This article will provide you with solutions to the HP printer printing black lines problem that many HP printer users have complained about.
Table of Contents
HP Printer Printing Black Lines [Solutions]
If your HP printer is printing black lines, try these solutions:
1. Restart your HP Printer – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
To restart your HP printer, do the following steps:
Step 1: Turn on your HP printer.
Step 2: Unplug the power cord from your HP printer.
Step 3: Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
Step 4: Wait for about 15 seconds.
Step 5: Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
Step 6: Plug the power cord back into your HP printer.
Step 7: If your printer does not turn on automatically, press the power button to turn it on.
After the restart, check if your HP printer still prints black lines when printing.
If it does, move on to the next solution.
2. Clean the Scanner Glass – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
If your HP printer is printing black lines on paper when you use the scanner glass to copy and then print, the problem might be a result of the scanner glass being dirty.
In such a case, what you need to do is to clean the scanner glass with a fluff-free fabric and glass cleaner.
Ensure that you completely dry clean the glass with another dry fluff-free fabric after cleaning it with the glass cleaner. This will ensure that there are no spots on the scanner glass that could lead to another printing issue.
If your HP printer is printing thick black lines even after cleaning the scanner glass, do the next solution.
3. Install your Cartridge Correctly – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
If you are asking “why is my HP printer printing black lines?” then the answer to that question might be incorrect cartridge installation. Therefore, you need to take out the cartridge from your HP printer and then reinstall it correctly.
If you don’t know how to install cartridges in your HP printer, we recommend that you consult your printer user manual to learn how to do this.
After reinstalling the cartridge, check if your HP printer printing with black lines problem is resolved.
If the problem is unresolved, do the next solution.
4. Replace your HP Cartridge – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
If your cartridge is almost empty, it could cause your printer to print black lines. You should check the ink levels of your cartridge and then determine if it is low or not.
Once you discover that the cartridge is almost empty, then you have to change it to improve the print quality.
To replace the cartridge, click this link: How to Replace Empty or Low Cartridge – HP Printer Printing Lines, and then follow the instructions we shared.
After replacing the cartridge, check if the problem has been fixed.
If the problem persists, do the solution below.
5. Clean your HP Printer Rollers – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
To clean your HP printer rollers, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer if it is on.
Step 2: Unplug the power cable from your printer.
Step 3: Open the printer to enable you to get access to the rollers inside the printer.
Step 4: Use a lint-free fabric to gently clean your printer rollers.
If your hand cannot reach the rollers, you can use a small brush to clean them.
Step 5: You can also clean your printer’s transfer belt if there is one.
Caution: Be very gentle and careful when cleaning the printer parts we mentioned in the steps above. This is important to prevent damage to these parts. You can even wear gloves when carrying out the steps above.
Note: In some cases, you might have to change the rollers if they are damaged and cleaning doesn’t resolve the problem. Replacing the roller will require the services of a professional technician.
After cleaning the rollers, check if the problem is resolved.
If the problem persists, do the next solution.
6. Replace your Printer Drum – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
This solution applies to laser printers that use a drum to transfer the print to the print material. If your HP printer is printing black lines, dirt on the drum might be the cause.
In such a case, you have to replace the drum. In some cases where the toner and the drum are a single unit, you will have to replace both.
You can check online for a document that will guide you on how to replace the drum of your specific HP printer model if the documentation that came with the printer doesn’t contain that information.
You can also ask a technician to help you with this process as it might be somewhat challenging especially if you are not tech-savvy.
After replacing the drum, check if the problem is fixed.
7. Clean or Replace your Printer Fuser – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
Laser printers also make use of fuser units. If this unit is dirty or damaged, it could lead to all sorts of printing issues including black lines appearing on print jobs.
Before you go ahead and replace the fuser, you should try to clean it first. However, if cleaning the fuser doesn’t work the magic, then you have to replace it.
We advise that you get a professional to help you replace the fuser if you cannot manage to do it yourself.
If replacing the fuser doesn’t do the trick, then move to the next solution.
7. Service your HP Printer – HP Printer Printing Black Lines
Contact HP Customer Support to schedule a repair date for your HP printer if the solutions we have shared failed to resolve the problem. When you schedule the date, a technician will be sent to fix your printer provided that this service is available in your region.
Repair for printers under warranty is done for free, while you will have to pay for the repair if your printer is out of warranty.
In this article: HP Printer Printing Lines [Problems & Proven Solutions], we discuss other HP printer printing lines problems not covered in this article.
HP Printer Printing Black Lines on Side of Paper [Solutions]
If your HP printer is printing black lines on the side of the paper, do the solutions below:
1. Restart your HP Printer – HP Printer Printing Black Lines on Side of Paper
To restart your HP printer, follow the instructions we shared earlier in this article under the “Restart your HP Printer” section.
After restarting your HP printer, check if the issue is resolved.
If your HP printer is printing black lines on the right side of the paper even after restarting your printer, then try the next solution.
2. Reinstall the Cartridge Correctly – HP Printer Printing Black Lines on Side of Paper
Improper cartridge installation can cause your HP printer to print black lines on the side of the paper. Therefore, to resolve the issue, simply take out the cartridge from your HP printer and then reinstall it correctly.
If you don’t know how to install the cartridge into your HP printer, then we recommend that you consult your printer user manual.
If reinstalling the cartridge doesn’t fix the issue, try the next solution.
3. Contact HP – HP Printer Printing Black Lines on Side of Paper
Contact HP Customer Support for further assistance or schedule a repair date if the issue cannot be resolved remotely.
HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page [Solutions]
If your HP printer is printing black lines down the page, do the following solutions:
1. Clean the Printer Rollers – HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page
To clean the printer rollers, follow the steps we shared in the “Clean your HP Printer Rollers” section of this article.
After cleaning the printer rollers and the transfer belt, check if the issue is resolved.
If the issue persists, do the next solution.
2. Replace the Roller or/and Transfer Belt – HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page
If cleaning the rollers and transfer belt did not fix the problem, one or both of these parts is faulty. In such a case, you need to replace the damaged part.
This process requires a professional; therefore, we recommend that you ask for the services of a qualified professional to perform the replacement.
After replacing the roller or/and transfer belt, check if the problem has been resolved.
If it is not resolved, try the next solution.
3. Clean the Fuser – HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page
If the black line is smudged, dirty, and streaky, then it means that the fuser is dirty. In this case, the solution is to clean the fuser.
We recommend that you consult your HP printer user manual to learn how to clean the fuser.
If the issue is not fixed after cleaning the fuser, try the next solution.
4. Check for Jam in the Printer – HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page
If there is a jam caused by a foreign object in the printer, it could cause the problem under discussion. Therefore, you need to check for a jam in your printer that might be preventing the toner from reaching the paper.
We recommend that you read this article: HP Printer Jam [Issues & Solutions] to learn how to resolve all kinds of HP printer jams.
Once you have removed the foreign object and you are certain that there is no jam, print a document to check if the issue is resolved.
If the issue is not resolved, do the next solution.
5. Replace the Cartridge – HP Printer Printing Black Lines Down Page
The ink or toner cartridge might be defective. Therefore, you need to replace the cartridge. When getting a new cartridge, ensure that it is not only genuine but that it is also compatible with your HP printer.
If replacing the cartridge does not fix the problem, contact HP Customer Support for further assistance.
