Re: Printing troubles - HP Support Community

Aloap1993 · ‎03-01-2026

I’m having trouble printing and the quality. Both cartridges are new

Kuroi_Kenshi · ‎03-03-2026

Hi @Aloap1993,

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 poor print quality even with new cartridges. Let’s go through a few checks.

From the diagnostic pages in your image, I can see:

Color blocks are present but uneven.

Some alignment marks look faint or misaligned.

Certain areas appear washed out.

This usually points to alignment or printhead flow issues rather than empty ink.

Step 1: Run Printhead Cleaning (Level 1 and 2)

Open the HP app on your computer.
Select your printer.
Go to Printer Maintenance or Tools.
Choose Clean Printheads (Level 1).
Print the test page.
If quality is still poor, run Level 2 cleaning once.
Do not run cleaning more than twice in a row.

Step 2: Perform Printhead Alignment

Load plain white paper.
In the HP app, go to Printer Maintenance.
Select Align Printheads.
Allow the alignment page to print.
Follow any on-screen instructions to complete alignment.
Misalignment can cause faded or shifted text.

Step 3: Check Paper Type and Print Settings

Open your document and click Print.
Open Printer Properties.
Set Paper Type to Plain Paper (if using regular paper).
Set Print Quality to Best.
Make sure Draft Mode is OFF.
Draft mode will cause faint output.

Step 4: Manually Clean Cartridge Contacts

Turn the printer ON.
Open the cartridge access door.
Remove cartridges.
Gently wipe the copper contacts with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water.
Let dry for 5 minutes.
Reinstall firmly and test print.

Step 5: Check the Diagnostic Page Again

After cleaning and alignment:
Print another Print Quality Diagnostic Page.
Look at the solid color blocks.
Confirm they are fully filled with no white streaks.

If colors are still faded or missing after new genuine cartridges and cleaning cycles, the internal printhead assembly may not be delivering ink evenly.

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! 👍✨

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Best regards,

I'm an HP Employee.

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Kuroi_Kenshi · ‎03-03-2026