Summary
Like any other tool, we expect our printers to work when we call upon them to print something. Yet, even the best tools will have times when they fail. Hopefully, all they need is a little metaphorical bump to get them back on track.
This guide is to help you perform a few of the common troubleshooting steps. With any luck, you should be able to get the printer - and, thus, yourself - back in working order quickly. These steps are the same regardless of whether you’re using an Inkjet Printer or a Laser Printer.
Prerequisites
- Physical access to the printer
- Ability to view the printer’s display panel for messages or alerts
- Access to the printer’s power cable and any USB connection
- Ability to unplug and reconnect cables as part of troubleshooting
- Time to perform a full power cycle if needed
Instructions
- Look for any blinking lights or messages on the printer's screen
Occasionally, printers will show the cause of a printing failure, which can be very helpful in resolving the problem. These issues, such as paper jams, internal transfer belt malfunctions, or a lack of paper in Tray 2, can greatly assist in identifying the root cause.
- Check the cables to make sure they’re plugged in all the way
You should ensure the power cable is fully plugged in. Same goes for the USB cable if you connect to your printer via USB. It’s often advised to unplug the cables, then plug them back in, to make sure they’re securely connected - otherwise known as reseating them.
- Power cycling the printer
Turning the printer off and then back on isn’t a bad troubleshooting step. However, there are some issues that are better resolved by a power cycle instead of a restart. Here’s how to perform a power cycle:
- Power off the printer.
- Unplug the power cord.
- Hold in the power button for 30 seconds (or flip the power switch to the ‘ON’ position).
- Release the power button (or flip the power switch to the ‘OFF’ position).
- Plug the power cord back into the printer.
- Power the printer back on.
This process removes any residual energy from the power supply. This will allow the printer to restart from a nearly cold state without a long delay.
Some Brother printers have also required holding in the power button while plugging it into power as part of their troubleshooting procedures.
If these steps don’t resolve the issue, or the error message on screen indicates something serious, then please put in a ticket for our Hardware team to take a look into the issue.