This video explains how to fix your HP printer when you get the error message ‘Alignment
failed' on your printer's control panel.
Often the condition of the paper you're using can cause the alignment to fail.
Remove the paper from the input tray. If a second paper tray is installed, remove all
the paper from there as well. Remove any damaged paper you find. Make sure
there are at least 10 sheets of plain white paper but no more than 25 sheets of paper
in the paper stack. The printer can hold more sheets of paper but this number of pages is
best for testing. Make sure that you are using unused, plain
white paper.
Make sure all the paper is the same size and type; then tap it on a flat surface to get
the edges perfectly aligned. Finally, load paper into the input tray until
it stops. Slide the paper width guide inward until it stops at the edge of the paper. Do
not push the guide in so tightly that it starts to bend the paper.
Try aligning the printer. On the printer control panel, touch the Setup
button which looks like a wrench. Touch the down arrow and then touch Tools.
Touch Align Printer from the menu to start the alignment process.
The alignment pages will print out. If your pages look like the ones shown, then
they are printed correctly. All colors shown are present and have solid sharp lines without
fading or streaking. If you receive an ‘Alignment successful'
message on the printer's control panel and your alignment pages look like the ones shown,
the issue is resolved. If you receive an 'Alignment failed' error message, go on to the next
step.
If you see streaked or missing colors on the alignment pages, you need to clean the printheads.
On the printer control panel, touch the Setup button.
Touch the down arrow and then touch Tools. Touch Clean Printheads to start the cleaning
process. Once the cleaning process is complete, a test
page will print. If the test page does not look like the one shown, an intermediate cleaning
is required. Touch the Yes button on the control panel to perform a second level cleaning of
the printheads. Once again, examine the printout to determine if a third level cleaning is
required by comparing it to the one shown. Once the color bars appear to be solid, attempt
to print an alignment page once more. On the printer control panel, touch the Setup
button. Touch the down arrow and then touch Tools.
Touch Align Printer from the menu to start the alignment process.
If you receive an ‘Alignment successful' message on the printer's control panel,
the issue is resolved. If you receive an 'Alignment failed' error message, go on to the next
step. To determine if we need to calibrate the linefeed
on the printer we will print out and evaluate a Print Quality Diagnostic page.
On the printer control panel, touch the Setup button.
Touch Print Report from the menu. Touch the down arrow until you reach the bottom
of the list and then touch Print Quality Page. The Print Quality Diagnostic page will print.
Examine Test Pattern 3 at the bottom of the Quality page.
If you see solid gray boxes with no lines or gaps, move on to the next step. However,
if you see dark lines or white gaps where the arrows on the page are pointing, you need
to run the Calibrate Linefeed utility. On the printer control panel, touch the Setup
button. Touch the down arrow and then touch Tools.
Touch the down arrow and then touch Calibrate Linefeed to start the calibration process.
Once the calibration is done let's attempt another alignment. On the printer control
panel, touch the Setup button. Touch the down arrow and then touch Tools.
Touch Align Printer from the menu to start the alignment process.
If you receive an ‘Alignment successful' message on the printer's control panel,
the issue is resolved. If you receive an 'Alignment failed' error message, go on to the next
step. If, after repeated cleanings, the Print Quality
Diagnostic page shows white lines across the color blocks in Test Pattern 2 in the middle
of the page but no white lines are visible in the gray blocks in Test Pattern 3, one
or both of the printheads will have to be replaced.
To identify which printhead needs to be replaced, we must examine the color blocks labeled Test
Pattern 2 on the Print Quality Diagnostic page.
If the black, red, or green blocks have lines through any of them, you will need to replace
the Black/Yellow printhead. If the cyan or magenta blocks have lines through
either of them, you will need to replace the Cyan/Magenta printhead.
Now we can replace the printhead or printheads. Open the top cover to access the printheads.
To access the printheads you must press and hold the star button on the printer control
panel until the carriage moves all the way to the left. Be careful not to proceed until
the carriage is on the left side of the printer. If the carriage does not move to the left
automatically, turn the printer off and back on and then try holding down the star button
again. The printhead can be damaged if the carriage is not all the way to the left for
installation. Then, lift the blue printhead latch.
On the printhead that needs to be replaced, lift the blue handle. Use the handle to pull
the printhead straight up and remove it from the printer.
While the replacement printhead is still in its package, shake it six times. Shaking the
printhead helps prevent print quality problems later.
Remove the new printhead from its packaging. Then remove the orange protective caps.
Be careful not to shake the printheads after the caps have been removed.
Insert the printhead into its color-coded slot.
Lower the printhead latch and snap it into place.
Then close the top cover of the printer. After replacing the printhead, the printer
will calibrate and then print out alignment sheets.
If you receive an ‘Alignment successful' message on the printer's control panel, the
issue is resolved. If you receive an 'Alignment failed' error message, go on to the next
step. If you've tried everything described in
this video and you still have a problem, your printer likely needs some type of service.
Contact HP to find out what the support options are for your printer. Your options for service
may vary depending on how long you've owned it and what country you live in.