When we wish to get our documents printed, all that we expect is a good output with dark text that is clearly visible and legible. HP printer can make our printing job super quick and convenient. But at times there are some printing problems that might bother you like some letters missing, or extra line or markings on the page.
When you see these flaws, it indicates that there is a problem with your printing material (be it wasted ink, paper, or toner). The error ‘HP printer missing lines when printing’ is easy to fix using simple procedures. But before you jump to solutions, it is advised to understand the root cause of the problem.
Causes of the error ‘HP printer missing lines’
- Vent tape – There is a protective vent tape used to seal the printhead during shipping. If you don’t remove that tape, the ink will not enter the printhead.
- Clogged cartridges– If a printer is left unused for a long time, the inkjet printer develops clogged cartridges as the ink dries out.
- Inkjectprintheads are not aligned– It leads to a misapplication of ink, resulting in printed output with horizontal and vertical gaps.
- Laser cartridge may cause output defects –HP printer missing lines or dots’ error occurs when the drum inside the toner cartridge that images each page develops a scratch.
Procedures for ‘HP printer missing lines when printing’ issue
Solution 1 – Clean cartridge electrical contacts
- Switch on the printer.
- Open the top cover and move the cartridges to the center of the printer.
- Detach the printer power cord from the power outlet.
- Remove the color cartridge and black cartridge.
- At the back of the cartridge, you will find a copper-colored circuitry strip.
- Wipe both the cartridges with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
Solution 2 – Adjust the Settings for clogged nozzles:
- Open the document to be printed.
- Go to the ‘File’ menu and click ‘Print.’
Or Press CTRL + P (print command).
- Select your printer from the list.
- Click the ‘Preferences’ button and then tap the ‘Utilities’ or ‘Maintenance’ tab.
- Run the ‘Head Cleaning’ utility.
- Try printing a test page.
Solution 3 – Printhead alignment using HP Deskjet Toolbox
Follow the steps given below to align the cartridges for solving HP printer missing lines:
- Launch the HP Deskjet toolbox.
- In the toolbox, click ‘Printer Services.’
- Tap ‘Cartridge Alignment’ and follow the screen instructions.
Perform a ‘Cartridge Cleaning’ from the toolbox:
- Double-click the ‘HP Deskjet Toolbox’icon on the desktop.
- Click the ‘Printer Services’ tab.
- Tap ‘Clean the Print Cartridges’ and follow the instructions.
Troubleshooting tools
HP Support Assistant –It is a printing software that comes with HP printers made after 2009. It helps to set up your printer and check ink levels. To fix the error – ‘HP printer missing lines,’ you can also align and clean the cartridges by using this tool:
- Launch the Printer Assistant.
- Click the ‘Tools and Updates’ option.
- Navigate to ‘Printer Maintenance.’
- Select ‘Calibrate Printer.’
- Tap ‘Calibrate’ and follow the instructions displayed on-screen.
After completing the alignment process, go ahead with cartridge cleaning:
- Click ‘Tools and Updates.’
- Go to the ‘Printer Maintenance’ option.
- Select ‘Clean Cartridges.’
- Click ‘Clean’ and follow the instructions given on the screen.
HP Scan Doctor– It is a free tool for Windows that assists you in dealing with printing and scanning issues.
Apart from the solutions mentioned above, you can use these tools to help you guide and rectify issues like HP printer missing lines. Be it printing spray lines, color out, missing dots, or color mixing, printing problems can hamper your official work. So, it is better to be equipped with the basic knowledge of tips and tricks to resolve these troubles.
