When an HP printer pulls the paper through but nothing is on it, the printer is usually fine. The common causes are a protective tape left on a new cartridge, dried ink in the print head after the printer sat unused, a cartridge that is not fully clicked in, a cartridge HP does not accept, or a document that is actually blank or set to the wrong printer. Work through these in order and stop as soon as a page prints.
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Steps
Print a test page from the printer itself, not the computer. On most OfficeJet and Envy models, tap the gear or Setup icon on the printer screen, then Reports or Tools, then Print Quality Report. If that page is also blank, the problem is in the printer. If it prints fine, skip to the computer steps below.
Check each cartridge. Open the ink door, wait for the carriage to stop, and press each cartridge down until it clicks. Take out any new cartridge and make sure the orange or clear plastic tape and the cap are fully removed. Never touch the copper contacts or the ink nozzles.
Look at the ink levels on the printer screen. A cartridge that shows a warning, a question mark or an exclamation point may not be recognized. Many newer HP printers, including HP+ models, will not print with refilled or non-HP cartridges and may print blank or stop.
Run the cleaning tool. On the printer screen go to Setup or Tools, then Clean Printhead (sometimes called Clean Cartridges). Run it, print the quality report, and run it up to two more times if the page is still blank or very light. Let the printer rest 30 minutes between rounds if it is still not printing.
If the printer has not been used in weeks, the ink may have dried. Leave it turned on (do not unplug it), print one page a day for a few days, and run one cleaning each day. Dried ink often clears up this way.
Turn the printer off with its power button, wait 60 seconds, then turn it back on. Always use the power button instead of pulling the plug, so the cartridges get capped and do not dry out.
If the test page prints but pages from the computer come out blank, check that you picked the right printer in the Print box, and open the document to be sure it is not blank. Try printing a simple web page to compare.
On a Windows computer, remove and re-add the printer: click Start, then Settings, then Bluetooth and devices, then Printers and scanners, click your HP printer, choose Remove, then click Add device. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Printers and Scanners, remove it with the minus button, and add it again with the plus button.
Get drivers and the HP Smart app only from hp.com or your computer's app store. Never call a phone number from a popup, a search ad, or a website that claims to be HP printer support. Real HP support will not ask you to install remote access apps or pay with gift cards.
Common questions
My cartridges are full and colorful but the page is still blank. Why?
Full cartridges with a blank page usually means the ink is not reaching the paper. Leftover tape on a new cartridge, dried nozzles in the print head, or a cartridge the printer does not accept are the usual reasons. The cleaning tool and a quality report tell you which.
I already cleaned the print head. What now?
Run the cleaning up to three times total, then let the printer sit turned on overnight and try again. If the quality report is still completely blank after that, the cartridge or print head may need replacing. On OfficeJet Pro models the print head is a separate part that HP can replace.
Will an HP firmware update stop my cartridges from working?
Some HP updates block cartridges that are not genuine HP or not tied to an HP+ account. If blank pages started right after an update and you use refilled or store brand ink, try a genuine HP cartridge to test.
Is my printer worth fixing?
If the quality report prints after cleaning, yes. If it stays blank with new genuine cartridges and a cleaned print head, a replacement print head or a new printer may cost about the same, so it is worth comparing before you spend money.
Can Ellis help me with this?
Yes. Ellis can talk you through each step by phone while you stand at your own printer, and will never ask for your passwords or bank details. Ellis is an AI assistant, and it will tell you so.
Free human help is at capacity right now. If you want help while you fix this, Ellis, our AI assistant, can help you by phone now. The first 5 minutes are free when you call (928) 272-0355. If you want more time, phone help is $19 one time for up to 30 minutes, used over 14 days. No subscription. Ellis is an AI and can make mistakes.