Printer skipping sentences and then prints fine and then skips again

[Rileyfish]

Greetings, I have an HP Envy inspire 7900 serices. It was working just fine, no issues andthen suddenly, it begins skipping lines during the print. It will then print some more and then skip content again. I have aligned the print heads, cleaned them, alinged everyting 3-4 times, clened things 3-4 times and  it still continues to  skip lines and paragraphs. I have plenty of ink, plenty of paper and plenty of frustrations right now. Can anyone help me short of throwingthis hunk of $HIt in the gabage and starting all over agin with something new? 

Thanks in advance!

[Max3Aj]

@Rileyfish, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

It sounds incredibly frustrating and you've already done the right first steps. Skipping lines and partial printing like you're describing with your HP Envy Inspire 7900 series usually points to a few possible culprits beyond just alignment or cleaning.

Let’s go step-by-step to eliminate what’s left. 

Printhead Hardware Issue

Even if you've cleaned the printhead via software, dried or partially clogged nozzles can still cause erratic output.

Fix:

Try a deeper manual cleaning:

• Remove the ink cartridges.
• Gently blot the printhead with a damp lint-free cloth (warm distilled water).
• Allow it to sit nozzle-side down on a moist paper towel for 10–15 minutes.
• Reinstall everything and run another cleaning cycle.

Driver or Communication Glitch

If the cleaning and alignment aren’t fixing it, your printer may not be receiving the full job due to driver issues or corrupted communication between PC and printer.

Fix:

Fully uninstall and reinstall the printer driver:

1. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Remove your printer.
3. Download the latest full HP Smart / driver package from HP official site.
4. Reinstall using USB or Wi-Fi (whichever you're using) with the latest firmware.

Firmware Update Needed

Many HP models suffer from weird bugs that get fixed silently via firmware.

Fix:

• Use HP Smart app > Settings > Printer Maintenance > Update Firmware.

Network or Signal Dropouts (for Wi-Fi printing)

Sometimes the issue is a bad Wi-Fi connection — it results in partial print jobs.

Fix:

• Try connecting the printer via USB and printing.
• If the issue disappears, it's a Wi-Fi problem (interference, distance from router, etc.).
• Try changing router channel (5GHz band preferred if supported) or moving printer closer.

Paper Feed or Mechanical Skipping

If the printer seems to print fine at times and then "skips," it may be mechanical, not ink-based — i.e., it’s not advancing the paper correctly or skipping stepper motor steps.

Fix:

• Inspect rollers for dirt or paper debris.
• Use a printer paper path cleaning page (available in printer settings or use HP Smart).
• Open rear access panel (if any) and clean rollers with a lint-free cloth + isopropyl alcohol.

Try Printing from Another Device

If possible, try:

• Printing from a different PC or phone using HP Smart.
• Printing a test page directly from the printer's onboard menu (no PC involved).

If onboard prints are perfect but prints from the PC are not, the problem is with software or communication.

You may refer to this document - HP ENVY Inspire 7200e, 7900e Printers - Color or black ink not printing, other print quality issues ...

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support