black ink printing smudged, powdery, and not setting

[jacky1791]

My HP supplied black ink cartridge is printing with gaps in text, powdery finish, doesn't set.   very smudged.  Colour cartridge is absolutely fine, this is just the black in cartridge.  I've found this problem listed previously, but that was due to the type of paper being used.  I am using standard printer paper, and the colour cartridge  is printing perfectly.   I have run alignment, checked for other obvious issues, and turned back off and on again 🙂     Hoping someone may have some ideas how I can get back up and running, or may know of a quality issue so I can get my ink replaced.  

[Nal_NR]

Hi @jacky1791,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd like to help!

Perform the following tasks in the order given. Use the printer after each task to see if the issue is resolved.

Run the automated printhead or ink cartridge cleaning tool

Clean the printhead and cartridges to resolve print quality issues including incorrect colors, streaks, and faded prints.

Load plain white paper in the tray.

Open the HP Smart app, and then click the picture of your printer to open the settings and management tools.

In Print Quality Tools or in Advanced Settings > Tools > Utilities > Print Quality Toolbox, select Clean Printhead to start the cleaning tool.

Review the Print Quality Diagnostic page that prints for defects and any instructions to resolve the issue. Run up to two more cleaning cycles, if necessary.

Check for ink smears on the back of printouts

Use an automated cleaning tool if there are smears of ink on the back of documents or photos.

Load plain white paper in the tray.

Open the HP Smart app, and then click the picture of your printer to open the settings and management tools.

In Print Quality Tools or in Advanced Settings > Tools > Utilities > Print Quality Toolbox, select Clean next to Clean Smear to start the cleaning tool.

Check for issues with the ink cartridges

Very low ink levels, using non-HP cartridges, and rough handling can cause print quality issues.

Replace any non-HP or refilled cartridges with genuine HP cartridges. HP supplies are available from the HP Store and local retailers.

HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP or refilled cartridges. Go to HP Anti Counterfeiting and Fraud Program for more information.

Check the ink levels and replace any low or empty cartridges.

NOTE:

The printer features a 'backup mode' that enables printing with one cartridge. Remove the low or empty cartridge to continue printing if a replacement is not available. Depending on the cartridge removed, blacks will not be as dark and color prints will be in grayscale.

Rough handling of cartridges during transport or installation can cause print quality problems. Wait a few hours for the automatic servicing routine to complete, and then try to print again.

If you have a defective HP cartridge, it might be under warranty. Go to About Original HP Cartridges for page yield and HP limited warranty information.

Check the paper, print settings, and quality of the file being printed

Make sure your print job is set up for optimal print quality results.

Check the paper type and condition: Make sure the paper is appropriate for the print job and in good condition.

Some paper might not absorb ink as well as others, causing faded or smeared prints. Plain paper with ColorLok technology works well for text and documents with graphics. For photos, use HP Advanced Photo Paper for best results.

Use clean, wrinkle-free paper. Wrinkled or curled paper can cause dark, horizontal defects.

Load paper according to the print side: Typically, the smoother or glossy side is the print side.

For inkjet printers with a rear load tray, load the print side facing up.

For inkjet printers with a front load tray, load the print side facing down.

Check the print job settings: From the application you are printing from, click File > Print, and then click Options, Printer Setup, or Preferences, or open the Paper Type/Quality or Media & Quality menu.

Make sure the color, paper type, paper size, and quality settings are correct for your print job.

Check the quality of the photo or document: Use editing tools to improve colors, brightness, contrast, and any other appearance settings. Higher resolution photographs and graphics result in clearer prints with more accurate colors.

Click here for the remaining steps.

Also, update the firmware for your printer. 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.
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