How to Perform a Self-Test on an HP Inkjet Printer

If you are having trouble with your printer, the best place to start when trying to figure out the problem is to print a self-test page. A test page can tell you many things such as whether or not your ink cartridges are in good working order. Follow these steps to perform a self-test on an HP inkjet printer.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• HP inkjet printer
• Printer paper

1. Click the "start" menu on your computer’s desktop. This will be the button on the lower left hand side of your computer screen.

2. From the start menu, click on "settings." From the settings menu, select "printers."

3. Find your printer on the list of printers that will come up. Right click on your printer; this will make a small menu pop up.

4. Move your mouse over to "properties" and click it. From properties select "open toolbox."

5. Now select "print a test page." Your printer will begin printing your test page.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the printer is plugged in before trying to print a self-test page.
• Once you have a self-test page printed, look for things like smudged ink. Smudges and blotches are signs of problems.
• Make sure you select the appropriate printer in the printer menu. Nothing will happen if you select the wrong one.