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Check the type of media loaded in the device
• Make sure the tray supports the type of media you have loaded. For more
information, see
Understand specifications for supported media.
• Make sure you have selected the tray in the print driver that contains the media
that you want to use.
Check the device location and length of USB cable
High electromagnetic fields (such as those generated by USB cables) can sometimes
cause slight distortions to printouts. Move the device away from the source of the
electromagnetic fields. Also, it is recommended that you use a USB cable that is less
than 3 meters (9.8 feet) long to minimize the effects of these electromagnetic fields.
Meaningless characters print
If an interruption occurs to a job that is printing, the device might not recognize the rest
of the job.
Cancel the print job and wait for the device to return to the ready state. If the device
does not return to the ready state, cancel all jobs and wait again. When the device is
ready, resend the job. If prompted by the computer to retry the job, click Cancel.
Check the cable connections
If the device and computer are connected with a USB cable, the problem may be due
to a poor cable connection.
Make sure the cable connections at both ends are secure. If the problem persists, turn
off the device, disconnect the cable from the device, turn on the device without
connecting the cable, and delete any remaining jobs from the print spooler. When the
Power light is on and not flashing, reconnect the cable.
Check the document file
The document file may be damaged. If you can print other documents from the same
application, try printing a backup copy of your document, if available.
Ink is smearing
Check the print settings
• When you print documents that use much ink, allow more time to dry before
handling the printouts. This is especially true for transparencies. In the printer
driver, select the Best print quality, and also increase the ink drying time and
reduce the ink saturation using the ink volume under the advanced features
(Windows) or ink features (Mac OS). However, note that decreasing ink saturation
might give printouts a "washed-out" quality.
• Color documents that have rich, blended colors can wrinkle or smear when printed
using the Best print quality. Try using another print mode, such as Normal, to
reduce ink, or use HP Premium Paper designed for printing vivid color documents.
For more information, see
Change print settings.
Poor print quality and unexpected printouts
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