Printers are an essential part of any office. They’re so important that the average office worker can’t go for more than a few days without needing to use one. However, sometimes these machines need print management solutions to keep running smoothly and efficiently. Whether you work in a small office or large business, chances are that you have had to deal with printer problems at some point. This blog post will discuss seven of the most common printer problems and ways to solve them quickly.
Ghost jams or paper jams
Paper jams are a common issue and can be caused by several things. This occurs when the paper supply is depleted and there are still sheets of paper in the machine. Another potential culprit is if the paper is askew. So, when your printer indicates that there is a paper jam, make sure to do some checking. See if the paper is aligned well in the paper tray. Try removing the paper from the printer and line it up better. It is also important to ensure your paper or printer settings match your current print job. For example, thicker paper can result in a paper jam if the wrong settings are selected. A change of paper type for this issue can resolve this problem immediately.
Crooked and skewed images
If your prints are coming out crooked and skewed, you might need to calibrate the print head. They may be caused by several factors such as the storage conditions of your paper, paper expansion, or cutting inaccuracy.
When you have crooked and skewed images in your prints, here are several solutions that could help you.
- Calibrate the print head by placing a sheet of paper through it. The instructions may vary depending on your printer model, so consult your printer manual. You can also try using a sheet of paper as the height reference to make sure that it is at the same height for each print.
- Check if you see any obstructions in the paper path.
- Ensure your printer is free of debris.
- See if the document guide is not loosely or tightly set. If it is too loose or tight, the documents may get skewed and damaged.
Loaded Queue
A printer queue is a list of jobs that are waiting to be printed. Normally, when your print job is done, your queue will automatically clear itself. However, in some cases, your queue can get all blocked up which will leave you with a loaded queue. This can happen when there’s an excess of print requests for one or more printers. This can also happen if a print job was put on hold or stopped due to data connection issues. This issue can be extremely frustrating. And most of the time, it won’t immediately go away when you click delete.
Here’s what you can do to fix a loaded queue.
- Unplug your printer from the power source.
- Save the document you are about to print since clearing the queue will also erase all the print jobs saved.
- Depending on what Operating System you are using, the options may vary. However, find the option where you can click STOP to halt any printing job stuck in the queue.
- Delete all these existing files and shut down your computer.
- Restart to print your document.
Doing these steps will troubleshoot common problems you may have with your printer.
Printhead Clogging
Printhead clogging occurs with inkjet printers due to particles in the ink. These particles can come from different sources such as dried ink from the cartridge, or dust and grime in your printer. This issue usually happens if you have not used your printer for some time causing the ink to get dry.
Unclogging your printer head can be quite tedious but can be addressed easily with a few steps.
- You can do the paper towel method to fix this problem. For starters, you need both a dry and damp paper towel.
- Next, open your printer cover and take out the cartridge.
- Wipe down your printer head with the wet paper towel and the dry one afterward. You should be able to see an ink after doing this a couple of times.
Slow printer speed
If your printer is taking a very long time to print out documents, you might need to check your printer software and drivers. Ensure that they are all up to date. This can improve speed significantly. You may also need new ink cartridges if they are old and don’t print well anymore. If your printer is still having trouble, you might need to change the settings on how it prints out documents.
If your company has managed print solutions in place, your printer drivers and software will be serviced regularly to ensure that they are up-to-date.
Printer hardware issues
When it comes to hardware issues in the printer, it is important to check several things as the problem may not be with the printer at all.
- First, check the connection port. If there’s a loose wire or damaged connector, fix it with a new cable if possible. If your connector cables like USBs are no longer working, try to swap it with another cable.
- See to it that your printer has enough RAM or memory. Some printers have hardware problems and print at such a slow rate due to running out of memory.
New Cartridge is not working.
Occasionally, you may encounter a problem with a new cartridge. If you have recently installed a new cartridge, and the printer display shows an error, take these steps to solve the problem.
- Try reinstalling the old cartridge back to the unit. Once the old cartridge is recognized by your printer, remove it and place the new one again.
- Make sure to remove the protective seals.
- Check the vent if there’s no blockage.
- Do a quick cleaning to get the ink flowing again.
The bottom line
Ultimately, if none of these steps work and your printer problem remains persistent, consider calling an expert in print management solutions. Working with an expert in managed print solutions can save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.