HP Printer Troubleshooting Guide to Fix Printer Problems

HP Printers are extremely common devices in households and offices. However, they are also susceptible to various errors. The most frequent problems are paper jams, printer offline, and ghosting. This article will give you HP Printer troubleshooting for both Windows and Mac users.

Table of Contents

HP Printer Troubleshooting Guide for Different Issues

The following section will give you various fixes for various common HP Printer problems.

1. Un-check the Use Printer Offline mode

HP Printers, when set in an offline mode, do not execute the print command.

From the Windows ‘Start’ menu, move towards ‘Settings.’
Here, tap ‘Devices and printers.’
You will see a list of printers. Right-tap your HP printer.
Remove the check from the ‘Use printer offline’ option from the menu.
It will come back online.

2. Turn off the Economode

If you notice the print quality fade, it can be because of low toner or a low print density.

To troubleshoot the HP printer showing poor output, print a page.
If the Economode is on, you will notice a very light print.
Turn this mode off.
You can also configure the print’s density to be higher.
If you find the toner low, remove the cartridge, and shake it to distribute it evenly.
You must also replace the cartridge afterward.

3. Clear the print queue

If your printer isn’t responding to your print commands, it can be because of pending print traffic.

Head to your system’s Control Panel.
Here, navigate to ‘Devices and Printers.’
Now, tap ‘Open as administrator.’
You can cancel the pending print commands.
To do it, launch the printer menu.
Choose ‘Cancel all documents.’
Hit ‘Yes’ to confirm your action and try printing.

4. Resolve the ghosting problem

HP Laser printer users are often complaining about the ghosting problem in which the printouts fade. Here is how to troubleshoot an HP Printer for ghosting.

Keep your printer in a dry place, away from humidity.
Clean the entire printer and ensure to do it regularly.
Modify the printer fuser’s temperature.
Ensure that the paper setting aligns with the paper type.
If your drum unit is very old, replace it.

5. HP Printer troubleshooting for paper jam

To fix a paper jam, you need to examine various components of your printer for pieces of paper.

Examine the printer’s front cover.
Remove bits of jammed paper gently from here.
Turn on your printer and disconnect the power cord.
Remove the paper from the input tray.
After that, return the tray to its position.
Now find the output tray and take away the jammed paper from here.
You must also clean paper feed rollers so there’s no paper stuck here.
Lift the input tray and locate the grey paper pick rollers.
Use a damp cloth to clean them.
Now dry the rollers and place them back.

6. Resolve the 50.4 error in the HP printer

Many HP Laserjet models show this error message which indicates an issue with the power supply.

Start HP printer troubleshooting by restarting your printer.
It will balance the temperature of the HP device.
Ensure that there’s no paper jam error.
Now, eliminate the clogged ink to optimize the printer’s performance.
Next, examine the power source by checking the printer’s plug.
It shouldn’t be broken or damaged in any way.
Now, take your printer to a place it isn’t very cool.
Let it remain in the new position for a few hours.

7. Reinstall the HP Printer driver

If you are experiencing problems printing documents, try reinstalling your driver.

Head to the search area and input ‘run.’
Now, type in ‘devmgmt.msc.’
Hit the ‘OK’ button.
The screen of Windows Device Manager will appear.
You will see the ‘Print Queues’ category. Expand it.
Right-tap on the name of your printer.
Hit the ‘Update’ printer option in the menu.
Let the printer driver download finish.
Use the instructions on your screen and check if your printer is able to print documents correctly.

8. Restart the printer spooler service

Any problem with the printer spooler will result in HP Printer problems, such as the HP Printer not printing.

Launch the ‘Run’ box.
In its window, input ‘services.msc’ and hit Enter.
Head to ‘Print Spooler’ and right-tap it.
Choose ‘Stop.’
Go to the following location: ‘C:\Windows\System32\Spool\PRINTERS’
Remove all files in this folder.
Now in the Services window, right-tap ‘Print Spooler’ and select ‘Start.’

9. Fix the 79 service error message

This error arises when there are problems with the network print server. Here is the HP printer troubleshooting guide to fix it.

Turn off your printer.
Now remove the DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module)
Reinstall it and see whether it is properly installed.
Now power on the printer and remove the DIMM.
Give a test command.
If your printer functions well, install a compatible DIMM for your printer.

HP Printer Troubleshooting for Mac

To fix HP printer problems in Mac, follow these techniques. See that you have a stable internet connection. Also, your printer should have adequate paper and ink. You must also have the correct toner cartridges installed.

1. Reset the HP Printer

From the Apple menu, choose ‘System Preferences.’
Now tap ‘Printers and Scanners.’
Right-tap the printer’s window.
Now tap ‘Reset print system.’
From the confirmation window, choose ‘Rest.’
Input the administrator’s credentials, and tap ‘OK.’

2. Restart the printer

The next step is to start your HP device again.

Switch off your HP printer.
After around 10 seconds, remove the power cord from the HP device.
Turn off your system.
After that, switch on your HP printer.
Remove the power cord from the router.
Wait for around 10 seconds.
Now, reconnect the cord to your router.
Your printer will now show no issues in printing.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully, this exhaustive troubleshooting guide for HP printers will help you use it efficiently. If you need further assistance to fix printer errors, consult a reliable printer technical expert. They will help you overcome printer errors swiftly.

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