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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printing Errors or Lights & Stuck Print Jobs
- Printer needs cleaning after printing just a few pages

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10-13-2019 02:37 PM
Every few pages, the print quality is poor - lately it's been the black ink not printing, or sometimes it's been the various colors. Only after two printer cleaning cycles does the print quality work again. This happens all the time. Why is this happening so often? Makes me seriously question why I purchased this printer.
10-16-2019 08:59 AM
@Reinvent_ED1, Welcome to HP Support Community!
Update the printer firmware
Download available firmware updates from the HP website
With the printer on and connected to the computer, go to HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads, and then identify your printer. Look for and install any available firmware updates.
For more information, go to Updating or Upgrading Printer Firmware.
If you have already performed the steps from the document HP OfficeJet 6900 Printers - Black or Color Ink Not Printing, Other Print Quality Issues and the issue persists, it could be a hardware failure.
Please reach out to the HP Support in your region regarding the service options for your printer.
Hope this helps!
Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!
TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee
10-16-2019 10:20 AM
Thank you for replying. So since I have a mac, there are no firmware updates at this time. I have cleaned the printhead many times - every time when I clean it a second time, I get the print page to look exactly correct, but then a few prints later I get print quality issues and have to do it again.
I'm on the HP Instant Ink program and recently was shipped a new set of color ink cartridges. My black ink level is low, but I guess not low enough that HP is sending me out a new cartridge.
10-16-2019 10:34 AM
This does not look like an issue with the ink cartridges. It is recommended to contact the support team for further course of action.
Hope this helps! Keep me posted.
Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!
TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee
10-16-2019 11:38 AM
Well this just SUCKS because this is not an old printer but it IS out of warranty and so I'm not paying for a repair. Not very happy about this, FYI, and this is the second HP printer I have been unhappy with.
10-16-2019 11:57 AM - edited 10-16-2019 11:57 AM
I have brought your issue to the attention of an appropriate team within HP. They will likely request information from you in order to look up your case details or product serial number. Please look for a private message from an identified HP contact. Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post personal information (serial numbers and case details).
If you are unfamiliar with how the Forum's private message capability works, you can learn about that here.
Thank you for visiting the HP Support Community.
TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee
10-30-2019 02:23 PM
Welcome to the HP Support Community.
Sure. Please do check your inbox on the forums page for the private message.
If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the Accepted Solution button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!
Thanks!
Have a great day!
I am an HP Employee