Gadgets Now Bureau 23 Aug, 2022, 09:10AM IST

Printer not working is a pretty common issue. In case the printer isn’t working, make sure that it’s turned on, has paper in it, is connected with the system or Wi-Fi (in the case of wireless printers), and ink or toner is installed properly.

Poor print quality can be due to many reasons. Print quality is both hardware and software dependent which means you need to check a couple of things in case you are getting poor print quality.

- Check if your printer has ink

- Check if your printer settings are set to ‘Draft’. If yes, set it to ‘Normal’ or ‘Best’

- Set printer to high PPI around 300 PPI to 600PPI is ideal for printing documents.

Printing issues with the printers are mostly due to low ink or empty toner. Check ink level, if it is empty, replace it first and then try to print. Or, if the ink is there, re-install the cartridges or toner and then try to print.

Another solution to this problem can be due to connection issues. This may lead to printing errors. So, make sure the printer is connected to the system via cable or Wi-Fi and is properly configured.

The most common problem behind paper often getting jammed inside the printer is paper misalignment. Here are a few things you can do:

- Make sure you don’t overload the paper tray

- Adjust the paper tray slider properly according to the paper size

- Use the printer’s software-based troubleshooting to align the paper

If this does not solve the problem there can be some physical issues with the printer. Contact the service centre.

There are different types of printers and all of them have different print speeds. For instance, Laser printers are fast, while inkjet printers are relatively slow as they require time to dry the ink. So, keep that in mind. However, if you think your printer is taking longer than usual to print then there are other factors you need to consider.

Print quality makes a big difference in printing speed. If the print quality is set to Best, it will take more time to print the same photo or document compared to the Draft or Standard quality.

Printers require a driver to work with laptops and other compatible devices. So, check if the right driver is installed. If it is, re-install the driver and then check. Also, make sure the connections are done right. In the case of wireless connection, check if Wi-Fi is working and the printer is within range.

If your printer is not printing colours at all, check if the print mode is set to Black and White or Grayscale. If yes, change it to colour. Also, make sure the colour cartridge has ink.

Wireless printing is perhaps the best thing happened to printers in ages. While it brings convenience, it can be a little finicky at times. Such as the printer taking time to respond to the command, the printer not printing at all, etc. In such cases, the culprit is actually the Wi-Fi connection. Make sure, the printer is within the Wi-Fi range and is connected with it. Also, while giving the print command, check if the right printer is selected.