Printer Troubleshooting: Not Printing, Paper Jams, Faded Print

Tap the symptom to see the fix.

Printer not printing at all

Check the printer's power and cable (or Wi-Fi) connection, and make sure the correct printer is set as the default on your computer.

Streaks or lines in printed output

This usually means the ink or toner cartridge's nozzles are clogged, so try running the head-cleaning (nozzle cleaning) function from your printer's settings.

Paper jam

Turn the printer off, then carefully and slowly pull the jammed paper out in the opposite direction it was feeding, following your printer manual, and check that no torn scraps are left behind.

Print coming out faded

Check your remaining ink or toner level, and verify the print quality setting isn't set to a draft or ink-saving mode.

Wi-Fi printer won't connect

Confirm the printer and your computer are on the same Wi-Fi network, then restart the printer and try reconnecting.

Printing is slow

If high-quality photo print mode is turned on, switch to a standard document mode, and check whether a backlog of jobs has built up in the print queue.

Most printer problems come down to a basic check

A large share of printer issues trace back to something basic β€” power, connection status, or ink and toner levels. Running through the basic checks above before contacting support resolves most problems on its own.

Curious about Wi-Fi standards too?

If you're setting up a wireless printer, understanding the differences between Wi-Fi standards is worth a look as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if cleaning the nozzles repeatedly still leaves streaks?

If cleaning multiple times does not help, the cartridge itself may have reached the end of its life or be defective, so replacing the cartridge is worth considering.

Why does paper keep jamming?

This often happens when too much paper is loaded in the tray, when humidity has caused sheets to stick together, or when the paper guides are not adjusted correctly.