| Article ID: ART110493 | | | Date published: 05/11/2015 | | | Date last updated: 08/17/2015 |
Description
Solution
Cleaning the Print Head
Clean the print head if lines are missing or if horizontal white streaks are present in the printed nozzle check pattern. Cleaning unclogs the nozzles and restores the print head condition. Cleaning the print head consumes ink, so clean the print head only when necessary.
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Using the Computer Print Head Cleaning Print Head Deep Cleaning Directly from the Printer |
| Nozzle Check Pattern |
Print Head Cleaning from the Computer
The print head cleaning function allows you to unclog clogged nozzles in the print head. Perform print head cleaning if printing is faint or a specific color fails to print, even though there is enough ink.
The procedure for cleaning the print head is as follows:
Cleaning
1. Open the printer driver setup window
2. Click Cleaning on the Maintenance tab
The Print Head Cleaning dialog box opens. Follow the instruction shown in the dialog box.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items you need to check before performing Cleaning.
3. Execute cleaning
Make sure that the printer is on and then click Execute.
Print head cleaning starts.
4. Complete cleaning
The Nozzle Check dialog box opens after the confirmation message.
5. Check the results
To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.
If cleaning the head once does not resolve the print head problem, clean it once more.
Cleaning consumes a small amount of ink.
Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.
1. Select Cleaning from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility
2. Click the Cleaning icon
When the dialog opens, follow the displayed instructions.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items you need to check before performing Cleaning.
3. Execute cleaning
Make sure that the printer is on and then click OK.
Print head cleaning starts.
4. Complete cleaning
The Nozzle Check dialog box opens after the confirmation message.
5. Check the results
To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.
If cleaning the head once does not resolve the print head problem, clean it once more.
Cleaning consumes a small amount of ink. Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.
Print Head Deep Cleaning from the Computer
Deep Cleaning is more thorough than cleaning. Perform deep cleaning when two Cleaning attempts do not resolve the print head problem.
1. Open the printer driver setup window
2. Click Deep Cleaning on the Maintenance tab
The Deep Cleaning dialog box opens. Follow the instruction shown in the dialog box.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items you need to check before performing Deep Cleaning.
3. Execute deep cleaning
Make sure that the printer is on and then click Execute.
Click OK when the confirmation message appears.
Print head deep cleaning starts.
4. Complete deep cleaning
The Nozzle Check dialog box opens after the confirmation message.
5. Check the results
To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.
Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than Cleaning.
Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.
If there is no sign of improvement after Deep Cleaning, switch off the printer, wait 24 hours, and then perform Deep Cleaning again. If there is still no sign of improvement, the ink may have run out or the print head may be worn.
1. Select Cleaning from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility
2. Click the Deep Cleaning icon
When the dialog opens, follow the displayed instructions.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items you need to check before performing Deep Cleaning.
3. Execute deep cleaning
Make sure that the printer is on and then click OK.
Click OK when the confirmation message appears.
Print head deep cleaning starts.
4. Complete deep cleaning
The Nozzle Check dialog box opens after the confirmation message.
5. Check the results
To check whether the print quality has improved, click Print Check Pattern. To cancel the check process, click Cancel.
Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than Cleaning. Cleaning the print head frequently will rapidly deplete your printer's ink supply. Consequently, perform cleaning only when necessary.
If there is no sign of improvement after Deep Cleaning, switch off the printer, wait 24 hours, and then perform Deep Cleaning again. If there is still no sign of improvement, the ink may have run out or the print head may be worn.
Print Head Cleaning Directly from the Printer
1. Make sure that the power is turned on.
2. Hold down the RESUME/CANCEL button until the POWER lamp flashes green once, then release it immediately.
The printer starts cleaning the print head.
When the POWER lamp is lit green after flashing, the cleaning will be complete.
Do not perform any other operations until the printer completes the cleaning of the print head. This takes about 1 minute.
Print the nozzle check pattern to check the print head condition after cleaning.
Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern
Print the nozzle check pattern to determine whether the ink ejects properly from the print head nozzle.
If the remaining ink level is low, the nozzle check pattern will not be printed correctly. Replace the ink tank whose ink is low.
Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern using the Computer
Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern using the Printer
Initiating the Nozzle Check Pattern from the Printer
You need to prepare: a sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper
1. Make sure that the power is turned on.
2. Make sure that one or more sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper are loaded in the cassette.
3. Open the paper output tray gently, and extend the output tray extension to open.
4. Hold down the RESUME/CANCEL button until the POWER lamp flashes green twice, then release it immediately.
The nozzle check pattern will be printed.
Do not perform any other operations until the printer completes the printing of the nozzle check pattern.
5. Examine the nozzle check pattern.
Refer to [ Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern ] within this webpage.
Examining the Nozzle Check PatternExamine the nozzle check pattern, and clean the print head if necessary.
1. Check if there are missing lines in the pattern (1) or horizontal white streaks in the pattern (2).
If there are missing lines in the pattern (1):
Cleaning the nozzles of the black ink group (PGBK) is required.
Select the ink group to clean using the computer.
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(A) Good
(B) Bad (lines are missing)
If there are horizontal white streaks in the pattern (2):
Cleaning the nozzles of the color ink group (C, M, Y, BK) is required.
Select the ink group to clean using the computer.
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(A) Good
(B) Bad (horizontal white streaks are present)
If there are missing lines in the pattern (1) and horizontal white streaks in the pattern (2):
Cleaning the nozzles of all ink colors is required.
From the printer
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From the computer
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Initiating the Nozzle Check Pattern using your Computer
The nozzle check function allows you to check whether the print head is working properly by printing a nozzle check pattern. Print the pattern if printing becomes faint, or if a specific color fails to print.
The procedure for printing a nozzle check pattern is as follows:
1. Open the printer driver setup window
2. Click Nozzle Check on the Maintenance tab
The Nozzle Check dialog box opens.
Click Initial Check Items to display the items that you need to check before printing the nozzle check pattern.
3. Load paper in the printer
Load one sheet of A4 size or Letter size plain paper into the cassette.
4. Print a nozzle check pattern
Make sure that the printer is on and click Print Check Pattern.
Printing of the nozzle check pattern begins.
Click OK when the confirmation message appears.
The Pattern Check dialog box opens.
5. Check the print result
Check the print result. When the print result is normal, click Exit.
If the print result is smudged or if there are any unprinted sections, click Cleaning to clean the print head.
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1. Select Test Print from the pop-up menu on the Canon IJ Printer Utility
2. Click the Nozzle Check icon
The confirmation message appears.
To display a list of items that you should check before printing the nozzle check pattern, click Initial Check Items.
3. Load paper in the printer
Load one sheet of A4 size or Letter size plain paper into the cassette.
4. Print a nozzle check pattern
Make sure that the printer is on and click Print Check Pattern.
Printing of the nozzle check pattern begins.
5. Check the print result
When the dialog opens, check the print result.
If the print result is normal, click Quit. If the print result is smudged or if there are any unprinted sections, click Cleaning to clean the print head.
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