Let’s face it. When it comes to printers, we could all use a little help and here at Toner Connect, we hear you.
Here are our best tips, tricks, and hacks when it comes to mastering the art of printing.
1. Printer Settings
If you’re like me then you might be afraid to mess with the default settings on your printer.
However, you could be using a large amount of ink unnecessarily and it all comes down to your resolution settings.
Most high- quality printers have their default resolution setting set to 600 DPI or higher.
That’s a lot of ink. If you’re not printing something that needs to be top notch, lower your settings to save on ink and printing speed while maintaining quality.
2. Low on Black Ink
Trying to print a document but low on black ink?
If you can’t wait for a replacement, try changing the font to a dark gray or blue, you’ll be able to utilize color ink that’ll look almost black.
3. Not all fonts are created equal
Unfortunately for us, ink likes to discriminate against the fancier fonts (looking at you Arial).
However, there is hope. Check out our previous post here to find out which four fonts made the cut for the least ink used.
4. Grayscale in the new black.
Even if you’re printing an all black document, chances are your printer is pulling from the color cartridges rather than the black one.
A trick that will help utilize the black cartridge is going into settings (I know scary right?) and clicking on the “Grayscale” option aka “Black and White” setting.
Your print will come out faster and with half the ink.
5. Paper, Paper, Paper
Raise your hand if you like a bargain. Me too. Especially on printing paper. But buyer beware.
Steer clear from cheap bargain paper because they cause all sorts of chaos in your machine.
Cheap paper tends to not be uniformly cut (a problem that will cause jams), retains moisture that creates curled edges, and gives off a large amount of dust that will eventually build up and cause breakdowns.
When it comes to paper, go for quality, not quantity and know your printers.
Remember laser printers are better for text documents such as papers, brochures, flyers, reports etc…and Ink printers are geared towards, image printing i.e. photos, media, projects etc…
6. Toner Cha-Cha
When your laser printer alerts you that its toner is low, remove it and give it a good shake over the trash can.
A lot of times the powder just needs to be stirred up to continue performing. To read more about how toners work, check out our toner post.
The worst thing for ink cartridges is to sit in a hot/cold car all day.
7. Speak to me paper jam
We’re all on the alert for the dreaded paper jam warning but did you know it’s not always an actual paper jam. The printer is basically sending out an SOS to you and that’s how it gets your attention.
The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure there’s not actually paper jammed somewhere. If there’s not, then check the paper drawer.
The printer will sometimes say paper jam if the paper is not squared up properly with the paper guide.
8. Relocation
If you’re moving, make sure you take your ink cartridges out of your printer and store them in a sealed bag.
Your toner is more durable and can survive the move but the worst thing for ink cartridges is to sit in a hot/cold car all day.
Keep the bag in a climate controlled environment until you’re settled and then replace in the printer.
9. Maintenance
Keep your printer running smoothly by putting it in an area that’s out of direct sunlight, keep yourself familiar with the manual and clean it regularly.
A lot of printing issues stem from poor maintenance, so you’ll want to be careful to dust your printer often.
If you know your printer is going to be in a messy environment such as an art studio or workshop, it would be worth it to invest in a cover to protect it.
Furthermore, if you have a floor printer and it’s against the wall, make sure the wall cords have enough room or else you could break the plug. Your printer will thank you for your diligence.
10. Get Creative!
Nowadays, you can print on so much more than just paper. Things such as paper bags, tissue paper, dryer sheets and more.
Consult your manual beforehand and check out these great tips on just want you can do!
Make sure you’re taking advantage of everything your printer is capable of, and feel free to get those creative juices flowing.
We at Toner Connect want you to get the best performance for all your printing needs and are here to help in any way.
If you want to connect with us, click here. We’d love to hear from you
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