HP DeskJet 1110, 1200 Printers - Fixing Print Quality Problems

This document is for HP DeskJet 1110, 1111, 1112, 1210, 1212, 1255, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 1115, 1118, 1216, and 1275 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.

note:

Windows operating systems only: If you are experiencing garbled, jumbled or illogical text, incomplete printouts, or missing text or graphics, go to Continuous Pages of Strange or Garbled Characters Print in Windows.

Figure : Example of garbled, jumbled or illogical text, or an incomplete print job

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).

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

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.

Use the following guidelines to make sure the paper you are using is appropriate for the print job. If it is not, reload the printer with an appropriate paper type.

• Load the paper print side facing out in the input tray. Many papers have printing and nonprinting sides, like photo paper and other special media. 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. Load only clean, wrinkle-free paper into the printer.
  Figure : Do not use wrinkled 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.
    Figure : Plain paper with ColorLok technology is recommended for text printing

    
  • For documents with dense printing, such as high contrast graphics or photographs, use HP Advanced Photo Paper for the best results.
  • Some media may 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 package.
• Try using a different paper. This can determine if the problem is related to the paper.

note:

Inappropriate, damaged, or unsupported paper can cause vertical streaks in printouts.

After checking the paper, try to print again. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

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

note:

Print settings vary by operating system and software program.

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

Low ink levels can impact print quality. Check estimated the ink levels using the HP software.

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

1. Press the Power button to turn on the printer, if it is not already on.
2. Lower the output tray, if it is not already lowered.
3. Reach inside the printer, grasp the handle, then lower the ink cartridge access door.
   The carriage moves to the center of the printer.
   Figure : Open the ink cartridge access door

   
4. Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
5. Lightly press down on the ink cartridge to release it.
   Figure : Press down on the ink cartridge

   
6. Pull one ink cartridge toward you out of its slot.
7. Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to only touch the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
8. Remove the plastic tape.

     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.

   Figure : Remove the plastic tape

   
9. Hold the ink cartridge by its sides with the nozzles toward the printer, then insert the ink cartridge into its correct slot.
   • Insert the black ink cartridge () into the right slot.
   • Insert the tri-color ink cartridge () into the left slot.
10. Slide the ink cartridge at a slightly upward angle into the empty slot, then gently push up on the ink cartridge until it snaps into place.
    Figure : Push the ink cartridge into its slot

    
11. Repeat these steps to install the other ink cartridge, if necessary.
12. Close the ink cartridge access door.
    Figure : Close the ink cartridge access door

    

Aligning the ink cartridges correctly aligns the printhead with the printer. Select your operating system for the steps to align the ink cartridges using the HP software, and then evaluate the results.

Select your operating system for the steps to print a Print Quality Diagnostic Page using the HP software, and then evaluate the results.

Examine the ink blocks on the Print Quality Diagnostic Page to make sure that the color and black ink blocks do not show white lines, and are not faded or missing.

• If any of the color or black ink blocks show white lines, are faded, or are missing completely, continue to the next step.
• If the color or black ink blocks do not show white lines, and are not faded or missing, then the ink cartridges are working properly. There is no reason to clean or replace the ink cartridges or service the printer. Try to print the original print job again.
  If that print is still unsatisfactory, try the following general print quality guidelines.
  • Make sure the image you are printing has sufficient resolution. Images that are enlarged too much might appear fuzzy or blurry.
  • If the issue is confined to a band near the edge of a printout, use the software you installed with the printer or another software program to rotate the image 180 degrees. The problem might not display on the other end of the printout.

Clean the ink cartridges using the HP software, and then evaluate the results.

If the print quality is still unacceptable after the second-level cleaning, continue to the next step.

Do not perform these steps unless the test page or printout specifically shows smeared text or track marks. Clean the area around the ink nozzles if you see track marks or smears on the printouts.

1. Gather the following materials:
   • Dry foam-rubber swabs, lint-free cloth, or any soft material that does not come apart or leave fibers (coffee filters work well)
   • Distilled, filtered, or bottled water (tap water might contain contaminants that can damage the ink cartridges)

       caution:

     Do not use platen cleaners or alcohol to clean the ink cartridge contacts. These can damage the ink cartridge or the printer.

2. Press the Power button to turn on the printer, if it is not already on.
3. Lower the output tray, reach inside the printer, grasp the handle, and then lower the ink cartridge access door to open it.
   The carriage moves to the center of the printer.
   Figure : Open the ink cartridge access door

   
4. Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
5. With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.

     warning:

   You must disconnect the power cord before reaching inside the printer to avoid risk of injuries or electric shock.

6. Lightly press down on one of the ink cartridges to release it, and then pull the ink cartridge toward you out of its slot.
   Figure : Press down to remove the ink cartridge

   

     caution:

   Do not remove both ink cartridges at the same time. Remove and clean each ink cartridge one at a time. Do not leave an ink cartridge outside the printer for more than 30 minutes.

7. Hold the ink cartridge by its sides.
   Figure : Hold the ink cartridge by its sides

   
8. Inspect the ink cartridge contacts for ink and debris buildup.

     caution:

   Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzles. Touching these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.

   Figure : Do not touch the contacts or nozzles

   
9. Lightly moisten a foam-rubber swab or lint-free cloth with distilled water, and then squeeze any excess water from it.
10. Clean the face and edges around the ink nozzle with the swab.

      caution:

    Do not clean the ink nozzle plate.

    Figure : Clean the area around the ink nozzle
    
    1. Nozzle plate - Do not clean
    2. Area surrounding ink nozzle - Do clean
    3. Ink cartridge contacts - Do not clean
11. Either let the ink cartridge sit for 10 minutes to allow the cleaned area to dry, or use a new swab to dry it.
12. Slide the ink cartridge at a slightly upward angle into the empty slot, and then gently push up on the ink cartridge until it locks into place.
    Figure : Push the ink cartridge into its slot

    
13. Repeat these steps to clean around the nozzles on the other ink cartridge.
14. Close the ink cartridge access door.
15. Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.
16. Press the Power button to turn on the printer, if it does not turn on automatically.

After manually cleaning around the ink nozzles, try to print again. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Replace the problem ink cartridge if you saw defects on the Print Quality Diagnostic Page 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 Page 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.

1. Press the Power button to turn on the printer, if it is not already on.
2. Lower the output tray, if it is not already lowered.
3. Reach inside the printer, grasp the handle, then lower the ink cartridge access door.
   The carriage moves to the center of the printer.
   Figure : Open the ink cartridge access door

   
4. Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
5. Lightly press down on the ink cartridge to release it.
   Figure : Press down on the ink cartridge

   
6. Pull one ink cartridge toward you out of its slot.
7. Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to only touch the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
8. Remove the plastic tape.

     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.

   Figure : Remove the plastic tape

   
9. Hold the ink cartridge by its sides with the nozzles toward the printer, then insert the ink cartridge into its correct slot.
   • Insert the black ink cartridge () into the right slot.
   • Insert the tri-color ink cartridge () into the left slot.
10. Slide the ink cartridge at a slightly upward angle into the empty slot, then gently push up on the ink cartridge until it snaps into place.
    Figure : Push the ink cartridge into its slot

    
11. Repeat these steps to install the other ink cartridge, if necessary.
12. Close the ink cartridge access door.
    Figure : Close the ink cartridge access door

    

After replacing the problem ink cartridge, try to print again. If the print quality is still unacceptable, continue to the next step.

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

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.

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.