Printing blurry

[strugglerfool]

thefine printing is blurred regardless of if it from a scanned image or a PDF or a word document. Ink tanks are full and there is no problem there. When I take diagnostic prints the printing of the charts are fine but if I'm printing text there is a prioblem

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @strugglerfool,

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 printer is producing blurry or unclear text even though ink tanks are full and diagnostic prints look fine. Let’s go through some steps to troubleshoot this.

Check print quality settings
Open your print dialog and go to Printer Properties or Preferences.
Make sure Print Quality is set to Normal or Best and Paper Type matches what you are using.

Clean the printheads
Even with full ink, printheads can become partially clogged.
Run the printer’s automatic printhead cleaning from the control panel or HP Smart app. You may need to run it 2–3 times for best results.

Align the printheads
Go to Printer Maintenance > Align Printheads.
This ensures text and images are properly positioned on the page and sharp.

Check paper type and quality
Using very thin, thick, or rough paper can cause text to blur.
Use recommended paper for your printer, ideally HP-brand or smooth, standard office paper.

Test different applications
Print from Word, Notepad, or a PDF to see if the issue occurs across all programs.
If it only happens in one app, it may be a software-specific setting, such as font smoothing or scaling.

Update printer firmware and drivers
Go to the HP Support site for your printer model and ensure the latest firmware and drivers are installed.
Outdated drivers can cause text rendering issues.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[strugglerfool]

Hi Kurol_Kenshi

Thanks for your response, I have tried all of the above steps , the blurring still persists

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @strugglerfool,

Thank you for the update. Since you’ve already completed the basic maintenance steps and the issue still affects only text (while diagnostic charts print fine), this helps narrow the cause. Please follow the steps below in order, they focus on text rendering and black-ink precision, which is where the problem most likely lies.

Print a plain black text test
Print a simple document from Notepad using only black text.
This removes font styling and confirms whether the issue is with fine black text output itself.

Disable “Draft” or ink-saving features
Open Printer Preferences and turn off options like Draft mode, Ink Saver, or Fast Printing.
These features reduce dot density and commonly cause blurry or fuzzy text.

Force black-only printing
In Printer Preferences, select “Black Ink Only” or “Grayscale (Black Ink Only)”.
If text sharpens, the printer may be mixing color ink with black, which can blur text edges.

Check black printhead specifically
Even if diagnostics look normal, the black printhead nozzles may be partially degraded.
Run a printhead cleaning again, then wait 10–15 minutes before printing to allow ink stabilization.

Perform a semi-full reset of the printer
Power the printer on, disconnect the power cable from the rear, and unplug it from the wall.
Wait 60 seconds, reconnect directly to a wall outlet, and power the printer back on.

Reinstall the printer driver (important)
Remove the printer completely from your computer (Devices & Printers).
Restart the computer, then reinstall the full driver or HP Smart app fresh.
Corrupt drivers can affect font rasterization while images remain unaffected.

Check scaling and resolution settings
Ensure document scaling is set to 100% (not “Fit to page” or custom scaling).
Non-native scaling can blur fine text while graphics still appear acceptable.

Test with different fonts
Print text using a basic font like Arial or Times New Roman.
If decorative or thin fonts blur more, the issue may be font anti-aliasing rather than hardware.

Inspect the printed text closely
If edges look feathered or slightly doubled, this points to black nozzle wear.
If edges look gray or washed, it points to ink mixing or density issues.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,