Printers occupy every corner of the world, from schools to households. While it is a useful device, it also tends to cause issues such as printing black pages. If you are dealing with printer printing and unaware of how to fix it, then you are in the right place.
If the printer prints black pages, check if the nozzle is clogged. If so, you must unclog the nozzle. A software issue can also cause this. To fix it, you must update the print drive. A dislodged ink cartridge will also cause this issue. Try placing it correctly or replace it if needed.
In this article, I will help you figure out the root cause of why your printer is printing black. You will also know how to fix the issue at the end of the article. So, keep reading.
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This post includes some affiliate links.The reason your printer is printing black pages
I know how confronting the printer printing black pages feels, especially when dealing with important documents.
I encountered this situation while printing some important documents.
It started printing fully black instead of black and white.
However, I fixed it successfully after figuring out the common causes.
So, here I am with some common issues behind a printer printing black pages and quick fixes to get the printer to print right.
Here are some common reasons your printer might be printing black pages:
- Empty ink cartridges
- Clogged cartridges
- Dislodged ink cartridge
- Mismatching paper size
- Printer nozzle issues
- Software issues
- You may be trying to print the blank pages
- Clogged print head
Any of these may cause the printer to print black pages.
Continue reading to find out how you can fix them.
What to do if your printer is printing black pages?
To fix the printer printing the black pages, you need to figure out the main cause.
Let’s discuss this, shall we?
1. Update the printer driver
While dealing with the printer printing black pages, several reasons may be causing the issue.
Sometimes a simple act of updating the printer will solve the issue.
Before solving the complex issue, remember to update the printer driver to the latest version.
Printer drivers carry a computer program that communicates with the printer through software.
Not every printer uses the same software.
There will be a specific type of software your printer uses to convert the data in a way the printer can process to print.
When the drivers are outdated, it will cause issues like printing black or blank pages.
The procedure to update your printer will vary based on the operating system of your device.
Follow these steps to update your printer driver for Windows 10:
- Next to the start button, you can find a taskbar. Type the word control panel.
- Click the control panel option.
- Next, select the hardware and sound option.
- Click the device manager option. It will show all the hardware connected to the device.
- Select the printer option.
- Click the printer you want to update.
- Choose the update the printer drive option.
- You will see two options. Search drivers automatically and search drivers manually.
- You can choose the search drivers automatically option if you have installed the latest drivers or stored them on the external storage.
- Visit the manufacturer’s website to choose or install the new drive.
- Run the update to complete the process.
Steps to update the print drive in windows 7:
- Click the control panel.
- In the search bar, type device manager and click the device manager option.
- Click the option devices and printers.
- Click the icon of your printer appearing in the search result.
- It is usually found under a universal serial bus.
- Click the option properties.
- Click the option driver tab.
- Click the option update driver to complete the process.
- After updating, run the printer to check if the issues are solved, or try the following fix.
2. Restart the printer
Like updating the print driver, another important step you must do is to restart your printer.
A minor glitch causing this issue will be eliminated while resetting your printer.
Ensure not to skip this step before testing out for the other causes of why your printer is printing black pages.
You can restart your printer by following the simple steps mentioned below:
- Shut down the printer by switching the power button off.
- Disconnect the electric supply from the printer by disconnecting the electric cord from the electric outlet. Connect the electric supply back to the printer after 5 minutes.
- Turn off the printer by switching on the power button.
- Run the printer and check if it is still printing the black pages.
- If the issue is still appearing, try the following fixes.
3. Inspect the ink cartridge
Ink cartridges are essential parts of printers.
They hold the ink that a printer uses to print the colors and texts on the paper.
Printers have more than one ink reservoir in the ink cartridge.
Not all ink cartridges are the same, and ink cartridges change according to the company and the model of the printer.
Ink cartridges are built with chips and electronics to transfer the data to the printer by acting as a communication channel.
If the ink cartridge is empty or is at fault, the printer won’t function as usual.
So, check if the ink cartridge is filled with ink.
Also, check if they are completely damaged.
In both cases, you must replace it with new cartridges.
Follow these steps to replace the ink cartridges:
- The ink cartridges differ based on the model of your printer. So you must note the company and the model number to purchase the ink cartridge that suits your printer. You can refer to the user manual to find the model number of your printer.
- Turn on the printer by switching on the power button. Check the ink level on the computer to find which ink cartridge you need to replace, or the printer will notify you.
- The next step is to access the ink cartridge. To do so, you need to open the compartment which carries the ink cartridge. Consider referring to the user manual to find out where you can find this compartment in your printer.
- Open the ink cartridge compartment by pressing the release button.
- After opening the compartment, don’t push the cartridges manually. It will automatically appear. Or see if there is a specific button, the ink change button, or the stop button. Press the button if your printer has one.
- If you haven’t purchased the new ink cartridge, don’t take out the ink cartridge until you are ready to fix the new one because it will dry out the print nozzle.
