Clean The Print Head Nozzles (Mac OS X)

The following contains instructions to check the nozzles for poor print quality and perform cleanings of the print head nozzles as necessary. If print results are faint or streaks are printed, the print head nozzles may be clogged. Those phenomena can be improved by performing print head cleanings or print head deep cleanings.

Caution: Only used the approved methods below to clean the print head. Use of other methods may further clog the nozzles on the print head and may cause permanent damage the print head.

Note: It is important to check the cleaning results by printing Nozzle Check Pattern after each cleaning. Cleaning and Deep Cleaning consumes a certain amount of ink. Only perform a cleanings when necessary.

Print a Nozzle Check Pattern

1. Confirm that the printer is connected to the computer and the printer is turned on.
   
   
2. Complete or cancel any print jobs in progress, and then launch the IJ Printer Utility. (Open the attachment for instructions)
   
   
3. From the pop-up menu, select 'Test Print'.
   
   
   
   Note: The layout varies depending on the printer and version of OS X you are using.
   
   
4. Click the 'Nozzle Check' icon.
   
   
   
   
5. Insert a piece of letter-sized plain paper in the paper tray.
   
   
6. Verify the desired paper source for the Nozzle Check is selected on the unit by changing the <Paper Feed Switch> if necessary.
   
   
7. Click 'Print Check Pattern' on the computer.
   
   Memo: By clicking 'Initial Check Items' before clicking 'Print Check Pattern', you can see the specific confirmation items in Nozzle Check. (Nozzle check pattern printing will start.)
   
   
   
   
8. Examine the Nozzle Check Pattern output.
   
   
9. Determine whether the pattern is normal or not normal.
   
   

• Click here if the pattern is normal.
  
  
• If the pattern is not normal, perform a Print Head Cleaning.
  
  
  Note: Perform this step first to clean the print head.
  
  
• If the pattern is not normal after two Cleanings, perform up to two Deep Cleanings of the print head.
  
  
  Caution: Cleaning consumes a certain amount of ink. Perform cleanings only when necessary.
  
  

When the output is normal

• The print head is performing as normal and cleaning is not required. Click 'Quit' to finish the pattern check and exit.
  
  

Perform a Cleaning of the print head:

1. Click 'Cleaning' to perform print head cleaning.
   
   
   The above screen will vary by model
   
   Note: The pattern varies depending on the printer you are using.
   
   
2. Select the target ink for cleaning and click 'OK'. (The power lamp will blink green and cleaning of the print head nozzles starts. The blink stops when the cleaning is over.)
   
   Caution: To prevent interruption in the Cleaning process, do not try other operations until the Cleaning completes. Cleaning will take about 40 seconds.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for all colors, check 'All Colors'. When performing Cleaning for Black only, deselect 'All Colors' and check 'Black'. When performing Cleaning for Color only, deselect 'All Colors', and check 'Color'.
   
   
   Caution: Cleaning consumes a certain amount of ink. Perform Cleaning only when necessary.
   
   
3. Print a Nozzle Check Pattern and examine.
   
   
4. Perform Cleaning again if necessary.
   
   
   Memo: If the pattern is still abnormal after two Cleanings, perform up to two Deep Cleanings.
   
   

Perform Deep Cleaning of the print head

Caution: Deep Cleaning consumes a larger amount of ink than normal Cleaning. Perform Deep Cleanings only when necessary.

1. From the pop-up menu, select 'Cleaning'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: The layout varies depending on the printer you are using.
   
   
2. Click 'Deep Cleaning'.
   
   
   
   
3. Select the target ink group for Deep Cleaning and click 'OK'. (The Power lamp will blink green and Deep Cleaning starts. The blink stops when Deep Cleaning is over.)
   
   
   Note: When performing Deep Cleaning for all colors, check All Colors. When performing Deep Cleaning for Black only, deselect 'All Colors', and check 'Black'. When performing Deep Cleaning for Color only, deselect 'All Colors', and check 'Color'.
   
   
   
   Caution: To prevent interruption in the Deep Cleaning process, do not try other operations until Deep Cleaning completes. Deep Cleaning will take about 75 seconds.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Print Nozzle Check again.
   
   
   Note: If the printed pattern is still not normal, perform steps 1 through 4 of the Deep Cleaning process one additional time.
   
   
   Caution: If after two Deep Cleanings the Nozzle Check Pattern is still not normal, turn the printer off and let it sit for 24 hours or more before attempting another Deep Cleaning again. The wait time may allow dried ink in clogged print head nozzles to liquefy, and resolve the problem.
   
   

When the output is normal:

• Black ink: The grid pattern is regular without missing lines.
  
• Color ink: White streaks are not visible in the pattern.
  
  
  

Click here to return to step 6 of the Nozzle Check instructions.

When the output is not normal:

• Case A: No color is printed. (Nothing appears on the output.)
  
• Case B: There is any color that is not printed at all.
  
• Case C: There are missing lines partially in the pattern for the black ink (PGBK).
  
• Case D: There are white streaks in one of the color ink patterns.
  
  
  
  

Click here to perform print head cleaning.