Tuesday Tips - 4 Invaluable Printer Fixes

Printing documents is part of everyday business. While most of the time it is quick and easy, when there are snags, it wastes time and causes headaches. Keep things running smoothly with these four simple tips for fixing your printer.

1. Check Printer Settings

Printing documents with a lot of graphics and/or color will slow things down. As will printing on a high-res setting. If speed is the key print in draft or economy setting most of the time, switch to higher setting for presentations or client documents. Print in gray scale to save time and money and only use color ink when necessary. Set these as default settings in your print menu.

2. Deal with Jams Properly

Jams happen! Resist the urge to just grab the paper and pull it out. Ripped, torn piece are more difficult to remove. Open the printer and find the best way to remove the paper, being sure to check for any foreign objects. Take your time and be patient. Once the jam is resolved, check the paper--is it the proper type for the machine? is it aligned? Fix as needed.

3. Why Isn't it Printing?!

Sometimes you hit print, and nothing happens. Why not? Make sure the printer is turned on (if it is in stand-by mode it will take a few minutes to warm up) and that there is paper in the tray. If you have several networked printers, ensure that one is set as the default make check that you sent the print job to this one. Canceling and re-sending the print job usually fixes minor snags. When in doubt, reboot!

4. Are Problems Too Common

All printers need a little help from time to time. Check your service contract and keep up with proper maintenance. However, if proper maintenance and care don't fix problems, it might be time for a new printer.