HP Printer Troubleshooting

 HP printers are reliable machines that perform excellent printing and scanning. However, we cannot deny the fact that they encounter errors from time to time, the cause of several reasons. Users frequently report common issues such as 50.4 error paper jams, HP printer offline, ghosting issues, HP print jobs stuck in queue, poor print quality, printer not printing color, etc. So, owners of this printing machine should know about HP printer troubleshooting.

In this article, you will find common HP printer problems that you may encounter frequently. Follow the detailed troubleshooting steps to resolve these issues.

HP Printer Troubleshooting for Common Printer Issues

From printer offline to ghosting and faded prints, HP printer troubleshooting is available for every issue. Find the printer problem you are facing and the appropriate solutions below.

1. Repair HP Printer Offline

HP printer offline is a common problem. You can use HP Print and Scan Doctor to solve the printing and scanning problem you are facing. If that doesn't work, set your default printer. These two methods are explained below.

Use HP Print and Scan doctor.

Make sure you have paper loaded in the tray. Then turn on the printer.

Download HP Print and Scan Doctor and follow the prompts to install it.

Press "Start" on the home screen to choose your printer and run the tool.

Set your default printer

In Windows PC, open "Printers and scanners".

Make sure the box next to "Let Windows manage my default printer" is unchecked.

Tap your printer's name in the printer list, then click "Manage."

Now choose "Set as default".

2. Solve the paper jam problem

Paper jams are very common. But you shouldn't just try to pull bits of paper out of the tray. Follow this HP printer troubleshooting guide to resolve this issue.

Check and clear the jam.

First, inspect the paper tray. If there is loose paper inside, remove it.

Remove an access door from the bottom of the printer. Using the button, unlock the door. Remove the pieces stuck in the rollers.

Now lift the front cover and slowly remove the extra paper jam.

Check the printer carriage. It should move freely from side to side. Gently move the cart while unplugging the power cord. Spin the rollers three times if you find that the carriage does not move freely. Everything in the printer should move easily.

Now test the printer and check if it works.

Know which printer models are not designed for heavy use

Some HP printer models are prone to paper jams. A printer that holds paper upright and pulls it down usually has paper jam issues. This is because these models are not designed for heavy use. You should be aware of this beforehand.

3. Solve the problem of ghosting

Ghosting refers to a situation where the image prints as usual, but a much lighter copy of the photo also prints elsewhere. You can use these steps to troubleshoot an HP printer that has a ghosting issue.

Check your printer's environment – Make sure your printer is kept in a dry room. This is because humidity can cause the toner powder to clump, which impacts print quality.

Be sure to use appropriate paper. Some HP printer models are tailored to work with a particular type of paper. If the paper is not suitable for the type of print you need, the toner powder will not adhere properly to the page.

Change the paper setting – You also need to make sure your paper setting matches the paper type. In many cases, adjusting the paper settings solves the ghosting problem.

4. Solve the problem of poor print quality

Many users of HP LaserJet Pro printers complain about poor quality of print output. You can use the following HP printer troubleshooting approaches to fix poor print quality. Before proceeding, verify that you are using genuine HP ink or toner supplies. Always buy genuine cartridges from the HP store.

Examine the paper

Use paper suitable for HP LaserJet printers.

Do not use very rough paper. Instead, use smoother ones.

After loading the correct paper, try to print.

Inspect EconoMode settings

Inspect the EconoMode settings if you find the output too dark or too bright. But do not use this mode full time.

Choose "Print" in the program from which you are printing.

Right-click on your printer and tap "Properties" or "Printer Setup".

Tap the "Paper/Quality" tab and look for the "Print Quality" area.

If the page is too dark, choose the "600 dpi" option.

Choose 'EconoMode' and activate it.

If the page is too light, choose the "FastRes 1200" option.

Now uncheck the EconoMode checkbox.

Finally, press "OK" to print the job.

Replace an empty or low toner cartridge.

Remove the old toner cartridge.

Replace it now with a new toner cartridge.

Using both sides of the toner cartridge, shake it to distribute the toner inside the cartridge.

Bend the tab on the left side of the toner cartridge until it pops out. Now pull it until the tape is removed from the cartridge.

Place the cartridge in your product and close its door.

5. Fix error message 50.4

A 50.4 error message displays on some newer HP Laserjet models. The error indicates a power problem. Follow these HP printer troubleshooting steps to get your printer out of this error.

Restart your printer and clean it – Turn the power off, then back on. This will normalize the temperature level of the printer and fix the problem. Also remove any paper jam inside the paper. Clean the clogged ink to ensure the printer works properly.

Inspect the power source - The power source can also cause overheating. Make sure the printer plug is not loose or broken. Otherwise, it will cause a problem with the power cable.

Check the HP printer environment - Do not place your printer in a very cool place. If you are moving the device from outdoors to indoors, allow a few hours for the device to warm up to the current atmosphere.

6. Fixes When HP Printer Shows Service Error 79

Error 79 occurs due to a problem with the network print server serving your print device. Some good HP printer troubleshooting techniques for this problem are to reinstall the DIMM and drivers.

Reseat the DIMM

First, turn off your HP printer.

Now remove the DIMM module.

Reseat DIMM and confirm that it is properly installed in your printer.

Turn on the printer and remove any installed DIMMs.

Retest the printer.

If it works properly, install a DIMM supported by your HP printer.

Reinstall drivers

Open the "Control Panel".

Remove the software related to the HP printer by choosing "Uninstall a program".

Go to "Device Manager".

Remove the HP device under the print queues.

Finally, restart your system and let the driver install automatically.

