I just put in a new cartridge and it is printing blank. What should I do?

Pop the cartridge out and check for a strip of plastic or orange tape over the print head. New cartridges all have one and it is easy to miss. Once removed, the first page or two may still look faint but it should clear up quickly.

How often should I run the printer cleaning cycle?

Only when you notice a problem, not routinely. Each cleaning cycle uses a small amount of ink, so running it every week will drain cartridges unnecessarily. Once a month at most, and only if pages are faint or patchy.

Is it cheaper to fix or replace the printer?

For most printers under five years old, replacement cartridges and a cleaning cycle cost less than a new printer. If your printer is older or has other issues as well, replacement may make more sense. We can give you an honest opinion during a visit.

Help Guides

Why is my printer printing blank pages?

A printer that happily feeds pages through but leaves them blank is confusing. The cause is almost always one of a handful of things, and most are quick fixes.

Quick Answer

First check that any new ink or toner cartridges have had their protective tape and plastic strip removed. Then run the printer's built-in cleaning cycle from its menu. If you still get blank pages, the problem is usually a dried-out cartridge or a clogged print head.

Not keen on pulling cartridges in and out? We sort this out in Durham Region homes every week. Give us a call.

The five most common causes

Protective tape still on a new cartridge
New ink and toner cartridges come with a thin strip of plastic or orange tape covering the print head. It is easy to miss. If you have just changed a cartridge and the next page came out blank, pop the cartridge out again and check for any coloured strip or tag. Pulling it off usually solves it straight away.
The cartridge is actually empty
Printers sometimes keep feeding paper through even when the cartridge has nothing left to spray. The on-screen warning does not always appear. If a cartridge is more than a year old, or has been sitting unused for months, assume it is dry and replace it with a fresh one.
Clogged nozzles on the print head
Inkjet printers have tiny nozzles that dry out if the printer has been sitting unused for a few weeks. The fix is the printer's built-in cleaning cycle, which you can find in the Settings or Maintenance menu on the printer itself. One cycle is usually not enough after a long dry spell. Run two or three in a row.
Wrong paper size or orientation setting
If the document is A4 but the printer is set to envelope, or if the margins are set outside the printable area, the page comes out blank even though ink is working fine. Check the print dialog on your computer and make sure the paper size matches what is actually loaded in the tray.
Printer driver confusion after an update
Windows updates occasionally break printer drivers in ways that cause blank pages. Removing the printer from your computer and adding it back fresh usually fixes this. Our offline printer guide covers related driver issues, and our printer help service covers the fix in one visit.

Would you rather we handled it?

We sort this out in homes across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby and Oshawa. One visit, flat-fee pricing.

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When to call us instead

Call us if you have already swapped cartridges and run the cleaning cycle with no luck, if the printer is more than five years old and has had print quality problems for a while, or if you simply would rather not fight with it. We handle printer problems across Ajax, Pickering, Whitby and Oshawa and can usually sort this in one visit.

If your printer is also showing as offline or will not connect at all, our printer Wi-Fi guide is the right starting point.

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We diagnose blank-page printer problems across Durham Region, including cartridge and driver issues.

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FAQ

Common questions about blank printer pages

I just put in a new cartridge and it is printing blank. What should I do?: Pop the cartridge out and check for a strip of plastic or orange tape over the print head. New cartridges all have one and it is easy to miss. Once removed, the first page or two may still look faint but it should clear up quickly.
How often should I run the printer cleaning cycle?: Only when you notice a problem, not routinely. Each cleaning cycle uses a small amount of ink, so running it every week will drain cartridges unnecessarily. Once a month at most, and only if pages are faint or patchy.
Is it cheaper to fix or replace the printer?: For most printers under five years old, replacement cartridges and a cleaning cycle cost less than a new printer. If your printer is older or has other issues as well, replacement may make more sense. We can give you an honest opinion during a visit.