HP Printer Not Printing – Use These Effective Fixes Now!
- Mr. Ryan
- on Apr 27, 2023
Hewlett-Packard (HP) printers are known for flawlessly carrying out a range of tasks like printing, scanning, and copying documents. However, when working with them, it is common to face certain errors. Many users complain about HP printer not printing. This problem can take the form of the printer not printing anything or not printing in color.
The most immediate fix for this issue would be to power off and power on the printer. But sometimes, that doesn’t give the desired result. You may need to conduct additional troubleshooting. This article will dive deep into fixing this issue.
Contents
Why My HP Printer Won’t Print?
Your HP printer won’t print color for the following reasons.
- Outdated printer drivers
- Issues with printer connections
- A glitch with your printer
- Configuration issues in Windows
- Paper jams
- Corrupt system files
- HP printer is offline
- The printer isn’t configured as the default
Troubleshoot HP Printer Not Printing Properly
Many people wonder why my printer is not printing in color, even with ink. Here are some proven methods to fix this specific problem.
Fix 1: Check if the printer is offline
If your HP printer is not printing, start by checking its status. The printer should not be in offline mode.
- Go to ‘Devices and Printers’ on the control panel.
- Right-tap the printer in the list that is not printing.
- Uncheck ‘Pause Printing’ and also the ‘Use printer offline’ option.
After that, check if there is sufficient paper or if the cartridge’s status is faulty. Once you check these things, give a print command.
Fix 2: Cancel the print jobs
You may find your HP printer not printing correctly if there are many stalled print jobs. Stuck print tasks in the queue obstruct printing from occurring. So, clear the print queue and then give a print command.
- Go to the control panel.
- Select ‘Devices and Printers.’
- In the list of devices, locate your HP printer.
- Now, right-click it and choose ‘See what’s printing.’
- On the new page, tap the ‘Printer Menu’, which is at the top-right.
- Now, choose ‘Open as administrator.’
- Launch the ‘Printer’ menu item.
- Select ‘Cancel all documents.’
- Confirm to clear the documents by choosing ‘Yes.’
- Give a command to print and check if the printer prints properly.
Fix 3: Update the HP printer drivers.
The HP support forums often feature a common user query. Users complain, ‘My HP printer won’t print even though everything is in good condition.’ This happens when the printer drivers are not well-maintained. You can fix the issue by updating the drivers.
- In the ‘Device Manager’ section, enlarge the Printers section.
- Right-tap on your current HP printer.
- Now select the ‘Update drivers’ option.
- Finally, tap ‘Search automatically for updated driver software.’
- When your Windows PC finds the driver, adhere to the prompts on the screen to install it.
POINT TO NOTE – If your PC cannot find drivers, you should download them. Go to the official HP website to download and install the latest drivers.
Fix 4: Set your HP printer as the default device
Another reason why people find the HP printer not printing is incorrect printer settings configuration. You must set your current HP printer as the default device to facilitate printing.
- On the ‘Run’ window, input ‘control’ and press Enter.
- Access the ‘Devices and Printers’ tab.
- Right-tap your HP printer.
- Now, from the menu, select ‘Set as default printer.’
- That’s it. Now try printing and see if you face any issues.
Fix 5: Repair system files.
An issue with the Windows operating system prevents the HP printer from printing. You can run the System File Checker or the SFC scan to resolve the underlying issue.
- Hit the ‘Start’ button on your system.
- Now, find and right-click ‘Command Prompt.’
- Run the command prompt as an administrator.
- Input ‘sfc/ scannow.’
- Hit Enter.
- The scan will begin and replace corrupted files.
- Restart your PC and check if the printer can print.
Fix 6: Examine the toner cartridge for damage
Sometimes, you may find your HP printer not printing correctly if the device’s toner cartridge is damaged. Here is what you can do in this case.
- Take out the cartridges.
- Remove their sealing tape.
- Examine the memory chips for damage.
- Now, inspect the roller surfaces of the cartridges.
- Replace the cartridges if the roller has scratches or any type of damage.
- If there isn’t any damage, reinstall the cartridges properly.
- Now, give a test print.
Why Is HP Printer Not Printing Color
HP wireless printer users often find their printer not printing in color in Windows 10. Sometimes it only prints in black and white.
This can happen because of a disabled color printing feature, driver malfunctioning, and a clogged printhead. Here are some methods to follow to make your HP printer print in color.
Method 1: Examine the cartridge
- Remove the color printer cartridge after opening the printer’s cover.
- Now, place a new cartridge inside.
- Try printing.
- If the printer does not print, remove the cartridge.
- Examine the sides of the ink cartridge.
- It is likely that the ink has expired.
- If this is the case, purchase a new color cartridge.
Method 2: Perform a printhead cleaning
If you still find your HP printer not printing in color on a Windows PC, clean the printheads.
- Hold and press the printer’s Power button.
- When it is pressed down, hit ‘Resume’ six times.
- Release the Power button.
- The printer will begin the cleaning process.
- Now give a color print command.
- If you don’t find a satisfactory result, hold and press the printer’s Power button.
- Hit ‘Resume’ five times.
- The printer will start cleaning again.
- If you still don’t get the desired results, hold and press the device’s Power button again.
- Now, press ‘Resume’ simultaneously seven times. The printer will perform deep cleaning.
- Give a color print command and check if the issue has been resolved.
Method 3: Turn on color printing
You may find the HP printer not printing color if the color printing option is not on. Here’s how to enable color printing on the HP printer.
- Move to the settings of your PC.
- From the menu, click ‘Printers.’
- Right-tap on your HP printer.
- Now choose the ‘Properties’ option.
- Tap the ‘Printing Preferences’ option.
- Choose the ‘Paper/Quality’ tab.
- Now, tap ‘Color’ followed by ‘OK.’
- Exit the window and give a print command.
Method 4: Align your HP printer
Printer models like HP Envy 4520 encounter issues when they aren’t aligned. So, if you find your printer printing blank pages, align it.
- On the control panel, touch ‘Setup.’
- Now, head to ‘Tools.’
- Select the ‘Align Printer’ option.
- Your printer will produce an alignment page.
- Lift the printer’s scanner lid.
- Insert the page.
- The print side should be down.
- Now, close the scanner lid.
- Touch ‘OK’ to make the ink cartridges align.
Additional Tips to Fix HP Printer Not Printing Properly
- Use a paper that is appropriate for your print task.
- Give a command to print a quality diagnostic report.
- Check the green block and the alignment lines. You may see a defect to be fixed.
- Ensure that the area surrounding the ink nozzles is fully clean.
- If nothing works, get your printer serviced.
The Bottom Line
HP printer not printing is a common concern with various fixes. Now you are adequately equipped with the right troubleshooting to eliminate this error. If you feel that you require more support, contact a printer technical service.