Many users face problems with a below-average print quality on their HP printers. Here are the top troubleshooting tricks to fix the poor print quality on HP printers.
Table of Contents
1. Clean Printer
Your HP printer’s head, nozzles and other components get clogged over time. As a result, you may notice white lines running across the pages. When you don’t use your HP printer for a long time, the ink may dry out and cause issues with print appearances.
You can run the Clean Printhead function on your printer. The option is available on HP printers with a touchscreen front panel. You can manually clean the printer, too.
- Disconnect the printer from the power source and remove each ink cartridge. Clean the contacts with a damp cloth.
- Clean printhead contacts and reinsert everything. HP recommends repeating the same several times
2. Choose Good Quality Paper
You shouldn’t use cheaper paper with your HP printer. It’s affordable for a reason. If you notice flecks of toner, blurred text, and other irregularities, switch to a high-quality paper and try again.
3. Ensure Sufficient Ink Levels
Insufficient ink levels on your HP printers can also cause problems with print quality. HP offers the HP Print app on a desktop to manage the device like a pro. You can launch it and check estimated ink supply levels from the home menu. Mac users can follow the steps below to glance over supply levels.
1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar and open System Settings.
2. Scroll to Printers & Scanners and select your printer.
3. Select Options & Supplies and move to the Supply Levels menu.
When it’s time to replace ink on your printer, make sure to use toner and ink recommended by HP. Do note that toner cartridges can be damaged easily, if not handled carefully.
4. Tweak Print Quality
By default, your HP printer prints a document or photo in normal quality. You can tweak it to High or Best to get better results. Let’s take Mac and iPhone as an example.
Mac
1. Open Finder on Mac and select a file you want to print. Press the Command + P keys.
2. When the Print menu opens, scroll to Media & Quality.
3. Expand Quality and select Best.
iPhone
1. Open Files and select a document.
2. Tap Share at the bottom and select Print.
3. Check your HP printer and select Media & Quality.
4. Slide to Best and tap Print.
Your HP printer prioritizes quality over speed when printing your documents.
5. Run Printer Troubleshooter
Windows comes with a built-in troubleshooter to fix annoying issues with your HP printer. Here’s how to use it.
1. Press the Windows + I keys to open Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth & devices from the sidebar and open Printers & scanners.
3. Select your connected HP printer.
4. Run a troubleshooter from the following menu.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the job. Try printing some files and continue reading if the print quality issues persist. If you face issues with printing Microsoft Word files, check our dedicated guide to fix the issue.
6. Use High-Resolution Files
Do you plan to print several photos using your laser HP printer? Use high-resolution image files before hitting the print button on your phone or desktop.
You shouldn’t use images received from third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. These apps compress images and affect the final quality of paper. You can use high-resolution camera mode on your phone to shoot high-quality images.
7. Check for HP Printer Driver Updates
Outdated printer drivers can cause issues with print quality. Head to the official HP website and search for your printer to download the latest drivers. Now, use the Device Manager menu on Windows to install them.
1. Right-click on the Windows key and open the Device Manager menu.
2. Expand Printers and right-click on the HP printer. Select Update driver.
3. Let the system find and install the latest drivers on your PC.
8. Protect HP Printer From Heat and Humidity
If your HP printer is exposed to excessive heat, you may notice a degraded print quality. You should keep your HP printer away from the window to avoid high heat and humidity.
9. Print a Test Page
When you plan to print a large document with many pages, make sure to print a test page first. Find and press an info button on your HP printer and print a test page to check print quality.
Print Flawless Files on Your HP Printer
Poor print quality on your HP printer can spoil your workflow. Before you call a professional or contact HP support, use the tricks above to fix print quality issues.
