In this detailed article, we will discuss different HP printer alignment issues and how to solve them. Hence, we advise that you read this article carefully.
Table of Contents
What is Alignment Page for HP Printer? [Answered]
An alignment page for HP printers is a page that is printed and then scanned on your printer. During the scan, your printer will read the printed page and then align the ink cartridges automatically for optimal printing quality.
If your HP printer is printing out of alignment, printing an alignment page will fix the HP printer out of alignment problem.
How to Print HP Alignment Page
Two main methods can be used to print an alignment page on your HP printer. We will guide you on how to use both methods.
How to Print HP Alignment Page via HP Solution Center – Method 1
To print an HP alignment page using this method, the HP Solution Center must be installed on your personal computer. This program will enable you to interface directly with your printer.
To print an alignment page on your HP printer using the HP Solution Center, do the steps below:
Step 1: Load paper into your printer’s input tray.
You don’t need to use Photo paper or special papers to print an alignment page. Instead, use normal white paper.
Step 2: Turn on your HP printer by pressing the printer’s power button.
Step 3: Open the HP Solution Center by checking your computer’s desktop and double-clicking on the icon for “HP Solution Center”.
If you can’t find the icon on your computer’s desktop, do the instructions below depending on your Windows operating system.
For Windows XP
i. Click on “Start” on your Windows taskbar.
ii. Click on “All Programs”.
iii. Select “HP”.
iv. Click on “HP Solution Center”.
For Windows Vista
i. Click on the icon for “Windows” on your Windows taskbar.
ii. Click on “All Programs”.
iii. Select “HP”.
iv. Click on “HP Solution Center”.
For Windows 2000
i. Click on “Start” on your Windows taskbar.
ii. Click on “Programs”.
iii. Select “HP”.
iv. Click on “HP Solution Center”.
Step 7: When the new window opens, click on the button for “Settings” at the lowest area of the open window. This action will cause the program’s settings menu to open.
Step 8: Click on the button for “Printer Settings” just under the section for “Print Settings”. Another window will open.
Step 9: Click on “Printer Toolbox”. This action will open the Printer Toolbox.
Step 10: Click on “Align the Print Cartridges”.
Step 11: Click on “Align”.
Step 12: Follow the instructions on the screen. Once you are done, your printer will print the alignment page. It will also align the print cartridges and calibrate your HP printer.
Step 13: Discard or recycle the alignment page.
The HP printer align cartridge message will be cleared after doing the steps above.
How to Print HP Alignment Page via Printer Properties – Method 2
To print an alignment page on your HP printer via the Printer Properties, do the steps below:
Step 1: Open your computer’s Printers Folders.
For Windows 2000 & Windows XP
i. Click on “Start”.
ii. Click on “Control Panel”.
iii. Double-click on “Printers and Faxes”.
For Windows Vista
i. Click on the icon for Windows.
ii. Click on “Control Panel”.
iii. Double-click on “Printers”.
Step 2: Right-click on your printer’s icon in the folder.
Step 3: Click on “Printing Preferences”.
Step 4: Click on the tab “Features”.
Step 5: Click on “Printer Services”. This action will open the “Toolbox”.
Step 6: Click on the tab labeled “Device Services”.
Step 7: Click on “Align the Print Cartridges”. This action will open a dialog box.
Step 8: Click on “Align”.
Step 9: Do the instructions on the screen.
Step 10: Once you are done, your printer will print the alignment page. It will also align the print cartridges and calibrate your HP printer.
Step 11: Discard or recycle the alignment page.
Any of the methods shared above will guide you on how to fix the alignment on an HP printer.
The methods above can be used to print an alignment page on the following HP printer models:
HP Deskjet 2600, HP Deskjet f4400, HP Deskjet 2652, HP Deskjet 2630, HP Deskjet 2620, HP envy 4520, HP envy 5000, HP envy 5055, HP LaserJet p1102w, HP LaserJet m506, HP LaserJet m402n, HP LaserJet m605, HP Deskjet 3755, HP m607, HP Officejet 4650, HP Officejet 5258, HP Deskjet 1112, HP Deskjet 1510, HP Deskjet 1050, HP Deskjet 1515, HP Deskjet 1110, HP Deskjet 1512, HP Deskjet 1010
HP LaserJet 1020, HP Deskjet 2700, HP Deskjet 2722, HP Deskjet 2622, HP Deskjet 2540, HP Deskjet 2710, HP Deskjet 2632, HP Deskjet 3700, HP Deskjet 3752, HP Deskjet 3630, HP Deskjet 3720, HP Deskjet 3632, HP Deskjet 3050, HP Deskjet f4100, HP Deskjet 4130, HP 419, HP envy 4500, HP Deskjet 5150, HP 5255, HP envy 5032, HP envy 5540, HP Deskjet 6940, HP envy 6000, HP envy 7640, HP 8710, HP 8610, HP Officejet pro 8600, and HP Officejet 4620.
How to Do Alignment on HP Printer
The methods shared in the section above can be used to print and also do an alignment on your HP printer. However, you can still do an alignment by using your printer’s scanner.
