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HP DeskJet, OfficeJet 5200 Printers - Black or Color Ink Not Printing, Other Print Quality Issues

This document is for HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5275, 5276 and 5278, and OfficeJet 5220, 5222, 5230, 5232, 5252, 5255, 5258, and 5264 All-in-One printers.

The quality of a printed document or photo is not as expected. The procedures in this document should help with streaked or faded printouts, color or black ink not printing, documents with blurred or fuzzy text, ink streaks or smears, and other print quality problems.

Step 1: Reinstall the print driver (Windows only)

If you cannot print color from a Windows computer, uninstall and reinstall the printer software. Skip this step if your printer is able to print in color.

Remove the printer from the devices list.

For steps on removing the printer from the devices list, go to Uninstall HP printer software and drivers.
Go to HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads, and then install the latest software for your printer.

Try to print. If these steps resolved the issue, you do not need to continue troubleshooting.

Step 2: Use genuine HP ink cartridges

HP recommends that you use genuine HP ink or toner supplies. HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP or refilled cartridges. If you do not use genuine HP cartridges, the steps in this document might not resolve the issue. To check the authenticity of your cartridges, go to the HP anti-counterfeit webpage (in English).

note:
Rough handling at the store or during installation can cause print quality problems with newly installed ink cartridges. If you see print problems with newly installed ink cartridges, wait for a few hours for the automatic servicing routine to complete, and then try to print again.

HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 5275, 5276, 5278

Ink cartridge description	Latin America	Asia Pacific	Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Black ink cartridge	HP 664 Black HP 664XL Black	HP 680 Black	HP 652 Black
Color ink cartridge	HP 664 Tri-color HP 664XL Tri-color	HP 680 Tri-color	HP 652 Tri-color

Purchase replacement cartridges and other supplies from the HP Store or local retailers.

HP OfficeJet 5220, 5252, 5255, 5258, 5264

Ink cartridge description	North America and Asia Pacific (excluding India, China, and Indonesia)	Western Europe	Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and CIS	China, India, and Indonesia
Black ink cartridge	HP 63 Black HP 63XL Black	HP 304 Black HP 304XL Black	HP 123 Black HP 123XL Black	HP 803 Black HP 803XL Black
Color ink cartridge	HP 63 Tri-color HP 63XL Tri-color	HP 304 Tri-color HP 304XL Tri-color	HP 123 Tri-color HP 123XL Tri-color	HP 803 Tri-color HP 803XL Tri-color

If installing genuine HP ink cartridges resolved the issue, you do not need to continue troubleshooting.

Step 3: Check for ink smears on the back of printouts

If there are smears of ink on the back of your printouts, you can use an automated tool to resolve the issue.

Load the printer with plain white paper.
On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup .
Touch Tools.
Swipe up on the display, and then touch Clean Page Smears.

The printer slowly feeds a blank page.
Wait for the printer to eject the blank page.

After cleaning ink smears, try to print. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 4: Make sure you are using the appropriate paper for your print job

Using incorrect paper for the print job might cause warping, lines, or streaks. Refer to the following guidelines to make sure the paper you are using is appropriate. If it is not, reload the printer with an appropriate paper type.

Load the paper print side down in the input tray. Many papers have printing and nonprinting sides, such as photo paper and envelopes. Usually, the smoother side is the "print side," and sometimes the non-print side has a logo of the paper manufacturer on it.
Do not use wrinkled or curled paper. Use only clean, wrinkle-free paper.
Use the correct paper type for your project.
- For everyday text documents, plain paper with ColorLok technology works well. Paper with ColorLok technology is industry-standard paper that works well with HP ink.
- For documents with dense printing, such as high contrast graphics or photos, use HP Advanced Photo Paper for best results.
- Some paper might not absorb ink as well as others. If your prints smear easily, make sure you are using a recommended paper.
Store photo paper in its original packaging inside a resealable plastic bag. Store the paper on a flat surface in a cool, dry place. Load 10-20 sheets of photo paper only when you are ready to print, and then put the unused paper back in the packaging.
Try using a different paper. This determines if the problem is related to the paper.

Try to print again. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 5: Check the print settings

Check the print settings to make sure they are appropriate for your print job.

Print settings in Windows

Check the print settings for your print job in Windows.

In the software application you are trying to print from, click File, and then click Print.

The Print window opens.
Open the Properties dialog box.

Depending on the software application, the button might be Properties, Options, Printer Setup, Printer, or Preferences.
Depending on your print job, you might consider modifying the following settings:
- Paper Type: If you are printing on photo paper, select the type of photo paper you are attempting to print on.
- Print Quality: If you are dissatisfied with the quality of your printouts, increase the print quality. To print more quickly, decrease the print quality. These options typically include Best, Normal, and Draft modes.
- Paper Size: If you are printing on a different size of paper than you normally print on, select the correct paper size.
- Black and White: If you want to print in black and white only, select the grayscale option.
After selecting the print settings, click OK to apply the settings, and then click Print.

