HP Photosmart C5383 User Manual

							
Printouts are faded or have dull colors
Try the following solutions if the colors in your printout are not as bright and intense as
you expected.
•
Solution 1: Check the print settings
•
Solution 2: Check the paper type
•
Solution 3: Clean the printhead
•
Solution 4: Che ck the ink levels
•
Solution 5: Contact HP support
Solution 1: Check the print settings Solution: Check the print settings.
• Check the paper type setting to make sure it matches the type of paper loaded in
the input tray.
• Check the print quality setting and make sure it is not set too low.
Print the image with a high print quality setting, such as  Best or Maximum dpi .
For more information, see:
•“
Set the paper type for printing” on page 53
•“
Change the print speed or quality” on page 54
•“
Print using Maximum dpi” on page 60
Cause: The paper type or print quality settings were set incorrectly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Check the paper type Solution: HP recommends that you use HP papers or any other paper type that is
appropriate for the product.
Always make sure the paper you are printing on is flat. For best results when printing
images, use HP Advanced Photo Paper.
Store photo media in its original packaging inside a resealable plastic bag on a flat
surface in a cool, dry place. When you are ready to print, remove only the paper you
plan to use immediately. When you have finished printing, return any unused photo
paper to the plastic bag. This will prevent the photo paper from curling.
For more information, see:
•“
Recommended papers for printing and copying” on page 34
•“
Information on paper” on page 128
Cause: The wrong kind of paper was loaded in the input tray.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Clean the printhead Solution: If the previous solutions did not resolve the issue, try cleaning the
printhead.
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After cleaning the printhead, print a print quality report. Evaluate the print quality
report to see if the print quality problem still exists.
For more information, see:
•“
Clean the printhead” on page 105
•“
Print and evaluate a print quality report” on page 107
Cause: The printhead needed to be cleaned.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 4: Check the ink levels Solution: Check the estimate d ink levels in the ink cartridges.
NOTE:Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning
purposes only. When you receive a low-ink warning message, consider having a
replacement cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need
to replace the ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
For more information, see:
“
Check the estimated ink levels” on page 100
Cause: The ink cartridges might have insufficient ink.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 5: Contact HP support Solution: Contact HP support for service.
Go to: 
www.hp.com/support .
If prompted, choose your country/region, and then click  Contact HP for information
on calling for technical support.
Cause: There was a problem with the printhead.
Printouts seem blurry or fuzzy
Try the following solutions if your printout is not sharp or unclear.
NOTE:For this issue, there is not a problem with your ink supplies. Therefore,
replacing the ink cartridges or printhead is not necessary.
TIP: After reviewing the solutions in this secti on, you can go to HPs Web site to see
if there is additional troubleshooting help. For more information, go to: 
www.hp.com/
support .
•Solution 1: Check the print settings
•
Solution 2: Use a higher quality image
•
Solution 3: Print the image in a smaller size
•
Solution 4: Align the printer
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Solution 1: Check the print settingsSolution: Check the print settings.
• Check the paper type setting to make sure it matches the type of paper loaded in
the input tray.
• Check the print quality setting and make sure it is not set too low.
Print the image with a high print quality setting, such as  Best or Maximum dpi .
For more information, see:
•“
Set the paper type for printing” on page 53
•“
Change the print speed or quality” on page 54
•“
Print using Maximum dpi” on page 60
Cause: The paper type or print quality settings were set incorrectly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Use a higher quality image
Solution: Use a higher resolution image.
If you are printing a photo or graphic, and the resolution is too low, it will be blurry or
fuzzy when printed.
If a digital photo or rasterized graphic has  been resized, it can be blurry or fuzzy when
printed.
Cause: The resolution of the image was low.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Print the image in a smaller size Solution: Reduce the size of the image and then print it.
If you are printing a photo or graphic, and the print size is set too high, it will be blurry
or fuzzy when printed.
If a digital photo or rasterized graphic has  been resized, it can be blurry or fuzzy when
printed.
Cause: The image was printed in a larger size.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 4: Align the printer Solution: Align the printer.
Aligning the printer can help ensure excellent print quality.
For more information, see:
“
Align the printer” on page 106
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Cause:The printer needed to be aligned.
Printouts have vertical streaks
Solution: HP recommends that you use HP papers or any other paper type that is
appropriate for the product.
Always make sure the paper you are printing on is flat. For best results when printing
images, use HP Advanced Photo Paper.
Store photo media in its original packaging inside a resealable plastic bag on a flat
surface in a cool, dry place. When you are ready to print, remove only the paper you
plan to use immediately. When you have finished printing, return any unused photo
paper to the plastic bag. This will prevent the photo paper from curling.
NOTE: For this issue, there is not a problem with your ink supplies. Therefore,
replacing the ink cartridges or printhead is not necessary.
For more information, see:
•“
Recommended papers for printing and copying” on page 34
•“
Information on paper” on page 128
Cause: The wrong kind of paper was loaded in the input tray.
Printouts are slanted or skewed
Try the following solutions if your printout does not appear straight on the page.
•
Solution 1: Make sure the paper is loaded correctly
•
Solution 2: Make sure only one type of paper is loaded
•
Solution 3: Ensure that the rear door is securely installed
Solution 1: Make sure the paper is loaded correctly Solution: Make sure that the paper is loaded correctly in the input tray.
For more information, see:
“
Load paper” on page 37
Cause: The paper was not loaded correctly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Make sure only one type of paper is loaded Solution: Load only one type of paper at a time.
Cause: More than one type of paper was loaded in the input tray.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
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Solution 3: Ensure that the rear door is securely installedSolution: Make sure that the rear door is securely installed.
If you removed the rear door to clear a paper jam, replace it. Gently push the door
forward until it snaps into place.
Cause: The rear door was not securely installed.
Ink streaks on the back of the paper
Try the following solutions if there is smeared ink on the back of your printout.
•
Solution 1: Print on a page of plain paper
•
Solution 2: Wait while the ink dries
Solution 1: Print on a page of plain paper Solution: Print one or several pages of plain paper to soak up any excess ink in
the product.
To remove excess ink using plain paper
1. Load several sheets of plain paper in the input tray.
2. Wait five minutes.
3. Print a document with little or no text.
4. Check the back of the paper for ink. If there is still ink on the back of the paper,
try printing on another page of plain paper.
Cause: Ink accumulated inside the product, where the back of the paper rests
during printing.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Wait while the ink dries
Solution: Wait at least thirty minutes for the ink inside the product to dry, then try
the print job again.
Cause: The excess ink in the product needed to dry out.
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Paper is not picked up from the input tray
Try the following solutions to resolve the issue. Solutions are listed in order, with the most
likely solution first. If the first solution does not solve the problem, continue trying the
remaining solutions until the issue is resolved.
•
Solution 1: Reset the product
•
Solution 2: Make sure the paper is loaded correctly
•
Solution 3: Check the print settings
•
Solution 4: Clean the rollers
•
Solution 5: Service the product
Solution 1: Re set the product
Solution: Turn off the product, and then unplug the power cord. Plug the power
cord back in, and then press the On button to turn on the product.
Cause: The product experienced an error.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Make sure the paper is loaded correctly
Solution: Make sure that the paper is loaded correctly in the input tray.
For more information, see:
“
Load paper” on page 37
Cause: If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
The paper was not loaded correctly.
Solution 3: Check the print settings Solution: Check the print settings.
• Check the paper type setting to make sure it matches the type of paper loaded in
the input tray.
• Check the print quality setting and make sure it is not set too low.
Print the image with a high print quality setting, such as  Best or Maximum dpi .
For more information, see:
•“
Set the paper type for printing” on page 53
•“
Change the print speed or quality” on page 54
•“
Print using Maximum dpi” on page 60
Cause: The paper type or print quality settings were set incorrectly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 4: Clean the rollers Solution: Clean the rollers.
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Make sure you have the following materials available:
•A lint-free cloth, or any soft material that will not come apart or leave fibers.
• Distilled, filtered, or bottled water (tap water might contain contaminants that can
damage the print cartridges).
To clean the rollers
1. Turn off the product and remove the power cord.
2. Press in the tab on the left side of the rear door to release the door. Remove the
door by pulling it away from the product.
3.Dip the lint-free cloth into the purified or distilled water, and squeeze any excess
water from it.
