Clean the Print Head

If print quality has declined and the nozzle check pattern indicates clogged nozzles, you can clean the print head.

Note:
You cannot clean the print head if an ink cartridge is expended, and may not be able to clean it when a cartridge is low. You must replace the cartridge first.

You can clean the print head using your product’s control panel or your software. See these sections below:

Using the Control Panel

From the Computer

Using the Control Panel

1.	Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.

2.	Press  Menu.

3.	Press  or  to select Maintenance, then press OK.

4.	Press  or  to select Head Cleaning.

5.	Press the  Color button. The cleaning cycle lasts around 2 1/2 minutes.

When you see a completion message on the LCD screen, cleaning is finished.

Caution:
Never turn off your product during a cleaning cycle or you may damage it.

6.	Press 2 to run a nozzle check to confirm that the print head is clean.

7.	If the printout looks good, press 1 to finish; if not, press 2 to run another cleaning cycle.

You may need to clean the print head up to 4 times. You can also turn off your product and wait at least 6 hours. Then try printing again.

8.	When you’re done, press  Menu to exit.

Note:
If you do not use your product often, it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once a month to maintain good print quality.

From the Computer

1.	Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.

2.	Do one of the following:

•	Windows: Right-click the  product icon in the Windows taskbar and select Nozzle Check.

•	Mac OS X 10.6/10.7: In the Apple menu or the Dock, select System Preferences. Select Print & Scan or Print & Fax, select the FAX option for your product, and select Options & Supplies. Select Utility and select Open Printer Utility.

•	Mac OS X 10.4/10.5: In the Apple menu or the Dock, select System Preferences. Select Print & Fax, select the FAX option for your product, and select Open Print Queue. Select Utility.

3.	Select Head Cleaning.

4.	Follow the on-screen instructions to start the cleaning cycle, which lasts around 2 1/2 minutes.

The  On light flashes throughout the cleaning cycle and stays on green when the cycle is finished.

Caution:
Never turn off your product during a cleaning cycle or you may damage it.

5.	When the  On light stops flashing and remains on, you can check to see if the nozzles are clean. Click Print Nozzle Check Pattern and click Print.

6.	Check the nozzle check pattern that prints to see if there are gaps in the lines.

7.	If there are no gaps, click Finish.

If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, click Clean to clean the print head again.

You may need to clean the print head up to 4 times. You can also turn off your product and wait at least 6 hours. Then try printing again.

Note:
If you do not use your product often, it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once a month to maintain good print quality.