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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printer Ink Cartridges & Print Quality
- lines when printing

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03-08-2025 03:51 PM
How do you clear lines when printing. I have realigned the cartridges several times, replaced cartridges and did test prints. The lines remain when printing.
03-11-2025 08:35 AM
Welcome to HP Support Community.
Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.
If your HP OfficeJet Pro 8720 All-in-One Printer is printing with lines, try the following steps to fix the issue.
Clean the Printhead
Since you've already aligned and replaced cartridges, cleaning the printhead can help:
- On the printer’s control panel, go to Setup > Printer Maintenance > Clean Printhead.
- The printer will print a test page; check if the lines improve.
- You may need to run this multiple times (up to 3 times).
Check for Clogged Nozzles
- Print a Print Quality Diagnostic Page:
- Setup > Reports > Print Quality Report
- Look for missing or streaky colors.
- If streaks appear, proceed with another round of printhead cleaning.
Manually Clean the Printhead
If automatic cleaning doesn’t work, you can manually clean it:
- Remove the ink cartridges and gently wipe the copper contacts and nozzles with a lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water.
- Let it dry completely before reinserting.
Use Genuine HP Cartridges
- Make sure you’re using genuine HP ink cartridges, as non-genuine ones can cause streaks.
Check the Paper Type & Quality
- Use high-quality paper that matches your print settings.
- Go to Printer Preferences > Paper Type and select the correct paper type.
Update Printer Firmware
- Go to Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update the Printer.
- Check if there's a firmware update available.
Reset the Printer
- Unplug the printer from power while it is on.
- Wait 60 seconds.
- Plug it back in and turn it on.
I hope this helps.
Take care and have a good day.
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