garbled printing when choosing 2-sided printing

[thomasb6]

When printing, the first page is garbled when printing 2-sided, but the second page is ok.

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

Hi @thomasb6 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I'm really sorry you're running into this—when a printer gives you garbled output only on the first page of a 2-sided job, it can feel like a puzzle with no obvious answer. 

Let’s walk through the most effective steps to help you resolve this issue and get back to clean, double-sided printing.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

 

1. Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver

Sometimes duplex-specific problems arise from outdated or incorrect drivers.

Steps:

Go to HP’s official driver page:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Enter your exact printer model (e.g., HP OfficeJet Pro 9025)

Download and install the latest Full Feature Software and Driver

After installation, restart your computer

Test double-sided printing again

If you're currently using the Universal Print Driver (UPD), try switching to the model-specific driver—or vice versa.

 

2. Update Printer Firmware

This type of glitch can sometimes be resolved with a firmware update.

Steps:

Go to:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers

Choose Firmware > Download

Follow the on-screen instructions to apply the update via USB or Wi-Fi

Make sure no other print jobs are active while updating.

 

3. Print as Image (PDF Only)

If you’re printing from a PDF and the first page is garbled, this step often helps:

Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader

Click Print

Click Advanced

Check Print as Image

Click OK and try printing again with 2-sided enabled

 

4. Try Switching Duplex Mode

In some rare cases, switching between “Flip on long edge” and “Flip on short edge” can change how data is sent to the printer.

Go to Print > Preferences > Finishing or Layout

Try the opposite duplex setting and reprint the document

 

5. Clear the Print Spooler

A corrupted spooler may be sending malformed print jobs.

To reset it:

Press Windows + R → type services.msc

Scroll down to Print Spooler

Right-click → Stop

Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

Delete any files inside that folder (they’re just print jobs)

Return to Services → Start the Print Spooler again

Then retry your print job.

If Issue Persists

Try printing from a different application (e.g., Word instead of Chrome)

Attempt printing from another computer to rule out system-specific drivers

Consider testing with a different print connection (Wi-Fi vs USB)

Let me know your exact printer model and whether you're using Windows or macOS—I'd be happy to tailor the steps even further.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[thomasb6]

Hawks_Eye:  Step 1 of your instructions did the trick!  I do not intend to try the other steps unless the problem reoccurs.  Thanks!  

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @thomasb6,

That’s wonderful to hear! Hawks_Eye is not available🎉 I’m glad Step 1 alone solved the issue for you. Thanks for letting us know it’ll also help others following the thread.
 

Fingers crossed it stays stable, but if the problem does return, you’ll already have the next steps handy.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat