How can we help with your printer?
Tell our printer assistant what’s happening and get answers right away. It draws on 99 step-by-step fixes and 43 error codes for every major printer brand. Free, nothing to install, and nobody will ever ask to access your computer.
Prefer to look it up yourself? Browse all 99 fixes or look up an error code.
Help for printers from 15 major brands
Independent guides. We aren’t affiliated with any of these manufacturers.
Choose your printer type
Compare printer types- Inkjet printers Cartridge inkjets for home and small office: clogged heads, cartridge errors and color problems. 32 fixes, guides and codes
- Laser printers Mono and color laser printers: toner, drum, fuser, ghosting and paper path problems. 29 fixes, guides and codes
- Ink tank printers Refillable tank printers: refills, air in the tubes, ink pads and long idle periods. 23 fixes, guides and codes
- All-in-one printers Printers that also scan, copy and fax: document feeder, scan to email and fax lines. 21 fixes, guides and codes
Browse fixes by problem
All 99 fixesConnection & offline
- Printer shows as offline
- Computer can't find my network printer
- Wi-Fi printer keeps disconnecting
- No AirPrint printers found on iPhone, iPad or Mac
Won’t print
- Printer is on but won't print
- Print jobs stuck in the queue
- Printer is paused and won't resume
- Printer prints blank pages
Print quality
- Prints are faded or too light
- Streaks or lines on printed pages
- Printer won't print black but color works
- Prints are smudged or smeared
Paper & feeding
- Paper jam: how to clear it safely
- Printer says paper jam but nothing is stuck
- Printer won't pick up paper
- Envelopes jam or print in the wrong place
Ink & toner
- Printer doesn't recognize the cartridge
- Clogged print head or missing colors
- Ink levels look wrong or show empty
- Drum error on a laser printer
Ink tank printers
- Ink tank printer won't print after refilling
- Air in the ink tubes or ink not reaching the print head
- Printer says the ink pad is at the end of its life
- Ink level doesn't update after refilling
Power & hardware
- Printer won't turn on
- Printer error light is blinking
- Printer makes grinding or clicking noises
- Print carriage is stuck or won't move
Drivers & software
- Printer driver is unavailable
- Printer stopped working after a Windows update
- Older printer has no driver for Windows 11
- Printer driver won't install
Scan, copy & fax
- Scanner not working or not detected
- Document feeder jams or pulls in several pages
- Scan to email not working or emails never arrive
- Fax won't send or keeps failing
Setup & devices
- Set up a new printer out of the box
- Connect your printer to Wi-Fi
- Print from your iPhone or Android phone
- Add a printer on a Mac
Prefer to talk it through? Ask the printer assistant
Describe what your printer is doing and get answers right away. Free. It all happens by text chat, and we never ask to access your computer.
Our commitments to you
Printer scams often start with a search result and a phone number. Here is exactly how we work, so you can hold us to it.
What we promise
- Free, on every pageNo paywall, subscription or “premium” fix. You never need an account.
- Written by people who repair printersEvery fix is written and reviewed by people with hands-on printer repair experience.
- Independent adviceNo manufacturer, retailer or advertiser can pay to change what a guide says.
- Dated and kept currentEach page shows when it was last reviewed. We revisit guides after major Windows and macOS releases.
- Corrections, in the openTell us about a wrong or outdated step and we fix the page. How corrections work
- Private by defaultNo analytics or ad cookies unless you accept them, and nothing to install.
What we will never do
- Ask you to call a phone numberWe help by live chat on this site, never by phone.
- Ask to connect to your computerNo remote-access apps, ever. We help by text chat only.
- Charge you for a fixEvery guide and every chat is free.
- Ask you to download a “repair tool”The only printer software you need comes from your printer’s maker.
- Pretend to be your printer’s makerWhen a printer needs a repair, we send you to the manufacturer’s official support site.
The Print Bench at a glance
These figures are counted from the pages on this site each time we publish, so they’re always current.
About The Print Bench- Step-by-step fixes
- 99
- Error codes and messages explained
- 43
- How-to guides
- 32
- Printer brands covered
- 15
- Systems covered
- Windows 11 and 10, macOS, ChromeOS, iPhone, iPad and Android
- Most recent review
- Cost to you
- Free. No sign-up, no downloads.
- Printer assistant
- Free, by text chat, no remote access
- Operated by
- Alula Nimbus LLC, United States
Not sure where to start?
These free tools run in your browser. Nothing is installed and nothing is sent to us.
- Device checkReads your operating system, browser, connection and clock, then recommends fixes for your setup.
- TroubleshooterAnswer a few questions about what your printer is doing and get pointed to the right fix.
- Printer test pagesColor, text and alignment sheets that show exactly what’s wrong with your prints.
- Ink cost calculatorCompare cost per page and three-year running costs before you buy a printer or cartridges.
Got an error code?
Type it exactly as it appears on your screen or printer. We’ll explain what it means and how to clear it.
How every fix is made
The same four steps for every page, from the first draft to each later review.
Start from what you see
Each page begins with the symptoms and the exact on-screen messages people search for, not with jargon.
Write steps for every system
Separate steps for Windows, Mac, Chromebook, phones and the printer itself, with the most likely fix first.
Check against current software
Menus and steps are checked against current Windows and macOS versions and manufacturers’ published documentation.
Review, date and revisit
Reviewed by people with hands-on printer repair experience, dated on the page, and revisited after major updates or reader reports.
New on The Print Bench
- Ink tank printersRefills, air in the tubes, ink pads and printers that sat unused.10 fixes
- Power & hardwareWon’t turn on, blinking lights, grinding noises and a stuck carriage.8 fixes
- Scan, copy & faxDocument feeder jams, scan to email and network folders, fax lines.14 fixes