Print settings in Mac

Check the print settings for your print job in macOS or OS X.

Open a document, click File, and then click Print.

The Print window opens.
Select the Paper Type/Quality or Media & Quality menu.
Depending on your print job, you might consider modifying the following settings:
- Paper type: If one of the options matches your paper type exactly, select that option.
- Quality: If you are dissatisfied with the quality of your printouts, increase the print quality. To print more quickly, decrease the print quality.
To save your settings for future print jobs, select Save in the Presets menu, and then name the new preset.

After you make any needed changes to the print settings, try to print again. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 6: Check the estimated ink levels

Low ink levels can affect print quality. Check the estimated ink levels from the printer control panel.

note:
Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When an indicator shows low ink levels, consider having a replacement ink cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need to replace ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.

On the printer control panel, touch the Ink icon

to display the current estimated ink levels.

Image: Example of estimated ink levels displaying full ink cartridges.

If none of the ink cartridges are low on ink, you do not need to replace them yet. Skip to the step to print a Print Quality Diagnostic page.
If any of the ink cartridges are low on ink, continue to the next step.

Step 7: Replace any low or empty ink cartridges

Replace any low or empty ink cartridges, and then try to print again.

caution:
To avoid print quality issues and dried out ink cartridges, do not leave any ink cartridges outside the printer for longer than 30 minutes.

Turn on the printer.
Load plain white paper into the input tray.
Gently grasp the handles on either side of the printer, and then raise the ink cartridge access door until it locks into place.

The carriage moves slightly to the left.
Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
Lift up the lid on the ink cartridge slot, and then pull up on the ink cartridge to remove it from the slot.
Lift the lid

Gently push the lid back

Pull up on the ink cartridge
Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to only touch the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
Remove the plastic tape from the ink cartridge.

caution:
Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzles. Do not replace the protective tape on the contacts. Handling these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.
With the nozzles toward the printer, insert the ink cartridge into its slot until it snaps into place.

note:
Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.
Close the lid on the ink cartridge slot to secure the ink cartridge into place.
Repeat these steps to install the other ink cartridge, if necessary.
Close the ink cartridge access door.

After you install new ink cartridges, the printer automatically prints an alignment page.

If the printer does not print an alignment page, touch Setup on the printer control panel, touch Tools, and then touch Align Cartridges.
Pull out the output tray, and then lift the output tray extender.
Wait for the alignment page to fully eject from the printer.
After the alignment page prints, lift the scanner lid, place the alignment page with the print side down on the scanner glass. Position it according to the engraved guides around the glass.
Close the scanner lid, and then touch OK on the printer control panel.

The printer aligns the ink cartridges.
After the printer aligns the ink cartridges, touch OK on the control panel.

After replacing any low or empty ink cartridges, try to print again. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.

Step 8: Print a Print Quality Diagnostic report

Print a Print Quality Diagnostic report from the printer control panel, and then evaluate the results.

Load the printer with plain white paper.
On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup .
Touch Tools.
Swipe up on the display, and then touch Print Quality Report.

A Print Quality Diagnostic report prints.

Step 9: Examine the color blocks for defects

Examine the color blocks on the Print Quality Diagnostic page to make sure the color blocks do not show white lines and are not faded or missing.

Example of the color blocks without defects

If the color blocks do not show white lines, and are not faded or missing, skip to the step to check the alignment lines.
If any of the color blocks show white lines, are faded, or are missing completely, continue to the next step.

Step 10: Clean the ink cartridges

Cleaning the ink cartridges can improve print quality. Clean the ink cartridges from the printer control panel, then evaluate the results.

note:
To avoid issues that require cleaning, always turn the printer off with the Power button.

Load the printer with plain white paper.
On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup .
Touch Tools, and then touch Clean Cartridges.

The printer prints a Print Quality Diagnostic report.
Examine the print quality on the Print Quality Diagnostic report.
- If the print quality is acceptable, touch No. You can stop troubleshooting.
- If the print quality is unacceptable, touch Yes when prompted to perform the next level of cleaning.
note:
If the printhead is badly clogged, it might require another cleaning cycle. If so, wait 30 minutes before you perform both levels of cleaning again.

If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 11: Examine the alignment lines and green color block for defects

Examine the alignment lines and green color block on the Print Quality Diagnostic page. Make sure the lines are straight and connected and there are no dark lines or white gaps in the green color block.

If you see no defects on the Print Quality Diagnostic page, the print mechanism and ink cartridges are working correctly. If print quality is still not satisfactory, try these general print-quality guidelines. You do not need to continue the troubleshooting steps in this document.
- Make sure the image you are printing has a high enough resolution. Images that have been enlarged might appear fuzzy or blurry.
- If the problem is near the edge of a printout, use the print settings to rotate the image 180 degrees. The problem might not appear on the other end of the printout.
- Do not leave unprotected ink cartridges out of the printer for an extended period of time.
- Always use the power button to turn the printer off. This protects the ink cartridges from exposure to air.
If any of the alignment lines are not straight and connected, or the green color block has dark lines or white gaps, continue to the next step.

