Why does my printer print blank pages?
Paper coming out untouched is a different fault from faint printing. Whether it is the ink, the document or the driver, and the two tests that separate them in five minutes.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 15 min
- Read
- 4 min
Short answer
Print a nozzle check or test page from the printer's own menu. If that page prints correctly, the printer is fine and the fault is in the document or the driver on the computer. If the printer's own test page is also blank, the problem is ink, a blocked head, or protective tape still fitted to a new cartridge.
Blank pages divide neatly into two categories and there is no point guessing between them. Either the printer cannot put anything on paper, or it is being sent nothing to put there. The printer's own self-test bypasses the computer entirely, which is why it is the first thing to do rather than the fifth.
Step by step
- Print the printer's own test page.From the front panel, under reports or maintenance. This uses no driver and no computer, so it isolates the printer completely.
- If the self-test is blank, check the cartridges physically.Remove each one. Look for orange or clear protective tape still fitted — on a new cartridge this is the single most common cause. Check the vent is not still sealed. Refit firmly until each clicks.
- Run a nozzle check and one cleaning cycle.A nozzle check prints a pattern for every colour. A completely blank pattern points at fully blocked nozzles or an empty cartridge. Run one cleaning cycle and check again rather than several in a row.
- On a laser, check the toner and the drum.Remove the toner cartridge and rock it gently side to side to redistribute powder, then refit. Check that the orange or plastic seal strip has been pulled out of a new cartridge — an unremoved seal gives perfectly blank pages.
- If the self-test prints fine, look at the document.Check you have not selected a blank page range, that white text has not been left on a white background, and that the content is not on a layer or an object set to non-printing. Print a different document to confirm.
- Check the driver settings.Look for print in greyscale with no black cartridge, a print quality set to draft on very pale content, and any option like print document text only or suppress graphics. Reset the driver to defaults if in doubt.
- Try printing from a different application.If a web page prints blank but a text document does not, the fault is in that application or its print preview. Printing the page to a PDF first and printing that often works round it.
- Reinstall the driver as a last step.Remove the printer and its driver package, restart, and add the printer again using the built-in driver rather than the manufacturer's suite.
If it doesn't work
Blank pages only from one application
Cause: That application's print handling — Fix: Print to a PDF from that application, then print the PDF. This is a reliable workaround and it also confirms the printer is not at fault.
Every other page is blank
Cause: A duplex setting, or the document has blank pages in it — Fix: Check the duplex or two-sided setting, and look at the document in print preview to see whether page breaks are creating empty pages.
First page blank, rest fine
Cause: A separator page setting, or a header on the first page only — Fix: Check for a banner or separator page option in the driver, which some setups enable by default on shared printers.
Blank after a new cartridge was fitted
Cause: Tape, seal or a faulty cartridge — Fix: Remove and inspect the cartridge in good light. If all seals are off and it is a compatible, suspect the cartridge itself and try an original if you have one.
Laser prints blank with plenty of toner
Cause: The drum unit or transfer roller — Fix: Check the drum for damage or a fitted protective sheet. On models where the drum is separate from the toner, a worn drum gives faint or blank output and is a separate replacement part.
Questions people ask
Why does it feed the paper if it has nothing to print?
The printer receives a print job with page dimensions and feeds accordingly. Whether there is any content on those pages is decided further along the process, so paper moves either way.
Does a blank page still use ink?
Barely any for the page itself, but the printer may run a small maintenance operation at the start of a job, so repeated failed attempts do consume ink.
Could it be the paper?
Rarely for blank output, but the wrong paper type setting can put ink down so lightly on the wrong surface that it looks blank. Check the paper type in the driver matches what is loaded.