Printer Test Page

Looks perfect

Solid colors, distinct gray steps, sharp lines and a ruler that measures 100 mm: the printer is working as it should.

Keep it that way:

1. On an inkjet, print a test page about once a week. Ink that sits unused for weeks can dry in the nozzles.
2. Keep this printout. If quality drops later, print the same page again and compare the two.

Streaks or lines

Likely causes, most common first:

1. Clogged nozzles in the print head (inkjet)
2. Dried ink or dust on the print head
3. Low ink in one of the cartridges
4. On a laser printer: a worn drum or a dirty fuser. Their marks repeat at even intervals down the page.

Then try:

1. Run the head cleaning from the printer's control panel or app. On Windows it is usually in the printer's Printing preferences, on a Maintenance tab.
2. Print the CMYK test page and look for gaps in the line patterns.
3. If gaps remain, clean once more. Each cleaning uses ink, so stop after two or three rounds.
4. Still streaky? Leave the printer for a few hours, then print the test again.
5. On a laser printer, replace the toner cartridge or drum unit.

A color is missing or wrong

Likely causes, most common first:

1. An empty or dried-out cartridge
2. A clogged ink channel for that color
3. The wrong paper type selected in the print settings

Then try:

1. Check ink levels on the printer's control panel or in its app.
2. Take out the cartridge for that color and push it back in until it clicks. On a new cartridge, pull off any protective tape.
3. Run the head cleaning, then print the CMYK test page again.
4. If the bar is still missing, replace that cartridge.

Faded or too light

Likely causes, most common first:

1. Low ink or toner
2. Draft, Economy or Toner Save mode is on
3. The paper type setting does not match the paper in the tray

Then try:

1. In the print dialog or Printing preferences, set quality to Standard or Best, not Draft.
2. Turn off Toner Save or Economy mode if your printer has one.
3. Set the paper type to the paper you loaded.
4. Check ink or toner levels and replace what is low.

Blurry text or doubled lines

Likely causes, most common first:

1. The print head needs alignment
2. The paper type setting does not match the paper in the tray

Then try:

1. Run the print head alignment from the printer's control panel or app. Brands call it Align Printhead, Print Head Alignment or similar.
2. Load plain paper for the alignment page and follow the steps on screen.
3. Set the paper type to the paper you loaded.
4. Print the test page again and compare the lines.

Smudges or smears

Likely causes, most common first:

1. Dirty rollers or ink inside the paper path
2. Ink that has not dried before the next sheet lands on it
3. Two-sided printing on thin paper

Then try:

1. Clean the paper rollers the way your printer's manual describes. Most suggest a lint-free cloth dampened with water, with the printer turned off.
2. Use dry, flat paper. Damp or curled paper smears more.
3. Set the paper type to match your paper, so the printer puts down the right amount of ink.
4. Turn off two-sided printing and let each page dry before stacking.

Blank page

Likely causes, most common first:

1. Protective tape still on a new cartridge
2. Empty cartridges
3. A driver or connection problem

Then try:

1. Remove any tape or plastic from new cartridges.
2. Check ink or toner levels.
3. Print the printer's built-in test or report page from its control panel. If that page prints, the problem is on the computer side: update or reinstall the printer driver.
4. If the built-in page is blank too, run the head cleaning (inkjet) or contact the manufacturer's support.

Printed too small or cut off

Likely causes, most common first:

1. Fit to page or Shrink to fit is turned on
2. The paper size in the print dialog does not match the paper in the tray

Then try:

1. In the print dialog, set the scale to 100%. In Chrome, leave Scale on Default; on a Mac, set Scaling to 100%.
2. Pick the paper size you loaded: Letter or A4.
3. Or download the PDF and print it at Actual size from your PDF viewer.
4. Measure the 100 mm ruler on the new print.

Grays look tinted

Likely causes, most common first:

1. The printer mixes gray from color inks instead of using black
2. One color ink is low, which throws the mix off balance

Then try:

1. Choose Grayscale or Black ink only in the print settings to print grays with black ink.
2. Check ink levels. A low cyan, for example, turns grays reddish.
3. Print the CMYK test page: a weak or streaky bar shows which ink to clean or replace.
4. If your printer offers color calibration, run it.