Printer Troubleshooting Tips

By Author: John Parker
Total Articles: 1
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Printer power indication problem

Before going to any decision first, make sure that the printer is on and connect to a power supply. When a printer is on it should have some light indicating its receiving power. If you do not have any indicator light make sure the printer is connected power supply. Then press the printer power button. If after following these steps your printer still cannot get a power status indicator then check all the cables properly so that each and every cable is connected to each other properly. If again you have problem with printer then you're encountering a serious printer issue and we suggest contacting the Printer Help for additional steps and instructions.

Printer error (blinking light)

After your printer has completed its first step you should have a solid green light. If the light indicator is blinking this is an indication of a printer error. For example, this could indicate a paper jam, issue with the ink or toner cartridge, or other serious error. Because there is no standard to what a blinking light or orange light means ...
... if you're getting either of these we suggest referring to the printer documentation for troubleshooting steps or methods of determining what the status indicator is reporting.

Paper jam or No paper

Without paper your printer will not be able to print. Make sure you have paper in the paper loaded into the printer paper cartridge or tray. Next, verify that no printer paper is jammed or partially fed into the printer. If you have one or more pieces of paper stuck in the printer these will need to be manually removed before the printer will print again.

Ink related issues

Often when you're encountering an ink related issue you're printer status indicator light (mentioned above) should be flashing. However, if you've recently inserted a new ink cartridge you may want to try the below suggestions.

Printer self-tests

Most printers have a way of printing a test page. This page allows you to determine if the printer is physically working or not. This test is usually accomplished by holding down a series of keys. If you are not sure if your printer has this feature or how to perform it refers to your manual or visits your site. In addition to testing the printer using the printer self-test Microsoft Windows users can also perform software self-test to determine if their computer is able to see the printer and it's able to print. Follow the below steps to perform this test.

The Missing Driver

This is another common problem. You are all geared up and ready to print but your computer can not find the right driver. Why is this? Not all drivers are properly installed on all operating systems. You will need to install drivers yourself. Consult your printer manual. You can also most likely find the correct driver online at the printer support website. If not though, a simple web search should help you find what you are looking for. Trying searching for your printer manufacturer, the model and “printer driver.”

The Printout Looks Grainy

This may have nothing to do with the printer at all. In fact it may have more to do with the quality of images you are using than the printer’s quality. Make sure that when you print photos that they are of print quality.