Overview
Someone may say "My printer isn't working properly, and I'm not sure why. How do I fix it?" This is for basic printer troubleshooting.
Prerequisites
Have a printer.
Resolution
Basic printer troubleshooting
This document is intended as a reference for simple, basic troubleshooting procedures that you can use for instances where a printer is not functioning normally. There are just a few examples listed here, but there are more advanced troubleshooting procedures that are available. You can check on the printer manufacturer’s website, or ask a full-time tech for help. There is a wealth of information that will help you to solve printer problems; hopefully this document will help to get you on the right path.
Can you send a test print? Try to test print from the printer properties page. If that works, attempt a test print by typing some characters on Word page and printing that out.
Power Issues
- Is the printer plugged in? Check to be sure that the printer is getting power. If plugged into a power strip, ensure that is plugged into the wall. Try a different outlet or power strip
- Is the printer turned on? Most printers have some type of LED light that indicates if it is on or not. It is surprising how many times problems are reported when the printer is simply not turned on.
- Is the printer online? Most printers will have some indication that they are online; a light or indication on a screen. You may see this problem with networked printers.
4. Is the printer emitting a beeping noise? Sometimes, the printer will beep once or twice to let you know that it has been turned on, or in some cases, beep frequently to inform you that there is a problem.
Supply and Maintenance
- If the toner was just changed, please remove the toner from the printer and verify there are no pull tabs (commonly orange) to remove
- Does the printer have ink or toner? Some printers have indicators on the printer that display how much ink/toner they have left. However, some others may simply stop working until the ink is replaced.
- Does the printer need to be cleaned? If the paper is not printing out clean or has marks that are not supposed to be present on the page, it may require cleaning.
- Make sure the printer has paper, and that it’s in the right feed tray (assuming that it has more than one). If the paper in the tray is curled, wrinkled or torn, it should not be used. Be sure to fan the paper, or flip through the edges of the stack (Like a deck of cards) so that sheets do not get stuck together.
- Is the printer jammed? Check the paper path for any sheets or pieces of paper that may have torn off inside. Some printers will have a paper path diagram that you can refer to.