Fix streaks, faded pages and blank output
Nozzle checks, alignment and cartridge seating for better pages.
- Print a nozzle check or quality report from the printer menu (not from the PC). Note which color is missing.
- Reseat cartridges: remove, check the tape/pull-tab is off, click back in. For laser, rock the toner and reseat.
- Run 1–2 cleaning cycles, then another nozzle check. Do not run endless cleanings — they waste ink and can flood the head.
- Align the printhead if text looks doubled or lines are jagged.
- Try a known-good plain sheet. Cheap paper and low-quality settings look like a hardware fault.
- If one color never returns, the cartridge or printhead may be empty or clogged. Request a matched cartridge from the shop, or contact support.
Technician notes
- A printer that sat unused for months often needs a cleaning kit plus two clean cycles.
- Laser streaks that repeat every page can be a drum or toner issue, not paper.