7. Resolve HP print jobs stuck in a queue.

There are many ways to clear the print queue. Follow the different methods below and see which one gives you the desired result.

Restart the print spooler service.

Open the Run box.

In its window, type "services.msc" and press Enter.

Scroll down to the Print Spooler. Right-tap it and choose "Stop".

Now go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in this folder.

Right-click Print Spooler in the "Services" window, then choose "Start".

Clear blocked files using Command Prompt.

In the search box, type "cmd" and run it as administrator.

Enter the commands below in the command prompt window.

net stop winder

del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q /F /S

net boot spooler

They will clear any print jobs stuck in the queue.

8. HP printer cannot connect to Wi-Fi.

Is your HP printer not connecting to Wi-Fi/ Follow these points to fix Wi-Fi connection.

Print a Wireless Network Test Report to check if the printer is connected to the network.

If you have updated security software and firewall. Or from the browser, it may cause connection problems.

Try reconfiguring the protection settings to include printers.

You can also install an updated driver.

Now, to connect the HP printer to Wi-Fi, find the button with the Wi-Fi icon and tap on it.

Follow the steps to configure the wireless settings.

You can go to the "Wireless Settings" menu and choose "Wi-Fi Protected Setup".

Press the "Push" button followed by "Start".

Now head to the router and press the "WPS" button.

Do this for three seconds until the wireless light starts blinking.

9. Troubleshoot a clogged printhead

You may have HP printer troubleshooting questions if you see lines, streaks, or banding in your output. This is the result of a clogged printhead. Use these points to clean them.

These steps are for printers with two cartridges. These printers have an integrated printhead. This means that your printer is equipped with HP 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 67 cartridges.

Using a damp paper towel, blot the cartridge. Its printhead side should be on your towel.

Press the cartridge several times.

Slide it onto the towel and repeat the same process until you see the ink lines on the towel.

When the ink on the paper towel is clearly visible, hold the cartridge against the towel for half a minute.

After that, slide the cartridge into the printer and give a test print command.

10. Fix slow printing error

Many people are bothered by their HP printers printing slowly. This is especially true for owners of inkjet printers. If your printer is kept in "Draft" quality, it results in poor print output. So those looking for an HP troubleshooting printer for slow printing should use a lesser standard for print quality. For example, suppose your printer prints in duplex mode.

In such a case, the printer must be turned over each time a sheet of paper is exceeded since duplex printing is performed on both sides. It will take some time for the printer to print in this mode. So if you want fast printing, change the printer settings to simpler settings.

11. Fix the HP ink cartridge error.

The ink cartridge printer error message is displayed on the LCD screen of the HP printer. It stops printing activity. To fix it, you need to clean the cartridge contacts.

Remove the cartridge from the printer.

Find the copper or gold dots at the end of the cartridge.

These dots make it easier for the cartridge to communicate with your HP printer.

But these contacts may have accumulated dust, preventing the printer from printing properly.

Take a dry, clean cloth and clean the contacts.

After that, reinstall the cartridge.

Now give a print command.

After installing the cartridges, turn off the device.

Then turn it back on after one minute and do a test print.

12. Resolve the incompatible print cartridge error.

Models like HP Deskjet D1330 and Deskjet D1360 are getting a print cartridge error due to which they cannot print. Here is the HP printer troubleshooting guide to fix this error.

Identify the problematic cartridge.

After identifying it, reinstall it.

Be sure to remove the tape if present on the cartridge.

Finally, clean the cartridge contacts.

After cleaning, reinstall the cartridge and print a test page.

13. HP Printer Troubleshooting for Mac

If you are having HP printer issues on your Mac, try resetting the HP printing system.

Tap "Printers & Scanners".

Right-click on the "Printers" window and choose "Reset Printing System".

Choose "Reset".

At the end, click "OK".

If that doesn't work, restart your HP printing device.

Be sure to wait 10 seconds before reconnecting the printer.

14. Fix HP Printer Not Printing

If your printer is not printing, make sure it is set as the default printer. Other than that, cancel all print jobs.

Go to "Devices and Printers" in Control Panel.

Now right-click on your printer.

Choose "See what prints".

Tap the "Printer" tab at the top left.

Choose "Open as administrator".

Now choose "Cancel all documents".

Press "Yes" and now see if the printer can print.

15. Fix EP cartridge or error code 14 on HP printers.

Error code 14 on the printer also prevents it from working. This happens if no cartridge is installed or if a defective toner cartridge is installed. For troubleshooting HP printer showing error code 14, follow these points.

If you have an HP Laser 2d or 3d printer, check for bad paper in the tray.

Also, the voltage in the machine should not exceed its limit.

If you have an HP 3si and 4si laser printer, check the boxes on the right side of the toner.

Also activate the angled actuator support tab on the right side of the control.

16. Fix HP Printer Not Printing Even When Connected

Faulty configurations or drivers can prevent your printer from printing even when connected. Follow these tips to get the printer to print.

Update printer drivers.

Next, set your default printer.

Go to the "Devices and Printers" section and choose your printer as the default printing device.

Finally, cancel all print jobs.

17. Troubleshoot Operating System Issues on HP Printer

Sometimes an error in the printer and scanner can prevent the printer from printing correctly. Here's troubleshooting HP printers for operating system issues.

Make sure your printer is properly connected.

Check if the printer's Ethernet port is available on the router.

If the printer green light is not stable and there is no amber light, you need to restart all devices.

First, close all applications running on your system and disable them.

Also turn off the printer.

Now turn on both devices.

In the search window for your computer, enter the model name of your printer.

The HP Printer Assistant opens.

Here, tap on “Scan a document or photo”.

The printer should automatically start scanning.