What to Do if HP Printer Is Not Working?

September 27, 2024
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What to Do if HP Printer Is Not Working

Key Questions:

  • What basic troubleshooting steps can you take if your HP Laser printer is not working?
  • How can you identify common issues through control panel messages?
  • When should you contact ManagedPrint for professional help?

Do you have an HP Laser printer that is having issues right now? Maybe you are not even sure where to start to get your printer working again.

We have been helping companies with HP Laserjet printer fleets for years. We don’t work with HP Officejet printers as much because most inkjet printers are cheaper and easier to simply swap out.

We will cover some simple troubleshooting steps you may want to try to get your laser printer working again. This includes checking basics, as well as a few more advanced things you can check.

Control Panel Messages

The first thing to look for is a message on the control panel of the printer. If the printer has a simple issue like a paper size problem, that message will normally be on the screen. Maybe your HP Laserjet is just out of ink or needs a new drum. You will see that message on your control panel. It will tell you if you are out of ink or need to replace the drum. If you see a message like this, simply follow those instructions to get the copier or laser printer to work again.

If you have a color printer and notice your yellow, magenta, or cyan toner cartridge is out, and you want to print black and white, you will likely be unable to because this is an error that drives printer owners crazy around the world. This is why it is important to monitor toner cartridge levels.

Powered On?

We are not trying to insult anyone, but you might be surprised to learn that many of the calls we get about HP Laserjet printers not working are because they were accidentally unplugged.

Sometimes there are only two plugs in an area, so someone unplugs the printer and forgets to plug it back in. When they forget, the printer stops working. So check the plug, and make sure it is fully plugged into both the outlet and the device.

Spooler Error

It could be possible the print job is caught in the print server, and the print spooler isn’t allowing the job to make it to the printer. If you look at the jobs on the control panel and don’t see the job, it means the issue is likely the print server or the network connection.

Network Issues

The next set of issues you could have are network issues with your laser printer. This is most likely to happen if you recently changed your router or your password to the router.

Each network printer needs to have its own IP address, and if you change networks, the address you had likely will not work in the new network. This happens for most people when they change their internet provider. If you have a new router, that may give a new IP, meaning your print driver connected to the old network is sending the information to the wrong place.

There could also be a conflict if you have the printer set up as both a network-connected printer and a wireless printer at the same time.

Clogged Print Head (Inkjet Printer Only)

We don’t really deal in the inkjet printer world too much, but if you have a clogged printhead, you can sometimes try to clean it with alcohol or use a warm, wet paper towel. Place the printhead on it to try and get rid of dry ink stuck in the print head.

Wrong Default Printer

We have seen companies have one printer as the default printer, and then they change departments. When they go to print, it goes to the old printer that used to be close to them. They are expecting their computer to know and never even look at what printer they selected.

Print Quality Issues

Sometimes people call and say the printer isn’t working when they actually mean the print quality is lower than what they would like to see. The printing issue they are having is actually color quality, not that the printer won’t print at all. It is good to clarify the issue for the technician, so they can troubleshoot and help find the right technical fix to your printing issue.

Conclusion: Get Professional Help with ManagedPrint

If you’ve tried these steps and your HP Laserjet printer is still not working, it might be time to contact ManagedPrint for professional help. We can help your HP Laserjet printers work now and ensure your entire fleet operates smoothly in the future. We would love to help you get your print issues under control!

Ready for expert printer repair and maintenance? Contact ManagedPrint today to keep your HP Laserjet printers running efficiently.

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