According to a Cartridge World blog, many frequently occurring printer problems are easy to fix yourself.
The blog gives the four most common printer problems and offers tips on how to solve them.
Slow printers
It is possible to “quickly and easily rev up printer performance by printing in draft mode.” While this may sometimes mean “less vibrant images or texts”, prints will still be “visible enough” for daily use, and you will save on both ink and toner. However, for important work-related documents and presentations, be sure to take the printer off draft mode.
Lined or spotty prints
Prints showing a “drastic decline” or “producing abnormalities” could indicate a clogged print head. You can attend to this using your device’s utility program, which will “clean out the dried ink clogging your print head”.
Printer refuses to print
There could be a variety of reasons for your printer refusing to print at all. Look for a warning light or error message on the printer, check whether the ink cartridges are empty, and make sure there is paper in the tray. You should also make sure you have chosen the correct printer on your computer, and while it may seem obvious, check that the printer is plugged in and switched on. If none of these issues are to blame, completely unplug the printer and then plug it back in and restart it. Additionally, some printer manufacturers have trouble-shooters “that can help you identify the causes behind this problem.”
Constant paper jams
There are several causes of paper jams, such as foreign objects inside the printer, which you need to open to inspect and be sure there is no “dust or debris” which could be contributing to the problem.
Alternatively, the jam could be caused by an “overfilled paper tray” or “improperly inserted paper”. Open the tray to make sure it isn’t stuck, and consider taking it out and reinserting it.
Because slow printers, or printers that are not functioning properly, “can translate into downtime or frustration”, learning how to fix these common problems “is key in mitigating these problems when they arise.”
