Interestingly, this is one of the most common questions we get asked over the phone in MicroPro and it’s something we usually are able to solve right there and then.
1. “Is it plugged in?” to quote the Chris O’Dowd’s character form the IT Crowd. It’s as simple as that and you’d be surprised how many times we’ve made this mistake ourselves, especially at the early hours of the morning. Make sure your printer is plugged in, the electricity is turned on and, if it’s a remote printer, that it’s actually turned on.
2. Check the ink cartridges. All printers are different but most of them will tell you if the ink cartridges are empty. If you have a simple printer without an LCD screen, check if there’s a little light that’s blinking above a a graphic that looks like a drop. Most of the time this indicates issues with inks: they might be empty or placed incorrectly. If this is your first time to use the printer, make sure that you have placed the inks correctly and that you have removed protective film from them.
3. Check the paper. Did you run out? Some printers might not print if there are even a just a couple of sheets of paper or on contrary too many sheets. Fill the paper storage about a half-full capacity and you should be on the safe side.
4. Make sure nothing is stuck in the printer. Got a paper jam? Sometimes it might be caused by something being stuck in the printer. If you have a multi-function printer, you may want to lift the lid under the scanner and see if there’s anything that doesn’t seem to belong: paperclips, paper bits, food – these can sometimes fall in through the upper paper compartment. If it’s a simple printer without the scanner, take out the inks and tilt the printer forward giving it a bit of a hit. This way, whatever could possibly be stuck in it will fall out, but you will also not get printer inks all over yourself.
5. Check the error messages. Is your printer displaying an error message? That’s the easiest way to find out what’s wrong with it. Just Google the error message (most of the time it’s a code) with the name and the make of your printer and you will get a fast answer.
6. Shooting blanks. Your printer makes all the right noises but only returns blank pages? Or, the images appear smudged, uneven, wrong color, etc? Try to clean the heads of the printer. No need to take out the dusting cloth yet, this is something you tell the printer to do from the computer or the printer itself. Just look for the “Maintenance” section in the manual for your printer, or Google “how to clean the heads on [your printer name]”.
Hope this advice will help and you will find exactly what you need to fix your printer. Didn’t find a solution? Give us a call on 01 4949556
Looking for a new printer? We’ve got a special on a Epson Expression XP-225 Multifunction printer/scanner/copier – €69.99 including VAT. Come and take a look for yourself.