Why are there streaks, lines or the wrong colors on my print-outs?

If your print-outs are streaky, faded, have lines on them that should not be there, or are otherwise poor in quality, this may be due to a problem with the printer or a low ink or toner supply.

Fading text or images

You may be running out of ink or toner. Check your ink or toner supply and buy a new cartridge if necessary.

Streaks and lines

If you have an inkjet printer, the print head may be dirty or partially blocked. Try cleaning the print head. See the printer’s manual for instructions.

Wrong colors

The printer may have run out of one color of ink or toner. Check your ink or toner supply and buy a new cartridge if necessary.

Jagged lines, or lines are not straight

If lines on your print-out that should be straight turn out jagged, you may need to align the print head. See the printer’s instruction manual for details on how to do this.