Blog
Quick and Easy Steps to Troubleshooting Printers
Monday 9th July 2018
Donna
We have all been there... you have just minutes to submit an important piece of work and you anxiously go to print the finished document only to find that your printer is not responding. You pull your hair out in despair and want to pick up the printer and throw it out of the office window. However, realistically that is not an option.
Having worked in a busy GP surgery providing first line IT support to some 70+ members of staff, my telephone extension resembled a hotline. Printing problems occurred on a daily basis, but most fixes that I implemented did not require the input of an expert. If you are experiencing printer problems, don't part company with your beloved machine until you have followed my quick and easy steps to troubleshooting printers.
1) DON'T PANIC, YOU'VE GOT THIS!
2) Observe any warning lights. This simple step is often overlooked, but the fix is obvious - insert a new ink cartridge or more paper if a warning light indicates that the printer has run out.
3) Check for any paper jams. Switch off the printer and open all compartments, including any internal "flaps". If the printer uses a drum, this is likely the source of a jam. Remove the drum unit from the printer and inspect the empty compartment for any paper. If a jam is found, carefully pull the paper in the same direction as the paper feed until it is free. Replace any consumables, switch the printer back on and resume printing.
4) Review the print settings for the document you are attempting to print. Sometimes documents received from an external source have pre-set print settings and the printer may be expecting paper to feed from a tray that is not your default tray. If this is the case, add paper to the relevant tray and your print job will begin.
5) Check that the sliders holding the paper in place are not too tight. Make some slight adjustments and try again.
6) Sometimes a printer goes to sleep and fails to respond when a print job is in the queue. You can wake a printer up by pressing the print button or switching the printer off and back on at the switch.
7) If all else fails, this final trick often works. A build-up of static energy can cause a printer to stop responding. Remove the power cable from the back of the printer, leave out for 20 seconds and then reinsert. Hey presto, your printer should begin to print any jobs stuck in the queue.
If after following these steps you are still faced with a printer that is not responding, refer to the user manual or contact the technical support team for further guidance. If your warranty period has lapsed and/or your printer is old, you may want to consider purchasing a replacement printer.
