Troubleshoot Printer Problem Before Calling For Help

If you’re like most business owners, your printer is the heart of your business. If you can’t get it fixed, you’ll likely need a good printer repair and service. There are some things you can check first, though.

Reset Your Printer

While you might think the old question of turning it off and then on again is a joke, it’s actually a real thing. The memory can glitch and a simple off and on fixes it. Errors get erased when you turn it off and then on as well. This works well when you encounter the following issue.

  • Laggy Responsiveness When You Press Buttons
  • Random Weird Things Happening
  • Printing sessions That Act Odd

It’s surprising how often this fixes the issue. Save money on an expensive repair by simply doing the most basic of things to troubleshoot printer problem first. In fact, many times, repair people “fix” it in one minute this way. Save yourself a big bill for nothing by taking this step.

troubleshoot printer problem

Cables, Ports and Outlets

Sometimes it’s as simple as a cable that went bad. Cables have a life span that expires after years of use. That goes double if your printer is old. Replace the cables and see if the issue persists. If you see visible damage, immediately stop using them. That is a fire hazard.

Ports are similar. Dirt and debris can get in the ports. When that happens, a connection doesn’t happen. When you clean the ports out with an air duster. They are great to get those dust particles out that you can’t even see.

Your outlets might need an electrician. If you feel that the outlets might be an issue, you should plug the computer into another outlet. If the problem persists, then it isn’t the outlet.

Updates Might Be The Issue

Another common issue that can easily fix the printer is an update. If you require help with them, you can call a repair technician, but it’s easy to do for yourself. Check the manual that came with the printer. It normally walks you through the steps.

Drivers are part of the update. This is another hidden issue that can pop up. Follow the same protocol to get these updated. Most updates that you run on your printer include them.

If none of these things fix your printer, then you need a repair person to help. Consider signing up for a regular service that fixes your printers when they break. Those companies also update your systems as well.