Step 12: Align the printer

Align the ink cartridges for best print quality using the printer control panel.

Load the input tray with plain white paper.
Pull out the output tray, and then lift the output tray extender.
On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup .
Touch Tools.
Swipe up on the display, and then touch Align Printer.

An alignment page prints.
Wait for the alignment page to fully eject from the printer.
After the alignment page prints, lift the scanner lid, place the alignment page with the print side down on the scanner glass. Position it according to the engraved guides around the glass.
Close the scanner lid, and then touch OK.

The printer aligns the ink cartridges.
After the printer aligns the ink cartridges, touch OK on the control panel.
Try to print again.
- If these steps resolved the issue, you can stop troubleshooting.
- If the printout displays track marks or smears, continue to the next step to manually clean the area around the ink nozzles.
- If the printout does not display track marks or smears and the issue persists, skip to the step to replace the problem ink cartridge.

Step 13: Manually clean the area around the ink nozzles

If you see track marks or smears on the printouts, clean the area around the ink nozzles. Do not perform these steps unless the Print Quality Diagnostic report or printout specifically displays smeared text or track marks. If you do not see track marks or smears, skip to the step to replace the problem ink cartridge.

Gather the following materials:
- A clean, lint-free cloth or a clean, dry cotton swab
- Distilled or bottled water
  
  caution:
  Do not use tap water because it might contain contaminants that can damage the printhead.
Gently grasp the handles on either side of the printer, and then raise the ink cartridge access door until it locks into place.

The carriage moves to the center of the printer.
Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.
Lift up the lid on the ink cartridge slot, and then pull up on the ink cartridge to remove it from the slot.
Hold the ink cartridge by its sides.
Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth or swab with bottled or distilled water.
Clean the face and edges around the ink nozzle with the cloth or swab.

caution:
Do not clean the ink nozzle plate.
Nozzle plate - Do not clean

Area surrounding ink nozzle - Do clean

Ink cartridge contacts - Do not clean
Wait for the cleaned area to dry before you continue (approximately 10 minutes).
With the nozzles toward the printer, insert the ink cartridge into its slot until it snaps into place.

note:
Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.
Close the lid on the ink cartridge slot to secure the ink cartridge into place.
Repeat these steps to clean around the nozzles on the other ink cartridge.
Close the ink cartridge access door.

Try to print. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 14: Replace the problem ink cartridge

Replace the problem ink cartridge if you saw defects on the Print Quality Diagnostic report and the preceding steps did not resolve the issue, even if the ink cartridge is not low on ink. The problem ink cartridge is the one that printed the defects on the Print Quality Diagnostic report as described earlier in this document.

If you have a defective cartridge or printhead, it might be under warranty. To check the warranty on your ink or toner supplies, go to Printer and Page Yield Overview, and then review the limited warranty information for your supplies.

Turn on the printer.
Load plain white paper into the input tray.
Gently grasp the handles on either side of the printer, and then raise the ink cartridge access door until it locks into place.

The carriage moves slightly to the left.
Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
Lift up the lid on the ink cartridge slot, and then pull up on the ink cartridge to remove it from the slot.
Lift the lid

Gently push the lid back

Pull up on the ink cartridge
Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to only touch the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
Remove the plastic tape from the ink cartridge.

caution:
Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzles. Do not replace the protective tape on the contacts. Handling these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.
With the nozzles toward the printer, insert the ink cartridge into its slot until it snaps into place.

note:
Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.
Close the lid on the ink cartridge slot to secure the ink cartridge into place.
Repeat these steps to install the other ink cartridge, if necessary.
Close the ink cartridge access door.

After you install new ink cartridges, the printer automatically prints an alignment page.

If the printer does not print an alignment page, touch Setup on the printer control panel, touch Tools, and then touch Align Cartridges.
Pull out the output tray, and then lift the output tray extender.
Wait for the alignment page to fully eject from the printer.
After the alignment page prints, lift the scanner lid, place the alignment page with the print side down on the scanner glass. Position it according to the engraved guides around the glass.
Close the scanner lid, and then touch OK.

The printer aligns the ink cartridges.
After the printer aligns the ink cartridges, touch OK on the control panel.

Try to print. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Step 15: Service the printer

If you have followed all the steps in this document and your printer is producing printouts with print quality issues, service the printer.

Service or replace your HP product if the issue persists after completing all the preceding steps.

Go to Contact HP Customer Support to schedule a product repair or replacement. If you are in Asia Pacific, you will be directed to a local service center in your area.

To confirm your warranty status, go to HP Product Warranty Check. Repair fees might apply for out-of-warranty products.

note:
Keep a print sample that shows the problem. If the ink cartridges, printhead, or printer is replaced under warranty, the support agent will request the print sample. If the printer is returned to HP, the print sample must be returned with the printer. Place the sample in the output tray when you package your printer for shipping.