• ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
  • ×
    Information
    Windows update impacting certain printer icons and names. Microsoft is working on a solution.
    Click here to learn more
    Information
    Need Windows 11 help?
    Check documents on compatibility, FAQs, upgrade information and available fixes.
    Windows 11 Support Center.
  • post a message
Guidelines
Experiencing 'Printer Blocked' or 'Printer Error' message? Click here for more information.
Check some of the most frequent questions about Instant Ink: HP INSTANT INK, HP+ PLANS: INK AND TONER.


Check out our Black or Color Ink Not Printing, Other Print Quality Issues info about: Print quality and Cartridge Issues.
HP Recommended
OfficeJet 8720
Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan

I have an OffieJet Pro 8720.  

 

The first page of the first document I print everyday is blurry.  It is always the first document I print for  the day, after that everything is fine.

 

I saw that another OfficeJet Pro 8720 customer had the same problem so I followed the suggested steps. Our printer gets daily use except on the weekends, so I have a hard time believing the issue is related to the printer being off or idle for a period.  We always leave the printer on.  It is plugged directly to the wall.

 

Instead, this seems to be an issue related to Mac computers.  2 of us have macs, the other 2 are PC's.  PC's have no first print issues, the Macs do.

 

HELP!  Wasting ink. Have started printing a page with just a few characters on it to avoid wasting a ton of ink, but this is a hassle and also wastes paper.

69 REPLIES 69
HP Recommended

Hello @Megan3, Greetings!

Thanks for stopping by the HP Support Forums! I'd be happy to help you with your Officejet print quality issue.

 

You have a very peculiar issue with your printer. Let’s first try to reset the printing systems and check.

 

  • Click the Apple menu icon, and then click System Preferences.
  • Click Printers and Scanners, Print and Scan, or Print and Fax.
  • Right-click the blank space in the Printers list, and then click Reset printing system.
  • Click Reset in the confirmation window.
  • Enter an administrator username and password, and then click OK.
  • Wait until the printing system is reset and no devices show in the Printers list
  • Click the Add button (+).
  • Find, and then select the name of your printer from the Printer list, and then click Add to add your printer.
  • Click Print Using..., and then select the name of your printer (By default “Airprint” would be selected)

 

Let’s give it a try and let me know how it goes 🙂

Cheers 🙂

 

Please click "Accepted Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

 

Please click "Accepted as Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

DVortex
I am not an HP Employee
HP Recommended

Hello!

 

I am having a similar problem with my 8720 and wondered if the suggested solution worked for other users.

 

About every 5th day, the first printed page of the day comes out "blurry." That is, it looks like the text was printed twice, offset horizontally by about 3mm. The remainder of the prints are correct, until the printer sleeps overnight. Then there is about a 1 in 5 chance of recurrence the next morning.

 

Using 4 different Macs with different OS versions.

 

This happens infrequently enough to make it difficult to "test" any suggested "fix."

HP Recommended

Hello:

I was just curious if this solution worked for you.

Tom

HP Recommended

Hi Tom115, 

 

Do you still experience a similar issue?

 

According to your past experience, was it application independent as in whether you sent the print job from Preview or any other application? Also, did it happen on both black and color content? 

 

Best regards,
Nugi

* Although I am employed by HP, I am speaking for myself and not for HP.

HP Recommended

Hi,

I followed the steps you listed and still have the same issue.

 

Any other ideas?

 

 

HP Recommended

Hi Tom,

Unfortunately the solution offered didn't resolve the issue.  Bummer.  It's so annoying.  Hopefully there is some solution to remedy the problem.  It really seems to be an issue with Mac's.

HP Recommended

Greetings Nugi,

 

This is an intermittent problem (once every 5? days or so...).

 

It occurs on both black-only text pages as well as colorful pages. (It all looks like the page was printed twice with a slight horizontal offset on the second pass.)

 

It occurs regardless of computer, OS version, or software being used. I rarely print from Preview and do not recall if it was involved in any of the incidents. I don't print that many pages (< 50 per month), but I need to be able to rely on my new printer to do the job.

 

Typically, I grab the fresh printout as I'm headed out the door, noticing the map is "blurry" just as I'm about to pull out of the driveway. Annoying!

 

I will keep track of any commonalities in the future (software, technique, etc.) for any clues. Since I posted my message, I have not had the problem. Very random, but always just the first page of the day.

 

Thank you for your help,

Tom

HP Recommended

Hello,

 

I have an OfficeJet Pro 8715 and a Mac computer.  

 

I am having the same issue.  Every first page is printed blurry, printed twice with a slight horizontal offset as Tom mentioned.  I would really like to find a solution to this since I'm wasting ink, checks, and paper.

 

Thank you!

 

 

HP Recommended

We are having the same issue with the blurry print...always 1 st page with it happening from our MAC and Windows PC. Went through the suggested reset from HP on this thread and voila...1st page printed was blurry lol. Definitely not the fix.

† The opinions expressed above are the personal opinions of the authors, not of HP. By using this site, you accept the <a href="https://www8.hp.com/us/en/terms-of-use.html" class="udrlinesmall">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="/t5/custom/page/page-id/hp.rulespage" class="udrlinesmall"> Rules of Participation</a>.