How to Do HP Printer Alignment via Scan
To learn how to do an HP printer scanner alignment, do the steps below.
Note: You must have printed the alignment page already using any of the methods provided in the section above.
Step 1: Open your printer’s scanner lid.
Step 2: Place the alignment page on the scanner glass with the print side facing down.
Step 3: Ensure that the page’s lowest right corner angle lines up with the lowest right angle of the printer’s scanner glass.
Step 4: Press your printer’s “Scan” button. This action will cause your printer to scan the page and then align your cartridges.
If your HP printer keeps saying align cartridge, doing the steps above should clear the message.
How to Fix HP Printer Stuck On Scanning Alignment Page
To fix the HP printer stuck on scanning alignment page problem, do the solutions below in the given order.
Solution 1
Do the following steps to fix the problem if your HP printer is stuck in alignment mode:
Step 1: Plug your printer’s power cable into an electric wall outlet rather than a power strip or surge protector.
Step 2: Remove all the cartridges from your printer.
Step 3: Unplug the power cable from your printer while your printer is turned on.
Step 4: Wait for about 60 seconds.
Step 5: Plug your printer’s power cable into you’re your printer.
Step 6: Wait for your printer to automatically turn on. If it fails to come on, turn it on manually.
Step 7: Reinstall the cartridges into your printer.
Check if the problem is fixed.
If it is not, try solution 2.
Uninstall and Reinstall your HP Printer Software – Solution 2
To uninstall and reinstall your HP printer software, we recommend that you click here: HP Printer Won’t Scan to Computer – How to Uninstall and then Reinstall HP Printer, and then follow the instructions under the “How to Uninstall and then Reinstall HP Printer Software” section.
If none of the solutions work, we recommend that you contact HP Customer Support for further assistance.
How Long Does HP Printer Alignment Take? [Answered]
Normally, an HP printer alignment takes just 3 minutes to complete. This period doesn’t account for the user’s speed in getting the tasks done. Hence, we are only referring to how long the printer itself takes to complete the alignment process.
How Do I Stop My HP Printer From Printing An Alignment Page? [Solved]
The steps below will guide you on how to stop an HP printer from printing the alignment page:
Step 1: Take out the paper from the printer’s input tray.
Step 2: While your HP printer is on, unplug the power cord.
Step 3: Unplug other cables such as Ethernet and USB cables that are connected to your printer.
Step 4: Press down the power button on your printer for about 15 seconds.
Step 6: Plug the power cable directly into an electric wall outlet instead of a power strip or surge protector.
Step 7: Plug the power cord into your printer.
Step 8: Your printer should turn on automatically. However, if it doesn’t, turn it on manually.
The above is a simple HP printer reset that you can try to solve the problem.
If the steps above fail to work, you can read this article: How to Reset HP Printer [Detailed Guide] to learn about other types of reset that you can use to fix this problem.
How to Cancel Alignment HP Printer
First of all, HP doesn’t recommend that you cancel the alignment process as it could lead to further issues in the future. Hence, most HP printers do not have an option to cancel printer alignment when prompted to print an alignment page occurs.
Instead, of getting the HP printer alignment canceled, you can try to bypass the HP printer alignment. We will guide you on how to bypass HP printer alignment in the next section.
If you are wondering how to disable the HP printer alignment page, we recommend that you read the section below.
How Do I Bypass the Alignment on My HP Printer? [Solved]
To bypass the alignment on your HP printer, you will need to trick your computer into thinking that you’ve performed the alignment process.
Note: Bypassing the alignment on your HP printer isn’t recommended as it could lead to further issues. It is best that you complete the alignment and also use the solutions we shared in this article: My HP Printer Keeps Printing Alignment Page [Quick Fix] if you are frequently asked to align your printer.
But if you insist, on performing the HP printer bypass alignment page process, do the steps below:
Step 1: Once you get a prompt to print an alignment page, load the printer’s paper tray with plain white paper.
Step 2: Press “OK”.
Step 3: Take out the loaded paper as quickly as possible when your printer displays “Printing”.
Step 4: Press your printer’s “Cancel” button repeatedly.
While the steps above look like steps on how to cancel HP printer alignment, they aren’t because they aren’t steps provided by HP.
How to Fix HP Printer Alignment Page Blank
If the alignment page is blank, it could be due to several reasons. We recommend that you read this article: HP Printer Printing Blank Pages [Solved] carefully to learn what causes an HP printer to print blank pages and how you can solve this problem.
HP Printer Prints Alignment Page But Nothing Else [Quick Fix]
If your HP printer prints an alignment page but nothing else, do the solutions below in the given order to resolve the problem.
Reset your HP Printer – Solution 1
If your HP printer prints an alignment page but nothing else, resetting it might fix the problem. To reset your HP printer, click on this link: My HP Printer Won’t Print Alignment Page – Reset your HP Printer, and do the steps we shared under the “Reset your HP Printer – Solution 3” section.
After resetting your printer, try to print a document.
If the problem is not fixed, move to the solution below.
Run HP Print and Scan Doctor – Solution 2
The HP Print and Scan Doctor is a repair utility tool that enables you to fix problems that HP printers encounter. Hence, running the tool might just resolve the issue.
