A simple printer maintenance checklist
Keep your printer reliable with a short weekly, monthly and yearly routine: regular prints, nozzle checks, roller cleaning, updates and good paper storage.
Most printer problems, from clogged nozzles to paper jams, are easier to prevent than to fix. A few minutes of routine care keeps an inkjet's nozzles from drying out, keeps paper feeding straight and keeps the printer's software up to date. Use this checklist as a starting point and adjust it to how often you print and what kind of printer you have.
Steps
Any printer
0 of 9 steps tried
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Weekly: print something on an inkjet
Print at least one page a week with some color in it, such as a photo or a nozzle check. Regular use keeps ink moving through the nozzles and is the best defense against clogs, especially on ink tank printers. Laser printers don't need this, because toner doesn't dry out.
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Every time: switch off with the power button
Turn the printer off with its own power button rather than at the wall or a power strip, and leave it plugged in if you can. Inkjets park and cap the print head when they shut down properly, and some run short maintenance routines while in standby.
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Monthly: run a nozzle check
If you print rarely, or print quality matters to you, print a nozzle check once a month. Clean the head only if the pattern shows gaps, since each cleaning cycle uses ink and adds to the waste ink the printer has to store.
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Monthly: check supplies
Check ink or toner levels and order replacements before you run out. On ink tank printers, refill before any color drops below the lower line, and check the maintenance box status if your printer reports one.
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Monthly: dust and wipe the outside
With the printer off, wipe the case, paper trays and output area with a soft, dry or slightly damp lint-free cloth. On all-in-ones, clean the scanner glass and the underside of the lid with a cloth lightly dampened with water or a little glass cleaner; spray onto the cloth, never onto the glass.
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Every few months: clean the paper rollers
If pages start feeding at an angle, misfeeding or jamming, clean the pickup rollers. Turn the printer off and unplug it, then wipe the rubber rollers you can reach with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with water, and let them dry before printing. On laser printers, let the printer cool first, as the fuser gets very hot. Some printers also have a roller cleaning option in the maintenance menu.
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Every few months: update firmware and software
Check for firmware updates from the printer's menu, the maker's app or the manufacturer's official support website, and keep the driver or app on your computer current. Updates often fix connection and printing bugs. Install them only through the printer itself or the maker's official channels.
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Yearly: clean inside a laser printer
Once a year, or when you change the toner, turn the printer off, unplug it and let it cool for at least half an hour. Remove the toner and drum and wipe loose toner from the cavity with a dry lint-free cloth. Don't touch the drum surface or the fuser, and avoid canned air, which spreads toner dust around the room and deeper into the printer.
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All the time: store paper well and keep the area ventilated
Keep paper flat in its wrapper in a cool, dry place, and load only what you'll use in the next few days, as damp or curled paper causes jams and smudges. Put the printer on a stable, level surface with its vents clear, away from direct sunlight, heaters and dusty spots. Laser printers give off warmth while printing, so use them in a well-ventilated room.
Tips
- Set a recurring reminder on your phone or calendar for the monthly checks; together they take about ten minutes.
- Keep a spare set of ink or toner sealed in its packaging at room temperature, so you can replace a cartridge as soon as quality drops.
- If you use non-original cartridges, read the notes for a firmware update before installing it, as some updates change which cartridges a printer accepts.
- Use plain water on rollers unless your manual says otherwise. Household cleaners and solvents can dry out the rubber and make feeding worse.
Common questions
How often should I use an inkjet printer to stop it drying out?
About once a week is a good habit. A single page with some color on it is enough to keep ink moving through all the nozzles.
Should I unplug my printer when I am not using it?
It's better to leave it plugged in and turn it off with its power button, or let it sleep. Cutting power at the wall can stop an inkjet from capping its head and running its own maintenance. For long absences, turn it off with the button first, then unplug it.
Do laser printers need regular maintenance?
Less than inkjets. Keep them dust-free, clean the rollers if pages misfeed, and replace the toner, drum or other parts when the printer asks. They don't dry out between uses.