10 Annoying Printer Problems and How to Remedy Them

Last Updated on August 14, 2023 by Christian Ralph

There are few things more annoying that sending an important document to print, only for the printer to cough and splutter when attempting to complete the job. As with any technology, mishaps and mistakes can occur with printers, but many of these can be quickly and simply fixed without resorting to calling in the IT team (or your 10 year old with enviable tech skills).

Slow Printing

Need to get that large report printed but the office machine is operating at a snail’s pace? You needn’t sit by with a glum face, it is possible to change your print settings to achieve a faster printing pace. By printing in draft mode, you may be able to increase the page per minute speed of the machine – although the quality may decrease slightly, so it’s best reserving this tactic for jobs which don’t need the highest-clarity.

Slow WiFi Printing

And if you still think there’s room for extra speed on any prints over the WiFi connection, there may be a very layman’s solution – simply moving the printer and router closer together.

No-Cancel Print Jobs

If you’ve sent a job to the printer but decided to cancel before completion, you can sometimes become stuck in that irritating continuous cancelling limbo. When this occurs it is usually caused by a software failure, so the best solution is to delete the print job off the computer and then turn the printer off and on. When the printer is rebooted, hopefully all queued and cancelled jobs will be cleared, and you can print with gay abandon.

Clogged Paper

Perhaps the most common of all printer problems, one clogged sheet can quickly bring all your print jobs grinding to a halt. The best solution to this problem is by taking preventative measures, carefully placing all paper in the input tray to begin with. However, if it’s too late for told-you-so, you’ll need to carefully inspect the printer and locate the jam. Then slowly pull the paper through the location of the jam, ensuring you don’t rip the paper or damage the printer.

Print Jobs Going to the Wrong Machine

The phantom printer problem, when print jobs seem to go everywhere except for where they are intended. The quickest way to remedy this issue is to go into Devices and Printers (or similar) in Windows’ Start menu, or in a Mac’s Finder, and set your desired printer as default.

No Prints from Phones and Tablets

If your smartphone or tablet is failing to pick up a printer, make sure the machine has the connectivity and capability to perform this function. If your printer does not contain the ability to print via WiFi, it may still be possible to connect via the wireless.

If your printer is connected to a network which has a wireless access point and a computer with a printing utility installed on a networked computer. Using the Presto! app will allow you to then use this printer from your Mac or Windows mobile device.

All My Prints Are Smudging

Not all types of paper are suitable for all printers – and this can lead to the ink or toner not correctly taking to the paper. If the ink or toner is applied to the wrong type of paper, it may just sit atop the surface and then slide around and lead to smudges. Make sure you check which types of paper are suitable for use with your printer and invest in those.

Spotty or Lined Prints

It is horrifying when all your prints seemed to have developed zits and wrinkles, with little ink or toner dots and lines littering the pages. This is most commonly caused by a clogged print head, and can be remedied by running a cleaning cartridge through the printer. This will remove any blockages and have you printing perfectly in next to no time.

My MFP No Longer Scans

If your all-in-one printer still continues to print but the scan functionality seems to have packed in, fear not, it is probably just a software issue. Reinstall or update the printer’s software and the scanner should hopefully be up and working in no time.

I’m Constantly Topping Up the Paper Tray

If your printer does not have the input capacity to effectively cope with your demands, you may be perusing the net for a replacement machine. However, this may not be totally necessary. Check to see if your printer can support an additional tray, and invest accordingly. This can help you solve the issue at a fraction of the cost.

If you are having any other printer problems and are struggling to solve them, the Printerland team may be able to help. For expert assistance, call us today on 0800 840 1992, or visit our homepage if you believe a brand new printer is the solution.