light horizontal banding approx every 15mm

[Patrick309]

Hi, I am getting light horizontal banding about 15mm apart and 1.5mm wide, particularly noticeable on glossy photo prints. Have tried all the usual cleanig and alignment tools which made no difference. Have not replaced crtriges as they are nearly full.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @Patrick309,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

Thanks for reaching out, and I understand how frustrating print quality issues like this can be, especially when printing photos from the HP ENVY Photo 6234 All-in-One Printer.

This is a fairly common symptom of ink delivery or media handling issues, not just low ink. Here's What You Can Try Next:

1. Use HP Genuine Ink

Even if your cartridges are nearly full, non-HP or refilled cartridges can cause banding. HP printers are optimized for Original HP 64 or 64XL cartridges.

2. Check Paper Type Settings

Make sure the printer knows you're using glossy photo paper:

• Open the HP Smart app or your print dialog.
• Go to Print Settings → Paper Type → Select HP Photo Paper – Glossy or equivalent.
• Set Print Quality to Best.

3. Clean the Printhead Manually

If the built-in cleaning didn’t help:

• Remove the cartridges.
• Gently clean the printhead contacts and cartridge nozzles with a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water.
• Let it dry, then reinstall.

4. Align and Calibrate Again

Even if you’ve done this before, try it again after cleaning:

• Open HP Smart → Printer Settings → Tools → Align Printhead and Clean Printhead.

5. Try a Different Photo Paper

Some glossy papers (especially third-party brands) don’t absorb ink evenly. Try:

• HP Advanced Photo Paper
• Or a matte finish to test if the issue persists.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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VikramTheGreat

HP Support