Filter
Top Products
Step 2: Clean the printhead
Solution: If the previous step did not resolve the issue, try cleaning the printhead.
To clean the printhead from the HP Photosmart Software
1. Load letter, A4, or legal unused plain white paper into the paper tray.
2. In the HP Solution Center, click Settings.
3. In the Print Settings area, click Printer Toolbox.
NOTE: You can also open the Printer Toolbox from the Print Properties
dialog box. In the Print Properties dialog box, click the Features tab, and
then click Printer Services.
The Printer Toolbox appears.
4. Click the Device Services tab.
5. Click Clean the printhead.
6. Follow the prompts until you are satisfied with the quality of the output, and then
click Done.
There are two stages of cleaning. Each stage lasts about two minutes, uses one
sheet of paper, and uses an increasing amount of ink. After each stage, review
the quality of the printed page. You should only initiate the next phase of cleaning
if the print quality is poor.
If print quality still seems poor after you complete both stages of cleaning, try
aligning the printer. If print quality problems persist after cleaning and aligning,
contact HP support.
After cleaning the printhead, print a print quality report. Evaluate the print quality
report to see if the print quality problem still exists.
For more information, see:
“
Print and evaluate a print quality report” on page 49
Cause: The printhead needed to be cleaned.
Check the print settings
Solution: Try the following:
• Check the print settings to see if the color settings are incorrect.
For example, check to see if the document is set to print in grayscale. Or, check
to see if advanced color settings such as saturation, brightness, or color tone, are
set to modify the appearance of colors.
• Check the print quality setting and make sure it matches the type of paper loaded
in the product.
You might need to choose a lower print quality setting if colors are running into
each other. Or, choose a higher setting if you are printing a high-quality photo,
and then make sure photo paper such as HP Advanced Photo Paper is loaded in
the paper tray. For information on using the maximum dpi mode, see “
Print using
Maximum dpi” on page 30.
• Make sure the margin settings for the document do not exceed the printable area
of the product.
Print troubleshooting 63
Solve a problem