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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.

15–60 min
Moderate
Updated

Quick fix

Print a nozzle check from the printer's maintenance menu or the maker's app. If lines are missing, run one cleaning cycle and print the check again, repeating once or twice at most. If it's still patchy, leave the printer switched on for a few hours, or overnight, then try one more cycle.

Didn’t work? Go to the full steps

You might see

  • Horizontal gaps or missing lines in text and images
  • One color, often black, is missing completely
  • Blank or patchy pages after the printer sat unused for weeks
  • The nozzle check pattern has broken or missing lines

Usually caused by

  • Ink drying in the nozzles after weeks without printing
  • Air in the ink system after a cartridge or tank ran dry
  • Switching off at the wall instead of the power button, so the head isn't capped
  • Old or expired ink
  • A failing cartridge or print head

Safety first. Power off and unplug before removing a print head or cartridge for manual cleaning, and never touch the nozzles or copper contacts with your fingers.

Step-by-step fix

Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.

Inkjet printers

0 of 6 steps tried

  1. Print a nozzle check

    Find the nozzle check or print quality report in the printer's maintenance or tools menu, or in the maker's app. A perfect pattern has solid blocks and unbroken lines in every color; gaps show which color is blocked. If the pattern is perfect but documents look bad, the problem is alignment or settings, not a clog.

  2. Run one cleaning cycle at a time

    Run a standard head cleaning, then print another nozzle check. If it improved, run one more. Each cleaning uses ink and fills the internal waste ink pad a little, so avoid running many in a row.

  3. Rest, then repeat

    If two or three cycles don't clear it, leave the printer switched on for several hours or overnight so dried ink can soften. Then print a nozzle check and clean once more if needed.

  4. Rule out low ink

    A nearly empty cartridge, or a tank below its minimum line, looks just like a clog. Replace or refill before cleaning further.

  5. Try a deep cleaning

    Many printers offer a stronger cleaning, sometimes called deep, power or ink flush cleaning. It uses much more ink and some models limit how often it can run, so use it only after normal cleaning fails and follow your manual.

  6. Soak a cartridge-based head

    On cartridges with built-in nozzles, common on many HP and Canon models, unplug the printer, remove the cartridge and hold a lint-free cloth dampened with warm distilled water against the nozzle plate for about three seconds. Blot gently, don't rub, then let it dry and reinstall. If that fails, a new cartridge also gives you new nozzles.

Common questions

How many cleaning cycles should I run?

Two or three in a row at most. If that doesn't fix it, rest the printer for several hours before trying again rather than burning through ink.

How do I stop the print head clogging?

Print something with every color at least once a week, turn the printer off with its power button rather than at the wall, and don't leave empty cartridges installed.

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