4. Clean the rubber rollers to remove any dust or dirt buildup.
5. Replace the rear door. Gently push the door forward until it snaps into place.
6. Plug the power cord back in, and turn on the product.
7. Try to print again.
Cause: The rollers were dirty and needed to be cleaned.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 5: Service the product Solution: If you have completed all of the steps provided in the previous solutions,
contact HP support for service.
Go to: 
www.hp.com/support .
If prompted, choose your country/region, and then click  Contact HP for information
on calling for te chnical support.
Cause: Your product needs servicing.
The text edges are jagged
Try the following solutions if the text in your printouts is not sharp and the edges are rough.
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NOTE:For this issue, there is not a problem with your ink supplies. Therefore,
replacing the ink cartridges or printhead is not necessary.
•Solution 1: Use TrueType or OpenType fonts
•
Solution 2: Align the printer
•
Solution 3: Clean the printhead
Solution 1: Use TrueType or OpenType fonts Solution: Use TrueType or OpenType fonts to ensure that the product is able to
print smooth fonts. When selecting a font, look for the TrueType or OpenType icon.
TrueType iconOpenType icon
Cause: The font was a custom size.
Some software applications offer custom fonts that have jagged edges when enlarged
or printed. Also, if you want to print bitmapped text, it might have jagged edges when
enlarged or printed.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Align the printer Solution: Align the printer.
Aligning the printer can help ensure excellent print quality.
For more information, see:
“
Align the printer” on page 106
Cause: The printer needed to be aligned.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Clea n the printhead
Solution: If the previous solutions did not resolve the issue, try cleaning the
printhead.
After cleaning the printhead, print a print quality report. Evaluate the print quality
report to see if the print quality problem still exists.
For more information, see:
•“
Clean the printhead” on page 105
•“
Print and evaluate a print quality report” on page 107
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Cause:The printhead needed to be cleaned.
The product prints slowly
Try the following solutions if the product is printing very slowly.
•
Solution 1: Use a lower print quality setting
•
Solution 2: Che ck the ink levels
•
Solution 3: Contact HP support
Solution 1: Use a lower  print quality setting
Solution: Check the print quality setting.  Best and  Maximum dpi  provide the best
quality but are slower than  Normal or Draft . Draft  provides the fastest print speed.
For more information, see:
•“
Change the print speed or quality” on page 54
•“
Print using Maximum dpi” on page 60
Cause: The print quality was set to a high setting.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 2: Check the ink levels
Solution: Check the estimated ink leve ls in the ink cartridges.
NOTE:Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning
purposes only. When you receive a low-ink warning message, consider having a
replacement cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need
to replace the ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
For more information, see:
“
Check the estimated ink levels” on page 100
Cause: The ink cartridges might have insufficient ink.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
Solution 3: Contact HP support Solution: Contact HP support for service.
Go to: 
www.hp.com/support .
If prompted, choose your country/region, and then click  Contact HP for information
on calling for te chnical support.
Cause: There was a problem with the product.
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Print troubleshooting
Use this section to solve these printing problems:
•
Envelopes print incorrectly
•
Borderless printing produces unexpected results
•
The product is not responding
•
The product prints meaningless characters
•
Nothing happens when I try to print
•
The pages in my document came out in the wrong order
•
The margins are not printing as expected
•
Text or graphics are cut off at the edge of the page
•
A blank page came out while printing
•
Ink is spraying the inside of the product when I print a photo
Envelopes print incorrectly
Try the following solutions to resolve the issue. Solutions are listed in order, with the most
likely solution first. If the first solution does not solve the problem, continue trying the
remaining solutions until the issue is resolved.
•
Solution 1: Load the stack of envelopes correctly
•
Solution 2: Check the envelope type
•
Solution 3: Tuck the flaps to avoid paper jams
Solution 1: Load the stack of envelopes correctly Solution: Load a stack of envelopes in the input tray, with the envelope flaps facing
up and to the left.
Make sure that you remove all paper from the input tray before loading the envelopes.
For more information, see:
“
Load envelopes” on page 42
Cause: A stack of envelopes wa s loaded incorrectly.
If this did not solve the issue, try the next solution.
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