How to calibrate a HP Printer

Knowing how to calibrate a HP printer is crucial when it comes to producing and maintaining high-quality artwork. When a printer needs calibration, it can affect the visual outcome and standard of your work. Perhaps you already own an HP printer and need some calibration support, or you’re thinking of purchasing an HP printer and are keen to find out more about calibration before you make the commitment? Whatever your situation, we’ve got you covered, and have compiled some advice on how to calibrate an HP printer to help.

What is printer calibration?

Calibrating a printer ensures that the inkjet cartridge nozzles and printer paper are properly aligned to each other. This process ensures that colours stay rich, clear and the finished result is of the highest quality.

Successful printer calibration also avoids what is commonly known as ‘device drift’. This occurs when the printer itself and the ink, toner or paper falls ‘out of sync’ with one another. This can happen even when the same consumables, such as ink, are used with the printer consistently.

Printer calibration also involves setting up your printer to conform to a specific manufacturing standard, industry standard or your own business specification. In this case, we will be running through HP-specific printer calibration.

If your printer isn’t calibrated properly, it can dramatically impact upon the quality of your print, which will drastically degrade if this is not looked after.

When should I calibrate my printer?

There are a couple of tell-tale signs that indicate when your printer needs to be calibrated:

When lines start to appear slightly unclear and fuzzy in your printed artwork
If the printed images in areas with colour start or stop before they should
If you suspect ‘device drift’ is occurring between your printer and inks

What is a calibration page?

Numerous HP printers use a calibration page to ensure the print cartridge is properly aligned. This page is used to review any issues with formatting or to assess print quality.

When calibration is taking place, an HP printer will automatically attempt to print this page when a new ink cartridge is inserted into the printer for the first time.

How to calibrate a HP Printer: The need to knows

A HP printer can be calibrated by following these quick and easy steps:

Click: Start
Click: Settings
Click: Printers
Right-click on the relevant printer in use
Click: Preferences
Click: Services
Click: ‘Open the HP Photosmart Toolbox’ or: ‘Service this device’
Click: Device Services tab
Click: Calibrate the Device or Clean the Print Cartridges or Align the printer
Follow the instruction which will appear on-screen

Discover more about HP wide and format printers here.

Find out more today

So, whether you are a small business or larger enterprise looking to find out more about how to calibrate an HP printer, or you’d like some advice, please get in touch today - we’re always happy to help.

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