Poor print quality OfficeJet 5220

[Ren04]

My printing is coming out faded even though I am using genuine HP cartriges and they are full. It happening with both colour and b&w. I have tried cleaning the cartridges and realignment but nothing is working.

When I look closely at the printed black words, it looks like it's only printing the outline of the letters and not a solid letter?

[Betty0610]

@Ren04

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Does this happen while copying too?

Manually clean the area around the ink nozzles:

1. Gather the following materials:

   • A clean, lint-free cloth or a clean, dry cotton swab

   • Distilled or bottled water

        CAUTION: 

     Do not use tap water because it might contain contaminants that can damage the printhead.

2. Gently grasp the handles on either side of the printer, and then raise the ink cartridge access door until it locks into place.

   The carriage moves to the center of the printer.

   

3. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.

4. Lift up the lid on the ink cartridge slot, and then pull up on the ink cartridge to remove it from the slot.

   

5. Hold the ink cartridge by its sides.

   

6. Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth or swab with bottled or distilled water.

7. Clean the face and edges around the ink nozzle with the cloth or swab.

      CAUTION: 

   Do not clean the ink nozzle plate.

   1. Nozzle plate - Do not clean

   2. Area surrounding ink nozzle - Do clean

   3. Ink cartridge contacts - Do not clean

8. Wait for the cleaned area to dry before you continue (approximately 10 minutes).

9. With the nozzles toward the printer, insert the ink cartridge into its slot until it snaps into place.

   NOTE: 

   Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.

   

10. Close the lid on the ink cartridge slot to secure the ink cartridge into place.

11. Repeat these steps to clean around the nozzles on the other ink cartridge.

12. Close the ink cartridge access door.

Try to print. 

If you have spare ink cartridges, insert and check if the same happens with them.

Let me know if this helps.

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Thanks!

Have a great day!