Printer only printing outlines/box lines...Not text DeskJet 2800e

[cinlink]

HP DeskJet 2800e all-in-one.  I sent a text only document to print and it only spit out a blank page.  I'm on a HP laptop with Windows 11.  I sent the same document to the printer from a chromebook and it also just spit out a blank page.  I printed the Printer status report and the Printer information report.  Both printed perfectly.  There are no new printer updates to install.  The ink is fine.  I took it out and put it back in.  I rebooted the printer.  I then tried to print a different document.  A 1099R tax document.  This document has text and boxes.  The boxes printed but not the text.   

Any suggestions about what's stopped text from printing?

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @cinlink,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your HP DeskJet 2800e is printing lines and boxes but not text, even though printer reports print correctly. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Check the document color and font settings
Open the document and confirm the text color is set to black or dark, not white or “no fill.”
Some documents use layered text that can disappear if rendering fails.

Disable “Print in grayscale” or “Use black ink only”
Open Printer Properties before printing and check the color settings.
Toggle off grayscale or black-only mode, apply changes, and try printing again.

Change the print quality setting
In Printing Preferences, set quality to Normal instead of Draft or Economy.
Draft modes can sometimes skip fine text elements.

Test printing from a different application
Try printing simple text from Notepad or WordPad.
If this prints correctly, the issue is document or app-specific rather than printer hardware.

Print an internal text-based report
From the printer menu, print a printer status or configuration page that includes text.
If text prints here, the printer hardware and ink system are working.

Run one cartridge cleaning cycle
Use the HP Smart app to run a single clean cartridge process.
Wait 10–15 minutes before printing again.

Remove and re-add the printer in Windows
Go to Settings > Printers & scanners and remove the DeskJet 2800e.
Restart the PC, then add the printer again and allow Windows to reinstall it.

Reset the printing system spooler
Restart the Print Spooler service from Windows Services.
This clears stuck or corrupted print jobs that can affect text rendering.

Try a different print driver option
When adding the printer, allow Windows to select the recommended driver.
Avoid generic or compatibility drivers if offered.

I hope this helps.

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