The printer prints blank sheets: dealing with the problem

Most users have encountered this problem. For many, this causes bewilderment, and sometimes panic, when it comes to urgent printing of a document. This problem has several causes and solutions. It is proposed to consider them in detail. So what to do if the printer produces an empty white sheet.

Why the printer prints blank sheets:

Cartridge problems. If you have an inkjet model, it is likely that his print head is clogged. Because of this, ink does not spray onto the paper, which is why the printer ejects clean paper. Solving the problem will help launch self-cleaning.

The option of breaking the print head is also possible.

Out of paint. The most common reason: toner is low. Usually, the user himself begins to guess about it, because printing on pages becomes paler. Moreover, modern devices alert the user that the supply of paint is drawing to a close.

There is another situation where the ink has dried out elementarily. This applies in particular to inkjet models. After a certain period of time, during which no one has used the printer, the ink in it dries.

In both the first and second cases, replacing the cartridge or refilling it will help.

Problems with the printer.

• One of the most common causes is printer “fatigue”. This applies to cases when you printed several large documents in a row.
• Faulty high-voltage unit, which transfers the image with the help of discharges.
• Drum malfunction due to loose contacts.
• The laser unit does not function, and therefore does not transmit a picture.
• The magnetic shaft has stopped rotating, which is why ink cannot get on the paper.

You cannot deal with such problems on your own. Therefore, the only way out is a trip to the workshop.

Why does the printer drive blank sheets

If there is still ink in the cartridge, it is installed correctly, everything is in order with the device and file format, which means that the problems may be as follows:

• Software (driver) failure. A virus could get into the system, a software failure could occur, and this could also happen due to the installation of new equipment. What to do with it? You need to go to the Device Manager on the computer, and find the Printers tab. If there really is a problem with the drivers, you will see a notification about this opposite the name of the device. In any case, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers.
• The printer just broke. Details are damaged very different: from the drum, to the departure of contacts. Whatever it is, you can’t do without the help of service specialists.
• The printer settings failed. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens, even with the latest printer models. Due to errors, print saturation may be reduced to a minimum. To solve this problem, you need to go into the printer settings, and restore those that are by default (standard).
• Not enough computer memory. Check the free space on the internal drive of the PC. If it is not enough, then it simply will not be able to process your requests, due to lack of resources. The free memory on the hard disk must be at least 2 GB. This is enough for high-quality printing.
• Failure in computer software. This could be due to the same viruses, or software bugs. To make sure of this, you need to find in the instructions how to print a test page. If printing is successful, then the problem is clearly not with the printer. You need to clean the PC.
• Error in print queue. It may be jammed, which is why new documents cannot be printed. In order to check this, go to the printer settings and find the “View print queue” section. Clean it if necessary.

User errors that could lead to a problem

• You yourself changed the cartridge, and forgot to remove the protective film in it, which prevents the ink from getting on the paper. Or, because of this, the cartridge is not recognized. It’s not difficult to fix the problem: remove the cartridge and remove the film.
• It is possible that the document you sent to print was not formatted correctly and there are many blank pages. For reliability, double-check it.
• Printer and cartridge incompatibility. Read the instructions and make sure the models are compatible.
• Using poor quality or inappropriate paper. The instructions for the device should say what type of paper it is compatible with. Sheets may be of the wrong density or thickness.
• Incorrect connection. Cables tend to fail or you could catch them when you were cleaning.

Software issue

When the test print of the pages gives a positive result, and the printer has no breakdowns, the program is causing the problem.

Some users complain that after updating the operating system, the printer stops printing documents from a specific application. To be sure, try printing something from Notepad.

When a problem is identified, the following actions are suggested:

• Print the document from an alternate application (if one exists).
• Believe me, perhaps the wrong printer is selected by default.
• There is a possibility that the file format chosen by you is not compatible with the program. Try using a different one.
• Reinstall the program.

Program level error correction

To find system errors, use the built-in search. To do this, you need to find your printer in devices (in the Device Manager), right-click on it and run “Troubleshooting”. At the end of the search, the system will independently identify and eliminate those problems that can be diagnosed.

After that, you need to use the utility from the manufacturer. If it did not install along with the drivers, then find it yourself.

Important! Check in advance for paper in the printer, because many programs print multiple test pages.

Upon completion of the utility diagnostics, correct all errors found. If the printer spits out blank sheets further, then we are looking for a reason in another.

Hardware troubleshooting

Take out the cartridge, and check that no parts of it show signs of oxidation. All contacts must be clean.

What other actions of the device, in addition to printing blank sheets, signal the presence of internal errors:

• Systematic shutdown after printing multiple sheets.
• LEDs do not light up as usual.
• The whole text is “skewed”, the letters lie on one another.
• Text is printed, but with spaces.

Light damage can be repaired by yourself. To do this, it is enough to have spare parts, tools and guides that can be found on the Internet.

What to do if the printer does not see the cartridge

If you think that the problem is in the compatibility of the cartridge and printer, do the following: print the test page offline. But not all models have such a function. You can read more about this in the user manual that came with the device.

How to solve this problem:

• The first thing to do is try to reboot the device. This is done not only by the on / off button, but also by disconnecting the wire from the network. It is recommended to do the same with a computer that sends the file to print. Perhaps some kind of software error has occurred.
• It is possible that the print head just overheated. Such situations are common when the printer systematically works for wear. In this case, he should be given a break by turning it off for a couple of hours.
• Try removing the cartridge and then reinserting it. If it is dirty, wipe it with a damp cloth. Allow to dry completely, and then you can install in place. During installation, a characteristic click should be heard.
• In addition, you can clean the printer itself from the inside while the cartridge is drying. There could be paint, dust and more. This can be done with a special fluid sold in office equipment stores. Above all, avoid contact with the contacts.
• Zero the device. Instructions on how to do this in each specific model can be found in the user manual or on the Internet.

If you tried all the possible options, but the printer continues to skip blank sheets, then you should contact the wizards. Or write / call manufacturer support.