Unwanted black lines printing

[gooby333]

Please help! My printer is printing these unwanted, black lines when I try to print any Word documents. Please see the below pictures. I’ve tried cleaning the print head but that didn’t work. Anyone have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

 

 

 

[Max3Aj]

@gooby333, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

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

You are seeing unwanted black lines and possibly some alignment issues on your HP printer test and Word document prints.

(Print Quality Diagnostic Page):

The horizontal black lines and repeated text artifacts suggest a problem with:

• The black ink cartridge (clogging or leakage),
• Or printhead alignment/positioning errors,
• Possibly firmware/software glitches if recent updates were installed.

(Printer Alignment Page):

• The blue and black blocks seem uneven, and some alignment rows are misprinted or skipped, confirming:
• Misaligned printhead,
• Or dirty encoder strip (clear strip behind the carriage).

Steps to Fix:

Run Print Head Alignment (again)

Even if you've done it already, redo it:

• From the printer control panel or HP Smart App:
  Settings > Printer Maintenance > Align Printhead
• When prompted, scan the alignment page on the scanner glass as shown.

Deep Clean Printheads (not just regular clean)

Run deep/advanced printhead cleaning 2–3 times with short gaps in between.

• HP Smart App > Tools > Printer Toolbox > Cleaning
• Make sure the printer is using genuine HP cartridges.

Inspect and Clean the Encoder Strip (if comfortable)

• Open the printer cover and look for a thin, clear plastic strip behind the carriage.
• Gently clean with a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water.
• DO NOT use alcohol or touch it aggressively.

Check for Ink Leakage

• Remove the black cartridge and check for ink buildup.
• If you notice smears on the cartridge or carriage path, clean them carefully.
• Replace the cartridge if it’s overfilled or damaged.

Firmware Update

Make sure your printer has the latest firmware.

Go to HP Support Site, input your printer model, and download/install any new firmware.

Use the HP Print and Scan Doctor (Windows only)

It can automatically detect hardware and driver issues:
Download it here

Optional Test:

Try printing a black & white text document (like a PDF) and a color image:

• If black text has lines or smears = black cartridge issue
• If color prints fine = not a general hardware fault

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 

[gooby333]

Hello @Max3Aj! Thank you for responding to me with some suggestions, however none of them worked. 😕

I cleaned the printhead multiple times, tried to align it multiple times, cleaned the encoder strip, carefully wiped down as much as I could inside the printer, and also tried updating the firmware and drivers using the HP support website. I’m still getting the black lines…even when I tried to print a text document in blue ink with blue font (see attached photo). 

I dont know what else to do! I know the warranty has expired, but I’ve been a loyal instant ink customer since I bought the printer, so any additional help or options you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[Max3Aj]

Thank you for your response @gooby333. 

What I’m Seeing in the New Photo:

• Persistent horizontal black lines across the entire page (even when printing blue text only).
• Some curved smearing and ink streaks, likely from mechanical contact during printing.
• A consistent banding pattern, suggesting hardware-level or ink-delivery problems.

Given everything you've already done cleaning the printhead, aligning, firmware updates, and more and the fact that the issue appears, here’s what is most likely going on:

Suggested Next Actions:

Remove the Black Cartridge and Print Without It (Important Test)

• Try removing the black cartridge altogether (if your printer allows it).
• Print a test page or any color-only document (set color-only mode in driver or app).
• If the black lines disappear → black cartridge is definitely the culprit.

Perform a Printhead Cleaning from the HP Smart App (Advanced Cleaning)

• If available:
  HP Smart App → Printer Settings → Print Quality Tools → Clean Printhead (Level 2 or 3)
• You may need to repeat it 2–3 times, waiting a few minutes between cycles.

Try Manual Ink Blot Test

• Gently press the black cartridge printhead (copper nozzle side) on a paper towel:
• You should see a clean rectangular ink blot.
• If ink blobs, smears, or leaks beyond the pad → cartridge is bad.

If you’ve done all of the above and the issue persists:

It’s highly likely the internal printhead (or ink delivery system) is damaged. Please visit the nearest HP authorized service center, the service team will check and assist you. 
Kindly follow this link to locate the nearest HP service center: HP® Service Center Locator - United States | HP® Support
(Select the country from the dropdown menu and enter the city name or pincode) 

I hope this helps!

If my response resolves your issue, please click “Accepted Solution” to help others find the answer. Also, don’t forget to click the “Yes” button to say thanks!

Take care and have a great day.

Max3Aj

HP Support

[gooby333 · Accepted solution]

@Max3Aj it turns out that completely replacing the black ink cartridge solved the problem. I was able to successfully print an alignment page and other various Word documents without the black lines appearing. Thank you for all your help!!