Faded, streaky or blank prints: how to fix them

Your printer works, but pages come out faded, striped, missing a color or completely blank. Start with checks that cost nothing, then use the printer's own cleaning tools only when needed, because they use ink.

Before you start

These steps take about 15 minutes, spread over a few tries. Print on plain paper while you test, so you do not waste good paper or photo paper. Read the printer's manual for the exact names of its menus, because they differ between makers and models.

Inkjet printers spray liquid ink through very small nozzles in the print head. If a printer sits unused, ink can dry in those nozzles. Laser printers use toner powder instead, so their causes and fixes differ. Both are covered below.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check supplies and paper

1. Look at the printer's screen or its software for ink or toner levels. Levels are estimates, but a color at or near empty explains a faded or missing color.
2. Remove each cartridge or check each tank. On a new cartridge, make sure the protective tape or plastic cap is gone. Press the cartridge in until it clicks.
3. Load clean, dry, flat paper of the type the printer expects. Damp or curled paper can give uneven results.
4. Print a page. If it is fine, you are done.

If the printer will not accept a cartridge at all, see printer says ink or toner is not recognized.

Fix 2: Check the print settings

Settings can make good prints look faded. This takes about 3 minutes.

1. Open a document and choose Print (Ctrl + P on Windows, Command + P on a Mac).
2. Open the printer's properties or options. The button is usually named Printer Properties, Properties or Preferences.
3. Check that the quality is not set to a draft or economy mode (names vary, such as Draft or Toner Save). Choose Normal or a higher quality.
4. Check that the Paper Type matches what you loaded. Plain paper and photo paper need different amounts of ink.
5. Print again.

Fix 3: Print a test page or nozzle check

A test pattern shows whether the printer or the document is the problem. If the test is perfect but your document looks bad, the cause is in the document or its settings.

1. Use the printer's own menu if it has one. Look in the settings or maintenance menu for an item such as Nozzle Check, Print Quality Report or Print Test Page.
2. On a computer, you can usually start the same check from the printer's software. On Epson inkjet printers, for example, open the printer's Printing Preferences in Windows (in Windows 11 from Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, in Windows 10 from Control Panel > View devices and printers) and select the Maintenance tab, then select Nozzle Check. On a Mac, Epson uses System Settings then Printers & Scanners, then your printer, Options & Supplies, the Utility tab and Open Printer Utility. Other makers use similar tools under different names.
3. Load a few sheets of plain paper and run the check.
4. Compare the pattern with the picture in the manual or on screen. Solid, unbroken lines mean the nozzles are clear. Gaps or missing lines mean some nozzles are blocked.

Fix 4: Clean the print head (inkjet)

1. Start the printer's Head Cleaning (sometimes called print head cleaning) from its menu or software. Follow the prompts and wait until it finishes.
2. Run the nozzle check again.
3. If the pattern is still broken but better, repeat the cleaning. Epson says to do this up to three times in a row.
4. If it is still not right, turn the printer off with its power button and leave it without printing for a long time (Epson says to wait 12 hours), then check and clean once more.

Some models also have a stronger cleaning option, such as Epson's Power Cleaning. It uses more ink, so use it only if the manual offers it for your model. A mild, plain pattern with small gaps usually needs only normal cleaning.

Fix 5: Laser printer causes

Pale or striped prints from a laser printer usually point to a toner cartridge that is low or worn, or to a part inside that has aged. Check the toner level, then reseat the cartridge. If the same mark repeats on every page, the cartridge or drum may need replacing. The exact part and steps are specific to each model, so use the manual.

If it still does not work

• A blank page that still comes out may mean the wrong side of the paper is up, or the cartridge has no ink. Check the paper-loading symbol in the tray.
• Make sure the cartridge is genuine and the correct one for your model. Some makers state that other brands may not work properly.
• Try printing from a different program. If other documents print fine, the first program or document is the problem.
• If a nozzle check stays broken after cleaning, the print head or cartridge may have a fault. Use the support page on the maker's website, typed in yourself, for your model. Never call a number from a pop-up or search ad.

Keep prints looking good

• Use the printer regularly. Ink can dry in the nozzles of an inkjet printer that sits unused for a long time.
• Turn the printer off with its own power button, not at the wall, so it can cover the print head properly.
• Store spare paper flat and dry.

Frequently asked questions