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Printer test page

Four test prints for a home or office printer: a color test page, a black and white test page for laser printers, a solid color page to find a color that will not print, and a margin and alignment page. Each is a full US Letter page drawn at true size.

Print one, then compare it with the table further down: gaps in a color bar, a missing color, streaks and a shrunken 1 inch square each point to a different fix.

Color printer test page

Colors, tints, blends, fine lines, text from 4 to 16 pt and a scale check.

Color printer test pageColor printer test pagePrinter: ______________________ Date: ____________ Print at Actual size or 100%.ColorsCyanMagentaYellowBlackRedGreenBlueTints, 10% to 100%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%CyanMagentaYellowBlackSmooth blends: they should change evenly, with no steps or stripesFine lines0.25 pt0.5 pt1 pt2 pt4 ptCyanMagentaYellowBlackText4 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 01234567896 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 01234567898 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 012345678910 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 012345678912 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 012345678916 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Scale check1 inchThe square should be exactly 1 inch on each side and the ruler 5 inches long.Smaller? The page was shrunk: print at Actual size or 100%, not Fit to page.012345

Black and white printer test page

Gray steps, solid black, patterns and text, for laser and black-only printers.

Black and white printer test pageBlack and white printer test pagePrinter: ______________________ Date: ____________ Print at Actual size or 100%.Gray steps, 0% to 100%0102030405060708090100Smooth blend and solid black: both should be even, with no streaksFine lines0.25 pt0.5 pt1 pt2 pt4 ptPatterns: each box should look even all overFine hatchMedium hatchCoarse hatchChecks, 1/50 inchText5 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 01234567897 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 01234567899 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 012345678912 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Serif 5 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Serif 7 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Serif 9 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Serif 12 pt The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 0123456789Scale check1 inchThe square should be exactly 1 inch on each side and the ruler 5 inches long.Smaller? The page was shrunk: print at Actual size or 100%, not Fit to page.012345

Solid color page

Cyan, magenta, yellow and black, to find a color that will not print.

Solid color page: cyan, magenta, yellow, blackSolid color page: cyan, magenta, yellow, blackUses a lot of ink. Print one copy to see which color is missing or streaky.CyanMagentaYellowBlack

Margin and alignment test page

Edge lines, a 4 inch square with diagonals, and inch and centimeter rulers.

Margin and alignment test page

What the test print tells you

What you seeWhat it usually meansWhat to try
White lines or gaps across a color barSome print head nozzles are clogged or dried (inkjet).Run the head cleaning or nozzle check in the printer's settings or app, then print the test page again.
One color missing, or colors wrongThat cartridge is empty or clogged. Green is cyan plus yellow, so with no yellow it prints cyan; red is magenta plus yellow, so it prints magenta.Check the ink levels, then print the solid color page to see which color fails.
Faded or patchy gray and black (laser)The toner is running low.Replace the toner cartridge, or check the toner level in the printer's menu.
Streaks or marks running down the pageSomething on the paper path is dirty or worn, often the drum or toner cartridge on a laser printer.Follow the cleaning steps in the printer's manual. Marks that repeat at the same distance point to a roller.
Blurry, doubled or jagged fine linesThe print head is out of alignment, or the quality setting is low.Run print head alignment from the printer's maintenance menu, and pick a higher quality.
Steps or stripes in the smooth blendsDraft or fast quality mode, or a nozzle problem.Choose normal or high quality and the right paper type, then print again.
The 1 inch square is smaller than 1 inchThe page was scaled down to fit.In the print dialog, choose Actual size, 100% or Scale 100, not Fit to page.

How to print a test page

  1. Press Print this sheet under the page you want.
  2. In the print dialog, set the scale to Actual size or 100%, and turn off Fit to page.
  3. Use plain white US Letter paper, and normal or high quality.
  4. Look at the page in good light, and measure the 1 inch square with a ruler.

These pages are sent to the printer as screen colors, and the printer's own software turns them into its inks, so the bars show how your printer handles everyday printing. For the test built into the printer itself (a nozzle check pattern or configuration page), look in its settings, its app, or its manual. To check the scale on any printout, see how to print at actual size, or print the printable ruler.