How to Fix Missing Lines on Printer?

When your printer fails to print certain lines in a document, it’s a clear indication that the printer is struggling to transfer ink onto the paper correctly. This issue often stems from a clogged printhead, which occurs when the nozzles become obstructed by particles like paper dust and ink residue. Additionally, using incompatible papers or printing in low-quality settings can also lead to missing lines. In this guide, we’ll explore five effective solutions to address this problem and get your printer back to producing crisp, complete prints.

Align the Printhead

The printhead is a crucial component of your inkjet printer responsible for spraying ink onto the paper. Over time, it’s normal for the printhead to gradually misalign, resulting in missing lines. To resolve this issue, follow these steps based on your printer brand:

On Epson Printers:

1. Open the Control Panel on your computer.
2. Locate your Epson printer, right-click it and choose Printing preferences.
3. Go to the Maintenance tab and click Print Head Alignment.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to align the printhead.

On Canon Printers:

1. Open the Canon printer’s Printing preferences.
2. Navigate to Maintenance and select Align Printhead.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to align the printhead.

On HP Printers:

1. Double-click your HP printer from the Devices and Printers window.
2. Launch the HP Printer Assistant.
3. Select “Maintain Your Printer” and click on “Align Cartridges”.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to align the printhead.

On Brother Printers:

1. Open the printer’s Settings from the home screen.
2. Go to the Ink menu and select Test Print.
3. Choose Alignment and press OK.

Clean the Printhead

A clogged printhead can impede the proper ink flow, resulting in missing lines. Additionally, if your printer has been idle for a long time, air bubbles might have formed inside the ink tube, hindering ink spray. Follow these steps to clean the printhead:

On Epson, Canon and Brother Printers:

1. Launch the printer’s Printing preferences.
2. Go to Maintenance or Cleaning options.
3. Select Head Cleaning or Cleaning and follow the on-screen prompts.
4. Run multiple cleaning cycles if necessary.
5. Print a nozzle check pattern to verify proper ink spray.
   • If any colors appear faint, consider refilling the ink tank or changing the ink cartridge.

On HP Printers:

1. Download and install the HP Smart app.
2. Launch the app and click on “Printer Settings”.
3. Open the tool for cleaning printheads.
4. Initiate the head cleaning process by following the instructions.

Note: If automated printhead cleaning fails, refer to the detailed guide on manual printhead cleaning using distilled water.

Clean the Paper Path

A dirty paper path can also cause missing lines. Even a small obstruction, like a strand of hair, can interrupt ink flow and result in incomplete prints. Follow these steps to clean the paper path:

1. Use a blower to remove any debris or foreign particles from the paper path.
2. Consider purchasing cleaning sheets from a printer store to thoroughly clean the paper path.

Use Compatible Papers

Using incompatible or specialty papers, such as those with a shiny or glossy surface, can lead to issues like missing lines or printing blank pages. These papers often struggle to absorb ink properly. To prevent this problem, follow these guidelines:

1. Use only printer-compatible papers.
2. Adjust the paper type settings in the printing preferences to match the paper being used.

Print in High Quality

If you’ve been using draft-quality print settings, it may save ink and speed up the printing process, but it can also compromise print quality and lead to missing lines. Consider changing the print quality to the highest setting available in the printing preferences to ensure optimal print output.

Conclusion

By following these five solutions, you should be able to resolve the issue of missing lines on your printer. Remember to align the printhead, clean it regularly, ensure a clean paper path, use compatible papers and select high-quality printing settings. These steps will help you achieve clear and complete prints, ensuring the optimal performance of your printer.

Note: It’s important to consult your printer’s user manual for specific instructions related to your printer model and to ensure compatibility with the suggested cleaning processes.

Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.