or very dark images? Check how the original is placed, the scan mode and brightness, the lid and the lamp.
- Lines or streaks on scans and copies Vertical lines, streaks or spots on scans and copies but not on prints? Clean the scanner glass and the document feeder's scanning strip to fix it.
- Document feeder jams or pulls in several pages Originals jamming in the automatic document feeder, or several going through at once? Prepare the stack, set the guides and clean the feeder rollers.
- Copier won't copy or copies come out blank Pressing Copy does nothing, or copies come out blank or faint? Check how the original is placed, clean the glass, review copy settings and test the print side.
- Scan to email not working or emails never arrive Printer can't send scans by email, shows a server or sign-in error, or emails never arrive? Fix SMTP settings, app passwords, file size and firmware.
- Scan to network folder fails or can't connect Printer can't save scans to a shared folder on your PC, Mac or server? Check the path, sign-in format, sharing permissions, SMB version and firewall.
- Can't scan multiple pages into one PDF Every scanned page saves as a separate file? Use the document feeder, an add page option, Image Capture or Preview, or combine the pages afterwards.
- Scans are blurry, dull or low resolution Scanned text fuzzy, photos dull or files pixelated when you zoom in? Choose the right resolution and color mode, clean the glass and keep originals flat.
- Scanning app says no TWAIN or WIA scanner found A photo or document app can't find your scanner, or Windows says you need a WIA driver? Install the full driver, pick the right source and match 32 or 64-bit.
- Fax won't send or keeps failing Faxes fail, hang up partway or never connect? Check the dial tone, the cord in the LINE port, the dialing prefix, fax speed and the receiving machine.
- Fax won't receive or incoming faxes don't print Incoming faxes not answered, taken by voicemail, or received but never printed? Fix answer mode, rings to answer, distinctive ring and fax memory.
- Fax fails on a VoIP, cable or fiber phone line Faxing unreliable since your phone line moved to internet, cable or fiber? Lower the fax speed, adjust ECM, use the right adapter port or a fax alternative.
Setup & devices
New printer setup, Wi‑Fi, adding a printer, printing from phones, Macs and Chromebooks.
- Connect your printer to Wi-Fi Get a new or reset printer onto your wireless network using its control panel, the WPS button or the maker's app, then add it to your computer.
- Add a network printer in Windows Add a Wi-Fi, Ethernet or shared printer to Windows 11 or 10, either automatically or by typing its IP address or network path.
- Print from your iPhone or Android phone Print photos, emails and documents from an iPhone, iPad or Android phone over Wi-Fi, and fix it when your phone can't find the printer.
- Print from a Chromebook Set up a Wi-Fi or USB printer on your Chromebook, print with Ctrl + P, and fix it when your printer doesn't show up in the list.
- Set up a new printer out of the box Just unboxed a printer? Remove the packing, install ink or toner, load paper, connect it to Wi-Fi or USB and add it to your computer or phone.
- Add a printer on a Mac Need to add a printer to your Mac, or re-add one that stopped working? Use Printers and Scanners, choose AirPrint or a driver, or add it by IP address.
- WPS button won't connect the printer to Wi-Fi Pressing WPS on the printer and router doesn't connect? Check the timing, whether WPS is on, WPA3 and 2.4 GHz settings, or connect with the password instead.
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