You are ready to print your important document or your favorite photo, and suddenly your screen shows the message “HP Printer Alignment Failed“. This may happen due to various reasons, ranging from the issue in your cartridges to a fault in your printer software. Whatever the reason be, we have effective solutions to help you fix the issue. Read on to get a perfect print quality without failure.
Table of Contents
Why My HP Printer Alignment Failed?
Although there can be many causes for misalignment, the most common of them are given below.
- One reason why your HP Printer alignment failed can be that your ink cartridges are not genuine and faulty.
- Another likely cause may be that the printhead of your machine is unclean.
- Sometimes, the printhead of your HP device may get clogged by extra ink around the nozzle area.
- Installing ink cartridges in the wrong way may result in this error.
- Make sure that you are using the ink cartridges recommended by HP only.
- Bits of paper stuck in your printer can also lead to this problem.
- If you print multiple pages at once, this issue may show up more often.
- Misalignment may also occur after any physical damage to your HP printer.
How To Fix The Misalignment Issue?
Perform the following tasks if your HP Printer alignment failed. After every method, check if the issue is resolved or not.
Method 1: Reset Your Printer
Probably, you are getting the error message due to some fault in the setting of the printer. Follow these simple reset steps to help your HP printer realign itself.
- In case your HP printer has a rechargeable battery, remove it first.
- Keeping the printer on, disconnect the power cable from the device as well as from the source.
- Leave your printing machine as it is for at least 60 seconds.
- Connect the power cord to the wall outlet and the HP printer again.
- Turn on the printer to see if it still shows the same error.
Method 2: Check The Alignment
Follow the below-given steps to align the printhead and cartridges in your printer. If everything is properly aligned, you will get a good print quality without any faded ink traces.
- Input plain white paper in your printer’s tray.
- Adjust the paper and see that the printhead is not clogged.
- Make sure that the ink level of your cartridge is not low. In that case, replace low or empty cartridges.
- Print the alignment page and check for any errors.
Method 3: Clean Your Printer’s Printheads or Cartridges
- Automatic Way
The auto-clean method is mainly used to remove streaks, lines, or smudges on the printed pages. Try using some cleaning tool given in the HP Printer Assistant to resolve the issue. Once done, observe the page that you have printed. If the problem persists, move on to the manual way.
- Manual Way
Take out the printhead or cartridge, and wipe it with a wet towel. Make sure that you use distilled lukewarm water for it. Dry the parts using a dry towel and put them in place. Avoid keeping the parts exposed for a long time.
Method 4: Remove paper bits
Fix the alignment by removing the bits of paper that have stuck into your HP printer. Check the cover and inside parts for any jammed paper or debris. Remove it gently and place back the parts that have been detached.
Method 5: Replace the damaged parts
Defects in the printhead or cartridges may also result in misalignment. In such a case, prefer replacing the damaged part. Make sure to go for HP recommended products or you may end up with the same problem again.
Conclusion
Misalignment of your HP printer may degrade the print quality of the pages. There can be many reasons why your HP printer alignment failed. To fix the issue, always reset your device. Keep checking for debris and paper bits frequently and clean its parts. Also, protect your device from physical damages and replace the faulty parts. After all the methods have failed, you may always go to a repair shop and get the problem fixed.