- Some printers have separate cartridges for the black and white colors, while another model stores both colors in the same cartridges. Some latest models of printers have four cartridges to store four different colors. Knowing the type of cartridge your printer has is best to simplify the process.
- Now remove the cartridge you need to replace. Access the release clip and press or squeeze it to release the cartridge you need to remove. The way of removing the cartridge again varies based on the model of your printer. In some printers, you must push the cartridge downwards to pull it out of place. While in other models, you need to pull the cartridge’s flap. Refer to the user manual to find out which would work for you.
- Take the new print cartridge in hand to shake it well before you insert it into the printer.
- Fix the new ink cartridge by securing them with clips or flaps, depending on your model.
- Reattach the compartment cover. Switch on the printer. Run it to print the first and see if the issue is solved.
4. Unclog the printer nozzle
The print ink cartridge has a print head in which a small hole is found, referred to as the print nozzle.
Holes in the print nozzle are tiny, which means thinner than human hair.
These thin nozzles play an important role in ejecting a million droplets of the ink used to produce images and text used to print.
If these nozzles are clogged, the printer won’t print as usual.
It may also be the reason for printing black pages.
To fix the issue, you must unclog the printer nozzle.
Here is how you can unclog the printer nozzle:
- Start by clicking the LCD menu option.
- Then click the settings option. In the results, choose the temperature option.
- Click the nozzle option.
- As a next step, click set the temperature option.
- Let the temperature be at 260 degrees.
- Wait for at least 3 minutes until the nozzle attains the desired temperature.
- After it attains the required temperature, you can notice the filament which starts to pour.
- To clear the clog completely, insert a thin needle from the downside of the nozzle. Insert the needle up to 3 cm to clear the clog. Be cautious enough about not touching the nozzle with your bare hands.
- In the end, you must have successfully unclogged the print nozzle.
- Run the print and check if the issue of printing black pages has been resolved.
If not, try out the following methods.
5. Check for blank pages
While printing the blank pages, there are chances for the printer to print black.
Ensure to remove the black pages while printing a document.
You can eliminate the blank pages while previewing the document before printing it.
6. Check if you are using the paper size
Using the wrong size of paper will make the printer print black.
Check if the paper size aligns with your printer’s setting.
Here are the three important aspects you need to consider when choosing the right paper while printing:
- Check if you are using the right kind of paper.
- The thickness of the paper.
- Dimension of the paper.
Ensure to take note of these three points while choosing papers to print your documents.
7. Correct the dislodged ink cartridge
There are chances for the ink cartridge to get dislodged at times.
This issue disrupts the communication between the printer and the software on the computer or the laptop.
Open the ink cartridge compartment and check if they are misaligned or dislodged.
If they are dislodged, remove them and try to place them in the right position as they should be.
8. Troubleshoot your windows
Even after trying all the above fixes to get rid of the black prints, you can try troubleshooting your windows if the issue still needs to be resolved.
Follow these steps to troubleshoot the windows:
- Click start. Go to the setting option.
- Choose the update and security option.
- Click the troubleshooting option.
- Under that, select the additional troubleshooting option.
- Click the get-up and running option.
- Select the option printer.
- Click the run troubleshooter option.
Once the troubleshooting is complete, run the printer to check if the issue is solved.
How do I fix my printer ink not flowing?
If you use the printer infrequently, the print nozzle might get clogged.
If the print nozzle is clogged, ink from the cartridge will not flow.
You can fix it by unclogging the print nozzle.
Follow the steps mentioned above to unclog the print nozzle.
How do I know if my printer nozzle is clogged?
You can conclude that the printer nozzle is damaged if you notice the following symptoms:
- The ink filament is not coming out of the nozzle
- The printer is printing blank pages
- The texts are thinner and not visible
- The ink sticks on the print heads
To fix this issue, you must unclog the printer nozzle.
How do I clean a blocked printer head?
You can clean the printer’s head with two methods.
You can either choose to clean by choosing automatic cleaning or by choosing manually.
Steps to clean the printhead automatically:
- Access the control panel
- Switch on automatic cleaning by switching on the automatic cleaning option.
- You can also select the deep cleaning options if the default cleaning doesn’t help unclog the printhead.
Steps to clean the print head manually:
- Open the ink cartridge compartment to access the ink cartridge and the print head.
- Remove all the individual ink cartridges. Disconnect the print head from the ink cartridge.
- Dip a sponge in the warm water to clean any congested ink on the print head.
- Keep the print head soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Take out the print head from the bowl. Use a towel to remove the excess water and let it dry.
- Attach the print head with the ink cartridge and reattach the ink cartridge to the compartment.
Final thoughts
Printer printing black pages will also occur due to the software issue. In such a case, you need to uninstall and reinstall the printer. You must also update the print driver.
You don’t need to spend dollars to fix the issue of the printer printing black pages. You can fix yourself by following the steps mentioned in the article.
Refer to the user manual to determine which step will work for your printer. Thoroughly go through the common causes and figure out what causes the issue of printing the black pages.
Reference: HP official support, Epson official support, Brother official support.
