Print quality

How to fix streaks, lines and faded prints

7 min read · Updated 2026-07-10 · PrinterErrors editorial team

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Overview First, read the pattern Quick checks before any cleaning Inkjet: nozzle check, then head cleaning Laser: redistribute toner, clean, then replace Keep it from coming back When to stop and call a technician

Overview

Streaks, thin lines and faded output almost always trace back to one of two parts: the print head on an inkjet, or the toner cartridge and imaging drum on a laser printer. Most cases clear with the printer's own maintenance tools: no disassembly, no firmware tricks, no chip resets.

Work through this guide in order. Start by identifying which pattern you see, then run the safe built-in fixes for your printer type. We flag the point where a fix stops being a user task and becomes a service job.

First, read the pattern

The look of the defect tells you where the problem is. Print an ordinary document or the built-in test page and compare.

01Faint or washed-out everywhere: usually low ink or toner, an eco/draft setting, or a wrong paper-type setting.

02Horizontal white gaps or bands (inkjet): a clogged or partly blocked print-head nozzle, so ink is missing where it should print.

03Repeating marks or a straight line down every page at the same spot (laser): often a worn toner cartridge or imaging drum.

04Random smears or fingerprints of toner: dust or debris in the paper path rather than a failed part.

Quick checks before any cleaning

These take a minute and resolve a surprising share of "streaky print" reports before you touch a cleaning cycle.

01Check ink or toner levels in the printer software or on the panel, and replace anything empty or nearly empty.

02Confirm the paper-type setting matches the paper you loaded, and turn off Draft, Economy or High Speed mode for a test print.

03On a new cartridge, make sure every protective strip, seal and tape has been removed.

04Use clean, dry paper from the middle of the ream. Damp or dusty paper causes streaks on its own.

Inkjet: nozzle check, then head cleaning

For inkjets, the print head is the part to service, and the printer does it for you. Canon and Epson both document the same order: check first, then clean, and only escalate if the check page is still broken.

01Open Maintenance (or Tools) in the printer software or on the panel and run a Nozzle Check. It prints a grid that shows which colors are misfiring.

02If the grid has gaps or missing lines, run the standard Print Head Cleaning cycle, then print the nozzle check again to confirm.

03Repeat the standard cleaning up to about three times if gaps remain, checking the nozzle grid between runs.

04If gaps persist, run the Deep Cleaning (Canon) or Power Cleaning (Epson) once. It uses much more ink, so it is a last resort, not a routine step.

05After the nozzle check is clean, run Print Head Alignment to remove faint banding caused by misalignment rather than clogging.

Laser: redistribute toner, clean, then replace

Laser printers have no nozzles to unclog. Faded pages and lines here point to the consumables: the toner cartridge and, on many models, a separate imaging drum.

01Remove the toner cartridge, hold it level and rock it gently side to side to redistribute the powder, then reinstall it. This often revives faded pages temporarily.

02Run the printer's Cleaning Page routine from the control panel or maintenance menu to clear loose toner from the paper path.

03Check the firmware is current and that the waste-toner box (if your model has one) is not full.

04If a faded area or a repeating line stays, the toner or drum is worn: replace the cartridge, and replace the drum unit if the model uses a separate one.

05Prefer genuine or reputable cartridges, because poor-quality toner clumps and builds up on the wiper blade, which reintroduces streaks.

Keep it from coming back

A little routine keeps nozzles and consumables healthy and cuts most streaks off before they start.

01On an inkjet, print at least one page (with color) every week or so to keep the nozzles from drying out.

02Always power the printer off with its own button, not by cutting power at the wall. That lets an inkjet cap and park the head correctly.

03Store paper flat and dry, and keep the scanner glass and rollers free of dust.

When to stop and call a technician

Stop at the point where a fix would mean opening the printer beyond the documented maintenance doors. If the nozzle check is still broken after several cleanings and a deep clean, if a laser leaves the same line after fresh toner and drum, or if you see melted or smeared toner suggesting a fuser fault, that is an internal repair.

Do not attempt firmware hacks, chip resets or forcing a head out of its carriage. Those risk damage and can void a warranty. Note the exact defect and any error code, then contact the manufacturer's support or an authorized service center. If the printer is under warranty, let them handle the internal parts.

PEPrinterErrors editorial teamUpdated 2026-07-10

PrinterErrors editorial team

Last updated 2026-07-10 · Content is independent and not sponsored by any manufacturer.

Sources & methodology

Epson: White or Dark Lines in Printout (nozzle check, head cleaning, alignment) Epson inkjet print-quality troubleshooting: run a nozzle check, clean and align the print head, use Power Cleaning only as a last resort.
Canon: Cleaning the Print Head (PIXMA) Canon documents printing a nozzle check pattern first, then standard cleaning, then deep cleaning only when white streaks or missing lines remain.
HP Support Community: HP Color LaserJet Lines / streaks (drum and toner guidance) HP support thread covering laser streaks: redistribute toner, run the printer cleaning page, and replace a worn toner or drum unit.

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