Causes and solutions for printing problems
Help in problem situations
Most printer malfunctions are meant to be solved by yourself. Maintenance is only the last option when all other means have been exhausted. In this guide to solving printing problems, we first go through the common types of problems and at the end there are useful links that will help you more easily find instructions for problems with your printer.
General information about printers
Printers talk to computers wired or wirelessly . Today, wired printers are connected to a usb port. The installation of a wired printer is usually easier and less likely to fail than wireless ones. A wireless printer, on the other hand, can be used by several printers, which is of course great. Through the driver software installed on the computer, the computer "commands" the printer.
The malfunction can be caused by the computer, printer, driver software, toner cartridge, cable or wireless network interference.
Now let's go through the most common problems with printing, and at the end of this article there are links to support websites of different brands, where you can download your printer's user manuals or drivers for free, and you will find the answers to the most common problems for your printer. Some device manufacturers also have a fault diagnosis program on their website that can identify and solve problems.
One key factor in determining the fault is to think about what changes or actions were made just before the fault occurred. It can give an indication of the cause of the error.
The most common problems when using the printer:
- out of paper or you are printing from the wrong paper tray
- you are printing to the wrong printer (is it the default printer? you can check in the computer's control panel)
- the printer driver is not installed on your computer (download a new one online for free)
- ink has run out
- paper jam
- print jobs are "in the queue" (delete suspended jobs via the printer's control panel and, if necessary, unplug the power cord completely for ten minutes)
- the printer is not on (are the lights on)
- the power cord is disconnected from the printer or the wall
- the usb cable is not connected to the printer or the computer
- the usb cable is connected to the wrong port
- a printer door or cover is open
- does a warning light come on (see user manual)
- there is a fault in the ink cartridge
- the ink cartridge chip version is different from the printer firmware
- the printer makes a strange noise (take out the toner cartridge and put it back, replace if possible) / if the problem is not fixed, it is a problem that requires maintenance
- The Windows software has printer troubleshooting, use it from your computer if needed
- there are problems with the wireless connection (difficult to solve, check the manufacturer's instruction pages from the links below)
- the ink cartridge or print head of the inkjet printer has dried up because the printer has not been used for a week (run the printer cleaning program 2-3 times to dissolve the blockage)
- If the things shown above have been done or checked, an easy and surprisingly often effective trick is to turn off the computer and printer and restart them
The most common brand-specific basic errors related to color cartridges when installing the cartridge:
Brother laser printers
Drum and ink cartridge are always sold separately. You may have accidentally ordered the wrong part, i.e. the drum, when you should have ordered the toner cartridge (or vice versa).
The printer does not recognize that the cartridge or drum has been replaced with a new one. The page counter must be reset from the printer. Google the instructions in English or Finnish. Instructions for resetting can be found when you search for the exact make and model of your printer and the words "page counter reset" or "reset toner" (toner cartridge) or "reset drum" (drum). For example "Brother DCP-7030 page counter reset" or more easily "Brother DCP-7030 Toner reset".
HP laser printers
You have forgotten to pull out the sealing strip at the end of the cassette.
Samsung laser printers
In the front part of the cassette, i.e. on the long side, there is often a hard plastic transport cover in the color of the cassette, which must be removed. Some Samsung color laser cartridges have a data chip installation holder inside the box, which must be inserted into the printer according to the instructions.