Consumers are often faced with a wide range of printer problems. Printers can be prone to a variety of problems. They may run out of ink too quickly, have poor output quality, print slowly, or jam paper. They may refuse to print and sit there as you fume. Many of these problems are easily resolved. We describe 10 common problems with printers and offer tips to fix them. Or, at the very minimum, we let you know the time when it's best to call for tech support.

1. If you don't see any error messages

 make sure the printer is connected via USB, Ethernet, or wireless, and that it is connected to the correct network. Install the printer driver and software on the computer that you wish to print from. The driver may have become corrupted. It should be reinstalled. Check the manufacturer's website for the latest version. If the problem persists, consult the Troubleshooting section of the User Manual for the printer and, if necessary, contact technical support.

2. It says my printer is out of ink but I can still print. Should I?

If you receive a warning about low ink, don't replace your cartridges immediately. Ink level indicators are found in nearly all printers. They will warn you when ink levels drop. These warnings vary widely in accuracy between manufacturers and models. You may receive low-ink alerts before your ink is at a critical level.

You can only determine whether this is true by printing beyond the warning. Then, you will be able to see how long it takes before the output quality begins to degrade and the printer shuts off forcing you to change one or more cartridges. You'll then know if warnings are legitimate or premature and how long you have to wait before you need to replace the ink. You may still want to change your ink tanks if you are starting a big and important hp printer Repair in Dubai

3. Can't print to my printer from my mobile device

You can probably print to your printer from a tablet or phone, even if it is an old model or not Wi-Fi enabled. What you can print will depend on your specific situation.

AirPrint is supported by most new Wi-Fi-enabled printers. This allows users to print from their iOS devices (provided both the iPhone or iPad and the printer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network). Most major printer manufacturers have developed apps that allow iPhone, iPad and Android users to print directly from their devices. In some cases, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Windows Phone users may also be able to print using third-party apps. Apps from manufacturers and third parties offer more print options than AirPrint and some can even initiate scanning.

If your network is equipped with a wireless network access point, you can use one of the programs to print to a non Wi-Fi printer. You will need to install an application on a computer that's connected to the network. Printopia is only available on Macs, while Presto! The Presto! (formerly Fingerprint 2) can be used on either Macs or Windows computers. Cloud printing services like Cortado ThinPrint Cloud Printer or Google Cloud Printer are compatible with all platforms, devices and printer types. These solutions are usually limited to a few apps.

New wireless printers can print via Wi-Fi Direct. This protocol allows two devices to make a direct connection wirelessly without the need for a wireless access point. iPhones are not compatible with Wi-Fi Direct. Many recent Android devices do.

Some HP and Kodak models support printing by email. Your printer is assigned an email and you can send it documents via email. The printer will print the document automatically. This method does not require WiFi, but only an Internet connection

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4. Wi-Fi Printing takes too much time

Wireless printing allows you to place your printer in a flexible location, while still maximizing Wi-Fi performance. Make sure that your router has the latest firmware and supports 802.11n. It should also offer both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. If you need to, add a wireless repeater or extender.

5. My printer is too slow.

You can speed up even the slowest printer. Some printers are like sloths while others are like cheetahs. Print in draft mode, or whatever setting you choose to print at the lowest quality. Avoid two-sided printing as it can slow down the printer. Print from the PCL or host-based driver if you have a choice. PostScript drivers may print photos in higher quality but at a cost to speed.

6. The cost of printing is too high.

Even though the cost per page has decreased (based on cartridge yields and costs), it's still a small comfort for someone who needs to buy another set of cartridges. There are some ways to save money on ink and paper.

Before you print, stop and think. You may only need to print a few pages or the entire document. Do you need to print a copy? Print only the pages you need. Print in draft mode unless you want a presentation-quality printout. It uses less ink. Duplex printing (two-sided printing) is a great way to save paper if your printer has it. Remember to switch to simplex mode and quality mode whenever you need to.

Many printers offer a choice of lower and higher capacity ink cartridges (or toner). The cartridges with higher capacities cost more upfront, but have a higher yield (can print more) and a lower cost per page.

When you buy a printer, don't forget to consider its operating costs. For the printers that we review, we include information on cost per page for both monochrome printing and color printing. In general, the higher the price you pay upfront for a printer the lower the running costs. Investing in a high-end printer could save you money over time. Do your math first.

Third-party inks are another way to cut costs. They may be cheaper than the brand-name ink from the manufacturer, but their quality can vary greatly. Third-party inks have a poor print quality, and they can clog nozzles.

7. The text printed looks bad.

Text quality varies greatly between printers. Inkjets, for example, are generally able to print text that is suitable for casual use at home, in school or for business, while laser printers can produce crisper text for professional documents. In our reviews, we rate the text quality of each printer. If you have noticed a sudden or gradual decline in quality, you can do several things to resolve the problem.

If you're in draft mode, switch to higher quality mode (though it will slow down your printing). Switch to a higher quality setting if you are in draft mode. Make sure the paper type displayed on your screen is what you are printing on.

If you have a laser printer, the toner may be settled. Remove the cartridges and shake them several times side-to-side. This will often cause a cartridge to respond, but eventually, it will run out and need to be replaced. You can use the maintenance menu to launch a nozzle clean and print head alignment for inkjet printers. You can also try to replace the cartridges if that doesn't work (though you would probably receive a warning when they are low).

8. My inkjet's photos look lousy.

You may not be satisfied with the quality of your photo prints if you aren't using the correct paper. In general, the photo paper that comes with your printer is better than any third-party paper. They may even recommend a specific paper for your printer. Make sure you have selected the type of paper you are using in your software's settings and that photo printing is enabled. Try the high-quality photo option. Run through nozzle cleaning, and align the print head.

You may notice discoloration on your prints if you are running low on a particular color of ink. It's time to replace the ink tank. Ink particles will settle over time and cause clogging. You'll need to replace the old tanks even if you have ink in them.

9. I have a lot of paper jams.

Paper jams may be less frequent than they were a decade earlier, but can still occur. Paper misalignment is the leading cause of paper jams. Make sure the stack is squared off before putting it into the tray. Also, make sure the guides are flush against the paper and don't overfill the tray. If the problem persists, consult the printer's manual's troubleshooting section and, if necessary, contact the manufacturer for technical support. Printer repair near me

10. What can I do if my MFP no longer scans?

Reinstalling the software for your printer may fix the problem if the scanner on your MFP stops working. If this doesn't help, you should check the user manual and, if necessary, the manufacturer's website. The scanner on a lower-end MFP can fail and require the entire unit to be replaced.