10+ Tips for Troubleshooting Common Printer Problems
Few things cause frustration quicker than when you end up printing something and your printer just won’t cooperate (and doesn’t tell you why!) While streaks in your images or faded text are problematic. Deal with a printer that doesn’t even acknowledge that you are any different. Whether you’re getting mismatched error messages or the printer is silent on you, knowing where to start when your printer isn’t printing can take some of that frustration away.

Specific troubleshooting solutions vary depending on the printer model. However, once you understand some of the common problems, you can quickly search for and find fixes specific to your device. Manufacturers offer online resources that can help you troubleshoot most printer problems. Here are some basic tips! We at Laptop Repair Experts have a team of professionals who are expert to Fix Printer Problems.
Paper Jams and Ghost Jams
If your printer says you have a paper jam, there are several possible causes. First, make sure that the paper is correctly oriented in the paper tray. If your paper is tilted slightly, it can quickly jam. Usually, the problem is solved by removing the paper from the machine and better placing it by the feeder. Paper trays are designed for specific paper capacities. For some it may be only 100 sheets, while others can contain a single package. Check your printer instruction manual for recommended paper capacities. An overcrowded paper tray can immediately alert you of a paper jam warning on your device. You also need to make sure that the paper or media type settings in the printer menu match your current print job. The printer contains settings for many types of paper, such as: B. cardboard, photo paper, or presentation paper. Heavier paper can cause paper jams if the setting is disabled. By quickly changing the paper type, your paper jam message can be cleared up quickly.
Printer Driver Problems
Hardware isn’t always to blame. Your printer driver acts as a translator between your computer and your printer. Like any other software, drivers can become outdated after an update or lose compatibility with your operating system. If your printer doesn’t respond to basic commands or keeps crashing, a driver update can fix the problem immediately. You can also download faulty drivers on your computer to work with your printer. If you remove a driver from your desktop and then replace it with the latest version, you will often find yourself chatting again on your printer and desktop computer. To find the latest version of your printer driver, visit your printer manufacturer’s support page and enter your printer model number. Then follow the steps on that page to download the latest version.
How to Add a Printer in Windows 10
If you’re trying to connect to a new printer on Windows 10 and print via Wi-Fi, you may be able to print right away without downloading printer software. Windows 10 is compatible with most new printers straight from the port. To add a new printer, go to Settings> Devices> Printers and scanners> Add printer and select the printer you want to add. If you plan to use this printer regularly, you can set it as your default printer and print a test page to test the print quality before printing your document!
How to Print a Self-Test Page
If you are having problems diagnosing printer problems, you can isolate the problem by printing a test page or a printer status report. If the test page prints successfully, there might be a problem with the printer driver, printer software, or cable connection. If it doesn’t print correctly, there may be a problem with the printer itself and it might need repair.
Loaded Paper Queue
When your print job is finished, your queue will be cleared automatically. This doesn’t always go according to plan, especially if some processes are delayed, delayed, or stopped due to data connection issues. If your queue is blocked it can cause your driver to pause. Oftentimes, when you try to print something, you choose to print multiple times, which in turn conges up your queue.
Sometimes your printer isn’t the reason your job isn’t printing. A jammed print job can block your queue and prevent the job from being accepted by your printer. It also doesn’t go away if you click Delete most of the time.
Wi-fi Connection Problems
Wireless connection is a double edged sword. First, you can connect your printer to any device in your home. On the other hand, your relationship is something that you cannot see. Oftentimes, if your printer misses the Wi-Fi signal, the only way to find out is to troubleshoot connectivity issues. If your printer’s wireless network isn’t working, turn it off and reconnect it to your modem. It’s a little tricky these days, but turning off electronics can do wonders to solve the problem. If your device can’t connect to the printer, make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are active and working. We at Laptop Repair Experts have a professional team of experts who are experts for Network Printer Troubleshooting.
Unable to Print From a Mobile Device
Everyone wants to enjoy the convenience of printing directly from their iPhone®, iPad®, or Android® mobile device. However, connecting a printer to a device wirelessly can be complex, and the process varies from brand to brand. While there are applications for your printer brand, differences in software may prevent you from making a direct connection. Make sure your WiFi is working properly if you are having connection problems using the procedure above. If your wireless connection to the printer isn’t working properly, downloading various apps or deleting the existing ones won’t help.
Printhead Clogging
If you don’t use your printer often, the ink in your print head will dry out and become clogged. This can trigger a signal to replace your printer cartridge or simply prevent ink from seeping into the page. A clogged printhead can be messy and annoying, but maintaining a printer to prevent clogging is easy.
“Non-Genuine” Cartridge Message
Sometimes your printer will contact you directly to use a third party ink cartridge. Especially common with HP printers, this type of message appears on the screen, letting you know that you are using a used, refilled, or counterfeit cartridge *. However, not much else is usually done. Third-party cartridges usually have a chip installed that passes this message. However, if they do appear, you can distribute them by simply clicking OK. If not, remove the cartridge and keep the chip clean. Reinstall and try again.
Replace the Cartridge / Low Ink Message
From time to time you may encounter a new cartridge that is causing problems. If you recently installed a cartridge and you are seeing a device error on your printer, follow these steps to resolve the issue:
- If you still have the old cartridge, reinstall it in your device. Oftentimes your printer will start over right and in most cases you will find that there is still ink in the old cartridge! After the old cartridge is confirmed by your printer, take it out and replace it with a new one. Sometimes a quick cartridge replacement can convince your printer to accept a new cartridge.
- Double check that you have removed the protective seal. The new cartridge is sealed to the ink nozzle to prevent the ink inside from drying out. For some brands masking tape with a plate will create this seal, for other brands it is a piece of plastic. If you try to install a new cartridge in your printer without removing the seal, the cartridge may be listed as installed, but it will prevent ink leakage.
- Check ventilation. HP cartridges have vents that allow ink to flow smoothly. If this vent is blocked, ink may not come out of the cartridge. Check the top back of the orange pickup cartridge. Once removed, you can use a pen to clean the hole.
- Take a longer cleaning cycle. If your printer is left idle for a long time, the remaining ink on the printheads can dry out and become clogged. Running a longer cleaning cycle will remove unnecessary ink clogs and reignite the ink. If your prints are smudged or too faded, a cleaning cycle can help fix them too.
Printer Hardware Problems
A. Check the power cable
The problem may not be with your computer or printer at all. Connection cables such as USB break and burn over time and must be replaced. Unfortunately, they don’t have your printer and display system on your computer so they can turn off and you will never know otherwise. Try changing your printer with a different cable. If you have an extra connection cable, you can fix the error immediately and print again sooner if you are to blame for your USB device.
B. Exit RAM / Storage
Modern printers are very complex devices. Most of today’s devices have memory for storing print jobs, be it a few megabytes or a few gigs worth of large office isographs. If your printer is connected but is printing at a slow speed, it probably isn’t. You may have run out of space.
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If all else fails…
If you’ve disabled each of these options, there’s one more thing: your printer is probably on its hind legs. Like any device, the printer wears out over time, so you may want to consider repairing or replacing your kit. If replacement is your best bet, there are many resources to help you choose the best new model for your needs. A new printer is an instant price, but over time you can save money by replacing your old device with one that suits your printing habits. Here at Laptop Repair Experts you will get the best Computer Repair Experts Near Me and near you as well.