Resolve Printer Issues for Apple Mac
1 Introduction: Resolve Printer Issues
Printers can instantly go from being lifesavers to infinitely frustrating if they stop working in the middle of an important print job. There are dozens of reasons why your printer may not be printing, which can make diagnosing the root cause difficult. This guide will take you through troubleshooting solutions for some of the most common printer problems, so you can skip the headache and get your printer back on track.
2 macOS: Printer: Select Proper Printer
Sometimes, macOS could simply select the wrong printer.
- Open the document, mail, web page, or image you wanted to print.
- Select File > Print.
- In the Print menu, make sure your printer is selected at the top.
? Are you able to print now?
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Printers can instantly go from being lifesavers to infinitely frustrating if they stop working in the middle of an important print job. There are dozens of reasons why your printer may not be printing, which can make diagnosing the root cause difficult. This guide will take you through troubleshooting solutions for some of the most common printer problems, so you can skip the headache and get your printer back on track.
Sometimes, macOS could simply select the wrong printer.
- Open the document, mail, web page, or image you wanted to print.
- Select File > Print.
- In the Print menu, make sure your printer is selected at the top.
The following illustrations are a general representation of what your printer's power button/switch may look like. Your power button/switch will vary depending on the manufacturer and model printer you have.
- Press the Power button on the front panel to turn the printer off. Wait a few moments, and then press the Power button again. This should restart the printer.
- If the power button will not turn the printer off, turn off the printer by using the power switch at the rear of the printer, if your printer has one.
- Remove the power cords from the power sockets.
- Wait for 10 seconds.
- Reinsert the power cords into the power sockets and turn on the power switch if necessary.
- Press the Power button to turn on the printer on again.
- From the menu bar across the top of the screen, select the Apple menu (1), then select Restart... (2).
Any unsaved work will be lost.
This only applies if you have a USB, or Wired printer. It is safe to skip this step if you are using a Wi-Fi connected printer.
The following illustrations are a general representation of what your USB ports may look like. The location of your USB ports will vary depending on the manufacturer and model printer and computer you have.
- If your printer does not connect via Wi-Fi, it will connect directly to a computer with a USB cable. One end (1) goes into the computer and the other end (2) goes into the printer.
- Locate the USB cable that connects the printer to the computer. Ensure the flat end is plugged into the computer correctly and securely.
- Locate the USB port on the side or back of the printer. Make sure not to confuse it with the any other ports that might be next to it. Look for the USB symbol next to the port. The number and layout of the ports varies by printer. Ensure this end of the USB cable is plugged into the printer correctly and securely.
On Your macOS Computer
- Click on the Apple Menu and click on System Preferences.
- Click Printers and Scanners.
- Select the name of your printer in the printers list, click Options & Supplies.
- Click the Supply Levels tab.
On Your Printer
Every printer is different and the following steps are generalized. For explicit instructions on checking ink levels, consult your printer's documentation.
- Locate the Menu button of your printer and use the appropriate navigation keys to find a Status or Reports section.
- Print a Printer Information or Status page to see current toner levels.
- If it has one, your printer's screen may display ink/toner levels regularly.
- Replace any cartridges that are flagged as being low or in a precautionary state.
The following illustrations are a general representation of what your printer's paper tray may look like. Your actual paper tray will vary depending on the manufacturer and model printer you have. However, most paper trays are made in a similar fashion.
- Slide the paper guides to their outermost positions.
- Load a stack of plain paper with the print-side facing up into the input tray, and then slide the stack forward until it stops.
- Slide the paper length and width guides so that they are resting against the stack of paper.
- Click on the Apple Menu and click on System Preferences.
- Click Printers and Scanners.
- Click Open Print Queue.
- To clear a stuck print job, click the x to the right of the print job.