To run HP Print and Scan Doctor, click on this link: HP Printer Printing Blank Pages – How to Run HP Print and Scan Doctor, and follow the instructions provided.
After running the HP Print and Scan Doctor, try to print a document.
If the problem is not fixed, move to the solution below.
Turn off your Firewall – Solution 3
Sometimes, the firewall installed on your computer might prevent your computer from communicating properly with your HP printer. Therefore, you need to confirm that this is not the reason for the issue you are currently facing by turning off your firewall.
To turn off your computer’s firewall, click on this link: HP Printer Won’t Scan to Computer – Turn off your Computer’s Firewall, and follow the instructions provided.
If after turning off the firewall you are still able to print only the alignment page and nothing else, then you can turn on the firewall again since it is not responsible for the problem.
Continue troubleshooting by trying the next solution.
Clear Print Spooler – Solution 4
To clear the print spooler and make your printer print other documents apart from the alignment page, click here: HP Printer Offline – How to Clear Print Spooler, and follow the steps under the “How to Clear Print Spooler” section.
Downgrade your Operating System – Solution 5
If you encountered the problem just after upgrading your operating system, especially from Windows 8 to Windows 10, then it could be that your printer isn’t compatible with the upgrade. Therefore, you need to return to the initial operating system you were using.
Change your HP Printer Driver – Solution 6
The printer driver in use could also be responsible for the issue. Therefore, changing the driver might just fix the problem.
To change your HP printer driver, click on this link: HP Printer Errors and Solutions – Change your HP Printer Driver, and do the instructions that follow.
If you are using the PCL6 driver, changing it to the PostScript driver might also resolve the problem. To do this, visit this webpage and follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the PostScript driver on your HP printer.
Service your HP Printer – Solution 7
To service your HP printer, simply contact HP Customer Support for further assistance, repair and replacement if neccesary.
HP Printer Alignment Scan Failed [How to Fix]
If you encounter the HP printer “alignment scan failed” problem, you can fix it using the solutions below:
1. Reset your HP Printer
To reset your HP printer, click here: My HP Printer Won’t Print Alignment Page – Reset your HP Printer, and follow the steps we shared under the “Reset your HP Printer – Solution 3” section.
After resetting your printer, check if the problem is resolved.
If the problem is not fixed, move to the solution below.
2. Verify that the Alignment Page is not defective
If the alignment page is defective, your HP printer’s scanner won’t be able to scan the page. This, in turn, will lead to alignment scan failure.
Therefore, examine the alignment page for missing sections or colors. If you find any, reprint the alignment page.
If the alignment page is in good condition, move to the next solution.
3. Check your Scanner for Issues
Your scanner might be responsible for the alignment scan failure. Hence, you need to confirm that your scanner is in perfect working condition.
We recommend that you read this article: Scan with HP Printer [How To/Issues & Solutions] where we discuss issues related to scanning with HP printers and how to fix these issues.
If your HP printer will not scan the alignment page, then the solutions we just shared should also fix the problem.
HP Printer Says Alignment Page Not Detected [Solved]
If your HP printer will not detect the alignment page, do the following in the given order to fix this issue.
Solution 1
Do the following to fix the HP printer alignment issue:
Step 1: Take out your cartridges from your printer.
Step 2: Unplug the power cable from your printer while it is turned on.
Step 3: Disconnect the power cable from the electric wall outlet.
Step 4: Unplug the USB and Ethernet cable (if connected).
Step 5: Wait for about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 6: Press down your printer’s power button for 30 seconds.
Step 7: Connect the printer’s power cord into a wall outlet. Do not connect it to a power strip or surge protector.
Step 8: Plug the power cable back into your printer.
Step 9: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 10: Wait for your printer to complete its warm-up.
Check if the issue is resolved.
If it is not, move to the solution below.
Uninstall and Reinstall your HP Printer Software – Solution 2
If your HP printer cannot detect the alignment page, uninstalling and then reinstalling your printer software might resolve the issue.
To uninstall and reinstall your HP printer software, we recommend that you click here: HP Printer Won’t Scan to Computer – How to Uninstall and then Reinstall HP Printer and follow the instructions under the “How to Uninstall and then Reinstall HP Printer Software” section.
After following the instructions in the link, check if the issue is resolved.
If it is not, move to the solution below.
Clean your Cartridge Contacts – Solution 3
If your HP printer alignment page is not detected, then it could be due to dirty cartridge contacts. Therefore, you need to clean the contacts on your ink cartridges.
To clean your cartridge contacts, click: My HP Printer Keeps Printing Alignment Page – Clean your Printer’s Electrical Contacts, and then follow the instructions we shared under the “Clean the Electrical Contacts – Solution 5” section.
Note: The HP printer alignment failed cartridges are set to default quality problem can be fixed by cleaning the contacts of your cartridges and reinstalling them correctly.
If your HP Deskjet 3050 alignment page is not detected, use the solutions we just shared in this section to fix the issue.
HP Printer Alignment [Other Issues]
Below are the links to other HP printer alignment issues that we didn’t cover in this article:
My HP Printer Won’t Print Alignment Page [Solved]
