Printing and it has faint lines going along it

[Jessmpx]

Every time I print a larger sized photo there are faint lines going along the photo, I only got this printer last weekend so it would not be an issue with the ink as it brand new, I have taken out the ink and put it back in just in case and this made no difference, I'm unsure of what to do as I am trying to print some A3 prints out for my home and the quality of the printed photo is awful, this happens when printing black and white and colour.

Please assist?! 

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Jessmpx,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

Thanks for your patience! Based on the issue you are facing, here are the most likely causes and solutions for the faint lines you're seeing on your photo prints, even with a brand-new printer:

Top Causes & Fixes for Faint Lines on Photo Prints:
 

1. Print Head Alignment or Clogging

Even new printers can have misaligned or slightly clogged print heads from shipping or initial setup.

✅ Fix:

• Open the HP Smart app or your printer’s control panel.
• Run “Print Head Cleaning” and “Print Head Alignment” utilities.
• You may need to run the cleaning cycle 2–3 times for best results.

2. Paper Type Mismatch

Using the wrong paper setting for photo paper can cause ink to be applied incorrectly.

✅ Fix:

• When printing, go to Print Settings > Paper Type and select the exact type (e.g., HP Premium Plus Photo Paper).
• Also, ensure Print Quality is set to Best.

3. Driver or Software Issue

Some users report that printing directly from certain apps (like the default photo viewer) causes issues 

✅ Fix:

• Try printing from a different app like Photoshop, Paint, or Microsoft Word.
• Update your printer driver via Device Manager or download the latest from HP’s support site.

4. Use HP Smart’s “Diagnose & Fix” Tool

HP Smart includes a built-in tool that can automatically detect and fix common print quality issues 

✅ Fix:

• Open the HP Smart app.
• Go to Printer Settings > Diagnose & Fix and follow the prompts.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support