Chapter 11

Ink is smearing

Check the print settings

•When you print documents that use a lot of ink, allow more time to dry before handling the printouts. This is especially true for transparencies. In the printer driver, select the Best print quality, and also increase the ink drying time and reduce the ink saturation, using the ink volume under the advanced features (Windows) or ink features (Mac OS X). However, note that decreasing ink saturation might give printouts a "washed-out" quality.

•Color documents that have rich, blended colors can wrinkle or smear when printed using the Best print quality. Try using another print mode, such as Normal, to reduce ink, or use HP Premium Paper designed for printing vivid color documents. For more information, see Change print settings.

Check the media type

•Some types of media do not accept ink well. For these types of media, ink will dry more slowly and smearing may occur. For more information, see Select print media.

•Make sure that the media in the tray matches the media type selected in the printer driver.

Ink is not filling the text or graphics completely

Check the media type

Some media types are not suitable for use with the device. For more information, see Select print media.

Check the printheads

Print the print quality diagnostic page on a clean sheet of white paper. Evaluate any problem areas, and perform the recommended actions. For more information, see To print the print quality diagnostic page.

Output is faded or dull colored

Check the print mode

The Draft or Fast mode in the printer driver allows you to print at a faster rate, which is good for printing drafts. To get better results, select Normal or Best. For more information, see Change print settings.

Check the paper type setting

When printing on transparencies or other special media, select the corresponding media type in the print driver. For more information, see Print on special and custom- sized media.

194 Maintain and troubleshoot