As any office worker will know, printers seem to have a knack for choosing the worst possible moment to malfunction. When you need to prepare important documents for signature, or have to print presentation packs ahead of a big meeting, the last thing you want to hear is the dreaded crunch of a paper jam. Thankfully, many printer jams and other problems can be fixed.
Common Printer Malfunctions
Whether you’re a home office worker or small business owner, a reliable and smooth-functioning printer can be key to your productivity. If your printer has stopped working or isn’t performing as expected, it’s time to troubleshoot. We’ve set out some of the most common printer issues below, with steps you can take to try to resolve the problem quickly.
Your Paper Is Jamming
A paper jam can be one of the easiest printing issues to troubleshoot because all you may need to do is take a look inside your printer. First, remove any paper which is caught in the feeders or rollers. If your printer has multiple trays, be sure to check each tray and its feeder. If you’ve removed the snagged paper and the printer continues to jam, open it up again and check whether there are any foreign objects – such as staples, paper clips, or bits of paper – that are caught inside the printer.
Sometimes, even dust or paper lint can cause a jam. Regularly dusting the inside of your printer and cleaning the lint off the gears and paper feeding mechanisms can help make a big difference to your printer’s performance and keep those pesky ‘ghost jams’ at bay.
Your Printer Is Not Registering Print Jobs
You’ve just hit the print button, but your printer remains quiet rather than whirring into action. When you check the printer’s job list, your document isn’t even on it. What’s gone wrong? There are several possible reasons for this common printing issue. First, check that the printer is switched on and is connected to same Wi-Fi network as your computer (or if you’re working with an older model, that its USB cable is properly connected).
You can also try printing from your smartphone or another device to determine whether your computer or your printer is the source of the problem. Often, slow or disconnected Wi-Fi is to blame for failed print jobs. Restarting both the printer and your Wi-Fi router may help. Print driver issues discussed below, might also be the reason why your print jobs are failing.
Your Computer Won’t Recognize The Printer You Are Trying To Connect To
In some cases, the source of your printer’s malfunction may lie within the print driver installed on your laptop or other device. A print driver is essentially software that allows your computer to ‘communicate’ to your printer. Check if your print driver needs a software update and run the update if one is available. Some drivers are not compatible with certain printers, in which case you’ll need to install a different driver. Unfortunately, sometimes uninstalling and reinstalling your print driver may be your only option.
Your Documents Are Coming Out With Smeared Ink Or Faded Text
Generally, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your printer’s ink or toner levels and install new cartridges as soon as you notice they’re running low. Low ink or toner levels are usually the reason why document text is faded, or the wrong colors are printing. If you own an inkjet printer, it is a good idea to make sure the inkjet heads are clean, or check the head alignment settings on your printer after installing new cartridges.
If your ink is smearing, there’s a good chance that either the paper or the print cartridges you are using are not compatible with your printer. It’s always important to use the correct brand and type of cartridge recommended by your printer’s manual. Alternatively, you may need to check the printer heads to see if they need to be replaced.
Time To Upgrade Your Printer?
Unfortunately, even the best printers don’t last forever. If you’re unable to fix your printer, if your print jobs are taking very long to complete despite regular maintenance, or if your printer routinely stops working, it may be time to buy a new one.
Inkjet vs. Laser Printers
When buying a new printer, your first decision is whether to go with an inkjet or laser printer. Inkjet printers use ink released through print heads to mechanically print text and images. In contrast, laser printers use powdered ink – called toner – and the manipulation of static electricity to print documents. Consider an inkjet printer for home use as they are ideal for low to medium volume printing. If you’re printing high volumes of color or black-and-white documents, a laser printer may be your best bet.
Top Printing Brands To Consider
Generally, these leading printer brands can be counted on to supply a range of high-quality printers, suitable for different office needs.
When Things Go South On A Print Job, Office Depot® OfficeMax® Can Save The Day
When you are really in a jam and need important documents or images printed quickly, a print shop may be the best option. Office Depot® OfficeMax® Print & Copy Services can come to your rescue. We offer same-day print services (if ordered by 2:00 PM local time) and excellent customer support – you’ll never feel helpless during a printer meltdown again!
As your one-stop printing partner, Office Depot also stocks an extensive range of printers and printing accessories, from paper to ink to toner and more.
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