We’ll walk you through the troubleshooting steps you need to take when your printer doesn’t work. We’ll tell you how to fix what you can. If your printer can’t be fixed, you’ll know what to avoid when buying your next printer.
Before you try anything else, turn off the printer. Unplug it. Hold down the power button for fifteen seconds with the printer still unplugged. This will clear the temporary memory. Plug it back in, turn it on, and see if you have solved the problem.
Problem: My computer says my printer is offline, or nothing happens when I click Print.
If you try to print and NOTHING happens, several things may be wrong. Follow these steps to solve this problem:
Step 1: Try making a copy without the computer.
If your printer has a flatbed scanner or automatic document scanner, try making a copy using the printer’s built-in copy function. If it works, then you know that the printer is not broken. It is likely some communication error, so go to step 2. If your printer doesn’t work independently, it is most likely broken. If resetting the printer doesn’t help, buying a new printer will probably be cheaper than trying to fix it.
Step 2: Check your WIFI settings or wired connections.
This is one of those things that seems silly but solves a lot of problems. Check your WIFI settings or your cables for wired connections. If your printer loses WIFI connectivity or if you are using a faulty cable, reconnect it, and you will solve your problem. You should also check your computer’s connection settings. If you are printing wirelessly, make sure your computer and printer are on the same network and that your computer is not in airplane mode. Again, many problems are solved at this step.
Step 3: Update all your software.
Check your computer’s operating system to ensure no updates are available. Then log on to the support tab on your printer manufacturer’s website and install any software or firmware updates. If none works, try uninstalling ALL of your printer’s software and reinstalling the latest version from the manufacturer’s website.
Follow all of these steps, and you should be able to fix your connectivity error. If the printer still doesn’t work, it may be time to start shopping.
Problem: My pages are printing white, with missing lines, or with missing colors.
Step 1: Clean the print head.
DO NOT remove the print head and clean it with alcohol. Almost all printers have a built-in, automated cleaning process. Scroll through the printer menus and find the maintenance option. You should see an option to clean the print head. Run this option and print a test page.
Step 2: Clean the print head!
One time is rarely enough to solve the problem. I ran the print head cleaning eight times before I got any results. Epson representatives told me that the plug would eventually dislodge if you keep running the cleaning. I recommend that customers run the automatic cleaning ten times before throwing in the towel.
Step 3: Align the printer.
This is many people’s first step toward this type of problem. In the maintenance area again, find the alignment option. The printer should print a page that you can place on the scanner and automatically align the print head. Follow the printer’s instructions, then print a test page.
Step 4: Clean it one last time.
I always recommend a final cleanup after you’ve exhausted all other solutions for these problems. If your printer doesn’t work at this point, it will need to be replaced, so you have nothing to lose.
Problem: My printer does not recognize my cartridges.
This is a frustrating problem because you usually discover it after putting in new cartridges. See if your printer allows you to run the print head cleaning. If not, put your old cartridges back in and try again. Do not buy new cartridges.
If you can’t clean the print head and resetting the printer doesn’t help, the print head or carriage is most likely broken. You need to buy a new printer.
Problem: My pages print dirty/ My printer keeps jamming.
If your printer keeps jamming or has strange, inky marks on the page, your rollers are probably dirty. Open the printer to make sure a cartridge hasn’t burst. Then buy some printer roller cleaning pages and run them through the printer. I usually print out a blank page from Microsoft Word to do this. Hopefully, cleaning your rollers will solve your problems.
My printer doesn’t work; Miscellaneous problems:
The ink won’t dry on the photo paper.
Check that you use photo paper for inkjet printers and not LaserJet printers.
Of course, make sure you are printing on the correct side. Most photo paper can only print on one side of the paper.
The print head is not detected.
The print head is most likely broken. Try resetting the printer. You can replace most printheads, but buying a new printer is always cheaper.
The printer is stuck in a start-up loop.
Try resetting the printer. Then look for a firmware update. Search the manufacturer’s web forms for your problem to see if there is a known solution.
Blank pages when printing from a web browser.
Some web browsers, such as Google Chrome, are known to print blank or poorly formatted pages. Try downloading a PDF of what you want to print, then print it.
Random error messages
Some printers display long error codes. If you type them into Google, you’re almost sure to find a form where other people have had the same problem. Hopefully, there is a solution.
One final note: value your time. Spending a few hours troubleshooting and diagnosing a printer is not a waste of time. However, I have had customers bring in their printers every day for two weeks, asking questions about how to fix something that can’t be fixed. Printers are relatively cheap, so know when you need to cut your losses and find something new.