Quick answer: Check paper type and quality first, then compare a nozzle-check pattern with a normal document. Clean only as your model’s manual directs; alignment and nozzle cleaning solve different symptoms.
Confirm this is an inkjet printing problem
This guide concerns inkjet output. Laser printers use a different maintenance process. If streaks appear only in scans or photocopies but a computer document is clean, investigate the scanner instead of the printhead. Keep a sample page so you can tell whether the next step genuinely changes the defect.
Match settings to the loaded paper
- Check that the tray contains the paper you intended to use.
- Match media type and page size in the print settings to that paper.
- Test a normal or suitable higher quality level instead of draft.
- Print a small sample rather than repeating an entire photograph or report.
A different paper setting is not a substitute for loading supported paper. Do not select glossy photo media to force heavier ink onto ordinary sheets. Review the model’s supported media and printable side for specialist papers.
Print the model’s nozzle-check pattern
Use the maintenance menu or official printer utility for your exact model. Compare the resulting pattern with the example in its manual. Missing segments, misaligned lines and surface smears should not be treated as the same fault.
| What the sample shows | Appropriate next investigation |
|---|---|
| Gaps in the nozzle pattern | Model-specific nozzle cleaning. |
| Complete pattern but doubled or shifted lines | Alignment instructions for that model. |
| Smears on the paper surface | Media, drying and paper-path guidance. |
| Only one source file looks striped | Source image or application settings. |
Clean in a controlled sequence
If the nozzle pattern has missing output, follow the manual’s ordinary cleaning process and print another pattern to compare. Record whether the missing segments improve. Do not immediately repeat deep cleaning several times: the manufacturer may specify a waiting period, ink requirements or a different next step.
The built-in pattern provides a consistent reference. A high-resolution photo is a poor diagnostic baseline because differences in scaling, paper and quality can disguise the change you are trying to measure.
Why alignment may not solve missing ink
Alignment is intended for positioning errors, while nozzle maintenance addresses ink delivery. If the pattern has blank portions, changing alignment settings alone does not establish that those portions are restored. Use the actual before-and-after pattern to decide whether to continue.
Escalate with useful evidence
If the allowed maintenance sequence does not help, give support the model, ink levels or supply warnings, nozzle patterns and whether the problem began after a cartridge change or long idle period. Do not manually scrub nozzles, use unspecified chemicals or force the carriage. Generic instructions are not a substitute for the exact model’s service guidance.
Final check
Print one text page and one small colour sample with correct media settings. Keep your successful settings as a preset if the app supports it.
Related troubleshooting
Official references
Reviewed against the linked documentation on October 7, 2026. Menu names and supported features vary by model and software version. This guide is independent; it does not claim hands-on testing of every printer.
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