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I am having issues with my printer. I got a cheap Cannon a few months ago, and it has been working well the little that I've used it. The problem I'm having is with the black. Many times when I print things, the ink looks dark gray not a true black. How do I fix this? I've tried everything I know how to do. Any suggestions? I'm trying to print a poem to go inside thank you notes for a friend who just lost her husband. So, I'd like for them to look nice. TIA
Jess- Do you think you are using fresh ink? I know this sounds silly... it isn't the ink, I think, but the places the ink comes out get gooed up over time. If the printer was in a warehouse for a while, then you used it, then didn't for a while, they can goo up. I guess also if you are using a color cartridge to create black, you can just be out one 'color' and it won't be black any more. That's a sad thing, since if you do a lot of text printing it gets expensive to use a color cartridge.
The other thought I have is to align your cartridge(s), there is probably somewhere in the print program to do that.
And lastly, sometimes really cheap printers just won't do a dark black, I think it has to do with the number of 'spray' holes there are, sorta like pixels. remember dot matrix printers? Wait, how old are you, anyway, lol. Well, if you remember dot matrix printers, they didn't do really black, either. Same idea.
Thanks so much for your reply. I do remember dot matrix printers. I tried printing from another computer, and it printed black just fine. So, I must have something set up wrong on my computer. I have tried changing all the configurations I know of, and I just can't seem to figure it out.
Jess ~ I have a Canon and love it. So, I will try to help with what I can. First, I would check your printer settings. Make sure that you do not have the 'grayscale' checked. If that is not checked, then check the 'print quality'. If it is set to fast, you get a poorer quality print. You would want this to be set at 'standard' or 'high'. Also, depending on what type of paper you are using you may have to change the media type to a setting that matches the paper you are using.
If you have checked all these settings, be sure that you have the correct cartridge. Also, Canon cartridges come without print heads. So if it is the print head, then you would have to change that. I have not done this yet.
I also have a cheapie Canon. It prints black very black ... except when it runs out of black ink and tries to fake it with the 3 colour cartridge. The way to check will vary with your printer but usually it is within the printer properties panel. Depending on your printer you may be able to force the printer to use the black cartridge only. With mine it's under Maintenance - Ink Cartridge Settings.
Also ensure print quality is set to either standard or high. If that doesn't work the nozzles may need cleaning - also found under maintenance.
If you don't have a black cartridge then you won't be able to get a clear black. This applies to most printers.
Good luck
__________________ Elizabeth
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. Gandhi My (poor, neglected) Blog
printer issues
