HP DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet 5000, 5200 printers - No black ink, wrong colors, other print quality issues

Clean the cartridges to resolve print quality issues including incorrect colors, streaks, and faded prints.

1. Load plain white paper in the tray.

2. On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup.

3. Touch Tools, and then touch Clean Cartridges.

   A Print Quality Diagnostic report prints.

   

4. Review the page for defects and any instructions to resolve the issue. Run two more cleaning cycles, if necessary.

Use an automated cleaning tool if there are smears of ink on the back of documents and photos.

1. Load plain white paper in the tray.

2. On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup.

3. Touch Tools, and then touch Clean Page Smears.

Very low ink levels, using non-HP cartridges, and rough handling can cause print quality issues.

1. Replace any non-HP or refilled cartridges with genuine HP cartridges. HP supplies are available from the HP Store and local retailers.

   HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP or refilled cartridges. Go to HP Anti Counterfeiting and Fraud Program for more information.

2. Check the ink levels and replace any low or empty cartridges.

   Note:

   The printer features a 'backup mode' that enables printing with one cartridge. Remove the low or empty cartridge to continue printing if a replacement is not available. Depending on the cartridge removed, blacks will not be as dark and color prints will be in grayscale.

   

3. Rough handling of cartridges during transport or installation can cause print quality problems. Wait a few hours for the automatic servicing routine to complete, and then try to print again.

4. If a cartridge is bad, replace it. If you have a defective HP cartridge, it might be under warranty. Go to About Original HP Cartridges for page yield and HP Limited Warranty information to see if a cartridge is still in warranty.

Make sure your print job is set up for optimal print quality results.

1. Check the paper type and condition: Make sure the paper is appropriate for the print job and in good condition.

   • Some paper might not absorb ink as well as others, causing faded or smeared prints. Plain paper with ColorLok technology works well for text and documents with graphics. For photos, use HP Advanced Photo Paper for best results.

   • Use clean, wrinkle-free paper. Wrinkled or curled paper can cause dark, horizontal defects.

2. Load paper according to the print side: Typically, the smoother or glossy side is the print side.

   • For inkjet printers with a rear load tray, load the print side facing up.

   • For inkjet printers with a front load tray, load the print side facing down.

3. Check the print job settings: From the application you are printing from, click File > Print, and then click Options, Printer Setup, or Preferences, or open the Paper Type/Quality or Media & Quality menu.

   Make sure the color, paper type, paper size, and quality settings are correct for your print job.

4. Check the quality of the photo or document: Use editing tools to improve colors, brightness, contrast, and any other appearance settings. Higher resolution photographs and graphics result in clearer prints with more accurate colors.

Align the printheads for best quality printouts using the control panel.

1. Load plain white paper in the tray.

2. On the printer control panel, swipe left on the display, and then touch Setup.

3. Touch Tools, and then touch Align Printer.

   An Alignment Page prints.

4. Lift the scanner lid, and then place the Alignment page print side down on the scanner glass.

5. Close the scanner lid, and then touch OK on the printer control panel.