Clean The Print Head Nozzles (Windows)

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.
   
   Note: If the remaining ink level is low for any of the ink tanks , the nozzle check pattern may not be printed correctly. Replace the ink tank whose ink is low.
   
   

2. Complete or cancel any print jobs in progress.
   
   

3. Open the Printers folder.
   
   For Windows 7

   • Click the 'Start' button from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and then click on 'Devices and Printers'.
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Printing Preferences' from the menu that appears.
     

   For Windows Vista

   • Click / Select the 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'Control Panel', 'Hardware and Sound', and then click on 'Printers'. Note: If you are in 'Classic' view, click 'Printers' directly from the 'Control Panel'.
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Preferences' from the menu that appears.
     

   For Windows XP Home Edition

   • Click / Select the 'Start' button from the bottom left of the Windows screen, 'Control Panel,' 'Printers and Other Hardware,' and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Preferences' from the menu that appears.

   
   For Windows XP Professional Edition

   • Click 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Printers and Faxes.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Preferences' from the menu that appears.

   
   For Windows 2000

   • Click / Select 'Start' from the bottom left of the Windows screen, and 'Settings,' then 'Printers.'
   • Click your right mouse button on the listing for your printer, and then select 'Properties' from the menu that appears.

   
   

4. Click the Maintenance tab. (The Maintenance window opens.)
   
   
   
   
   Note: The layout varies depending on the printer and version of Windows you are using.
   
   

5. Make sure Letter sized plain paper is loaded in the cassette.
   
   Important: The Nozzle Check Pattern can only be performed using paper from the cassette. Paper for the Nozzle Check Pattern cannot be fed from the Front tray or the Rear Tray.
   
   

6. Select 'Nozzle Check'.
   
   
   
   
   Memo: By clicking 'Initial Check Items' before clicking 'Print Check Pattern', you can see the specific confirmation items in Nozzle Check.
   
   
   
   

7. When the confirming message is displayed, click 'OK'. (Nozzle Check printing will start.)
   
   

8. Examine the Nozzle Check 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 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

• If the print head is performing as normal cleaning is not required. Click 'Exit' to return to the Maintenance window.
  
  
  
  

• Click 'OK' to finish and exit the Properties window.
  
  
  
  

Perform a Cleaning of the print head:

Caution: Cleaning consumes a certain amount of ink. Perform Cleaning only when necessary.

Note: The pattern varies depending on the printer and version of Windows being used.

1. Click 'Cleaning' to perform print head cleaning from the Pattern Check window and proceed to step 3 of the print head cleaning instructions. If the Pattern Check window is closed, skip this step and proceed to step 2.
   
   
   
   
   

2. To perform a print head cleaning from the Maintenance window, click 'Cleaning'.
   
   
   
   

3. When the Print Head Cleaning window is displayed, select the target ink group for 'Cleaning'.
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for all colors, check 'All Colors'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for Black only, deselect 'All Colors' and check 'Black'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for Color only, deselect 'All Colors', and check 'Color'.
   
   
   
   

4. After selecting the target ink group click 'Execute' to perform the cleaning of the print head nozzles.
   
   
   
   

5. When the confirming message is displayed, check the contents, and click 'OK'.
   
   
   Caution: Although the Nozzle Check window is displayed, do not perform any other operations until Cleaning is completed.. Cleaning will take about 40 seconds.
   
   

6. Print a Nozzle Check Pattern and examine.
   
   

7. Perform Cleaning again if necessary.
   
   
   Memo: If the pattern is still abnormal after two Cleanings, perform Deep Cleaning.
   
   

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. In the Maintenance window, click 'Deep Cleaning'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: The layout varies depending on the printer and version of Windows you are using.
   
   

2. When the Deep Cleaning window is displayed, select the target ink group for Deep Cleaning.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for all colors, check 'All Colors'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for Black only, deselect 'All Colors' and check 'Black'.
   
   
   
   
   Note: When performing Cleaning for Color only, deselect 'All Colors', and check 'Color'.
   
   
   
   

3. Click 'Execute'.
   
   
   
   Memo: By clicking 'Initial Check Items' before clicking 'Print Check Pattern', you can see the specific confirmation items in Nozzle Check.
   
   

4. When the confirming message is displayed, click 'OK'. (The Power lamp will blink green and Deep Cleaning starts. The blink stops when Deep Cleaning is over.)
   
   

5. When Deep Cleaning starts, check the contents, and click 'OK'.
   
   
   Caution: To prevent interruption of the Deep Cleaning process, do not perform any other operations until Deep Cleaning is completed. When the operation of the printer is stopped, Deep Cleaning is completed. Deep Cleaning will take about 75 seconds.
   
   

6. 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 Deep Cleaning 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.
  
  
  
  
  Note: The pattern varies depending on the printer you are using.
  
  

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. (In the sample below, black ink is not printed at all.)
  
  
  
  

• Case C: There are missing lines partially in the pattern for the black ink.
  
  
  
  

• Case D: There are white streaks in one of the color ink patterns.
  
  
  
  

Click here to clean the print head nozzles.