Adds Black lines to Print Job

[Flint4]

When I prink in better or best quality, printer works as advertised. Whe I use draft mode, the printer adds black lines across the entire page.

[Meghana_10]

Hello @Flint4, Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding the HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e All-in-One Printer.

We appreciate the opportunity to assist you and are glad we could help work toward a resolution. We hope our support has been valuable.

Please try the steps provided below.

1. Check cartridges and ink levels

1. Make sure you are using genuine HP cartridges, not refilled or third‑party.
2. On the printer control panel Home screen, swipe right and touch Supplies.
3. Touch Ink Cartridges to view estimated ink levels.
   - Replace any very low or empty cartridges.

If backup mode is active (very low ink), blacks might be lighter or pages might print in grayscale; replace the cartridge if that output is unacceptable.
 

2. Make sure paper is suitable and correctly loaded

1. Load paper print side down in the input tray (smoother side usually faces down).
2. Use clean, wrinkle‑free paper.
3. For normal documents, use plain paper with ColorLok technology; for heavy graphics/photos, use HP Advanced Photo Paper.
4. Try a different paper type/brand to see if the lines disappear.

Smearing or poor ink absorption can contribute to visible lines, especially in draft.
 

3. Adjust print settings in Windows 11

On Windows 11, draft uses less ink and faster movement, which can reveal marginal printhead issues. Try these:

1. Open the document you’re printing.
2. Press Ctrl + P, select your HP OfficeJet Pro printer, then open Printer Properties / Preferences / More settings.
3. On the Paper/Quality tab: - Confirm Paper Size and Type match what’s in the tray. - If you are currently using Draft, test with Normal (still faster than Best) to see if the lines are specific to Draft mode.
4. On the Color tab: - Under Print in Grayscale, select Off (or High quality grayscale if printing black only).

If lines appear only in Draft and disappear in Normal, keep using Normal or Best for critical prints.

[Meghana_10]

4. Print and review a Print Quality Diagnostic Report

This helps determine if a printhead alignment/cleaning is needed.

1. On the printer control panel Home screen, touch Menu .
2. Go to Utilities > Tools.
3. Touch Reports > Status Reports.
4. Touch Print Quality Diagnostic Report, then Print.
   

Review the color/black blocks:

• If there are streaks or missing areas in any blocks → the printhead needs cleaning.
• If the lines are not straight and connected → the printhead needs alignment.
• If there are smears on the back of pages → run the smear‑cleaning tool.

5. Run printhead alignment and cleaning tools

1. Load plain white paper.
2. On the control panel, touch Menu.
3. Go to Utilities > Tools > Troubleshooting > Print Quality.
4. Run: - Printhead Alignment > Start > Continue (fixes misaligned lines), - Then, if needed, the Printhead Cleaning tool, - And Clean smears if you see ink smears.

Print a test document again in Draft. If lines persist only in Draft but the diagnostic report is clean, continue using Normal/Best for important prints.

If the issue still persists, we request that you reach out to the nearest service center for further assistance. 🔗 HP Service Center Locator

Please check the link for more information on print quality issues - HP OfficeJet Pro 8120, 8130 Printers - Color or black ink not printing, other print quality issues |...

Have a great day!