How to Calibrate a Printer for Better Printing

Your printer software lets you perform a calibration.

If your photos or text documents show jagged vertical lines or dark horizontal bands, your printer isn't a lost cause: It may simply be in need of a calibration. Fixing the alignment issue is handled by performing an automatic calibration through the software that was included with your printer. Each brand of printer uses a slightly different method for performing a calibration to improve the print quality.

Things You'll Need

• Sheet of paper

Instructions

HP

1. Ensure at least one piece of paper is in the printer's paper tray. Open the "Start" menu and navigate through "All Programs" to "HP." Click "HP Solution Center."

2. Navigate to the "Settings" tab and click "Print Settings." Click the "Printer Toolbox" button. Open the "Device Services" tab.

3. Click "Align the Print Cartridges" and wait for the alignment sheet to print. If your HP printer is an all-in-one device with a scanner, open the scanning cover and set the alignment sheet face down on the scanning glass. Close the lid and press "Scan" to finish the alignment calibration.

Epson

1. Set at least one sheet of standard sized paper in the Epson's paper feed tray. Right-click the Epson printer icon in the task bar at the lower-right corner of the screen.

2. Click the radio button labeled "Automatic" and click the "OK" button. Click "Start" to begin the calibration and print an alignment page.

3. Click "Finish" to complete the process.

Lexmark

1. Load a sheet of paper if there isn't at least one sheet in the paper feed tray.

2. Open the "Start" menu and click "All Programs." Open the "Lexmark" sub-folder and click "Maintenance."

3. Click the "Align Cartridges" option and click "Print." Click "Next" and "Finish" to complete the printer calibration.

Tips & Warnings

• Your Windows operating system also includes an option for accessing the printer calibration settings. Navigate to the "Start" menu and click "Control Panel" and then click the "Printer" link. Right-click the name of your printer and choose "Properties." Navigate to the "General" tab and click "Printer Preferences." Click the option to perform a calibration, which will either read "Alignment" or "Calibration," depending on your printer.

References

• HP: Deskjet F4100 All-in-One series
• Epson: Stylus Photo R1800 Manual
• Lexmark: Z2300 Series User's Guide