The question of why is my Canon printer not working is common on popular forum platforms. It’s an issue that most Canon users experience, and there are several reasons to explain it. Today Canon ranks as one of the top printer brands competing with HP, Epson, etc.
Canon is popular for its high-quality printers. Almost all their models produce high-quality prints making them ideal for home and business use.
However, sometimes canon printers can fail to work as expected because of some reasons. The article will help you understand,
Why Is My Canon Printer Not Printing?
Your Canon printer might be connected but still fails to print. Don’t worry too much; there are several possible reasons behind this issue, and you can easily fix them. Here are some of the causes:
- Paper jam
- The print jobs are in a queue
- Unsecured network connection
- Dirty print head
- Outdated drivers
- You’re using the wrong paper size
- Software incompatibility
How To Resolve Canon Printer Not Printing
Technology can be weird; today, you can control your Canon printer with your voice. But somehow, these printers still feel unreliable and confusing as they were 15 years ago.
Now you know some of the possible reasons why your canon printer isn’t printing. Here’s how to troubleshoot them and have the printer working again.
1. Ensure The Paper Is Properly Installed (Not Jammed)
Most people correctly install their papers, but you should confirm just in case you haven’t correctly put the paper in-tray.
However, sometimes printers can have issues. They can be loaded with papers but can’t grab them. Therefore the printer’s system will assume it’s empty.
You can fix this by removing the paper tray and realigning the papers. The printer informs you when the papers jam in the mechanism.
Therefore you’ll need to open the access panel and remove the crumpled paper. You should use the user manual or get help from an expert.
2. Clear Your Canon’s Printer Queue
Sometimes the printer might have trouble printing because of a jammed print queue. It’s usually because of failed or canceled print jobs. In this case, you’ll have no other option but delete jobs from the print queue.
Access the information from the system preferences and then “Open Print Queue” delete all the old and failed prints.
Alternatively, if you’re using Windows, restart the print spooler. It’ll print the jammed document as if they are in the queue, sparing you from the clearing trouble.
3. Check Your Connection
A bad/ lost connection between your PC and Canon might be the most obvious reason your printer is working. Therefore before trying the most complicated fixes, troubleshoot this issue.
First, check whether the printer is on and there aren’t any errors. If your status light is off, then the printer isn’t on. To fix this, confirm that it’s connected to a working power outlet and switch it on.
Suppose you use a wired connection, i.e., USB between your printer and PC: check whether the cable is correctly connected. You can also try using a different USB port on your PC or changing the cable.
If your connection is wireless, please confirm that the connection is secure. That’s between the printer and router.
4. Clean Your Print Head
You might experience this issue if you haven’t used your Canon printer for a long time. Therefore you should check whether your print head has dirt or clogs. The process is simple, and here are the steps:
- Power off the printer and remove clogged print heads and clean them.
- Remove the cartridge
- Clean the printer using a soft cloth
- Install new ink cartridges
If the issue was due to a dirty print head, then your printer should be able to work after this procedure.
5. Update Your Canon Printer Drivers
There’s a high possibility that the drivers might be the issue. You need to update old printer drivers if you’re still using them. You can do this by visiting Canon’s official website.
Search for your printer models driver update, download, and install from the website.
Try printing after successful installation, and it should work. You can also update the drivers manually. For more assistance and guidance, you can visit Canon’s support page.
6. Set Your Canon as The Default Printer
Your PC will automatically assign tasks to the default printer each time you try printing. Therefore your Canon printer won’t work if you don’t set it as default or fail to select it for that particular printing job.
7. Disable Firewall (Temporarily)
The major function of firewall software is blocking threats from outside the network. However, some firewall configurations or settings might block the communication between your PC and printer.
So, your printer won’t work correctly. You can resolve this by disabling the firewall and then trying to print.
8. Run a Printer Self-Test
Run a printer self-test if you’ve tried almost everything but can’t figure out the issue. It will help you narrow down to the exact issue. Check out your Canon’s printer manual for a guide on how to do a printer self-test.
Note that if the printer’s test page comes out okay, but Windows has an error, you may have a software problem.
But if the printer fails even to print its test page, focus on repairing the printer since the issue is not with the software.
How To Reset Canon Printer
If you are having trouble with your Canon printer, resetting is the best solution. There are several ways to reset your Canon printer, and they’re all straightforward.
A simple Canon printer reset will undo any weird settings and ensure your printer is working normally.
Reset Using Power Button
Most Canon printers don’t have a dedicated reset button, but you can reset them using the power button.
You won’t need special software to reset your Canon printer in this method, yet it’s still quick. The method won’t restore your Canon to factory settings but will solve most issues.
Here are the steps to follow.
- Power off your printer
- Completely disconnect your printer from power by removing power cables from the power source.
- Please wait 30 seconds, then plug then connect it to the power source.
- Power on the printer
It’s surely a quick fix that may resolve any printer issues.
Reset Using Stop and Power Buttons
This reset method is simple, and thus you should try it. Here is the step-by-step guide.
- Confirm that your Canon printer is on and working with your PC
- Power off the printer
- Hold the “Stop” for approximately 2 seconds.
- Continue holding the “Stop” button, and press power for 2 seconds.
- Release the “Stop” button only, then press “Stop” five times.
- Release the “Power” button.
Now the reset is complete, and your printer should be able to work just as perfectly.
Reset Using Hard Reset
The reset option will bring your Canon printer back to its factory settings. It means your printer will be like it was after removing it from the box. Here are the steps:
- Hold the stop button until the printer alarm rings.
- Severally press the “Start” button (at least 19 times). After this step, the printer should be back in its factory settings.
- Uninstall your Canon printer drivers from your PC and reinstall new ones.
Why Is My Canon Printer Not Printing Black?
There are many reasons why Canon printers fail to print using black ink cartridges. The most common is because you probably do not use the printer often, so the ink is drying out.
Alternatively, there might be an issue with the cartridge or a duplicate cartridge. Here are some ways to fix the issue and have your printer printing black again.
Properly Adjust The Ink Cartridges
If you incorrectly set up your black ink cartridge, then it will not be able to print black. The solution is to align the ink cartridge properly. You can consult your printer’s manual for the steps.
Use Genuine Canon Cartridges
You might be experiencing the issue because of using duplicate cartridges. Note that most Canon printers don’t print black using duplicate cartridges. You can purchase original cartridges from Canon’s official site.
Clean The Print Head – Deep Cleaning
You can clean your Canon printer using the cleaning process. Most printers come with a feature that can help fix this issue.
You can check out your user manual to learn more about the steps. After completing the process, restart your printer and confirm it’s working as normal.
Bottom Line
So, why is my Canon printer not printing? The Canon is a popular modern printer brand that allows you to print from your tablet, phone, computer, etc. However, its users usually face challenges like the printer failing to print. The article addresses these issues and offers fixes to them.