Wondering why your Canon printer printing blank pages? No worries, we got you covered.
It is very annoying and troublesome when you eagerly wait to get the smooth and crisp print copy but end up with blank pages.
Don’t worry if your Canon printer also prints blank pages then in this guide we’ll unwrap everything you need to know!
Canon printers print blank pages due to different factors such as empty ink cartridges, outdated printer drivers, software issues, and clogged printer printheads.
Besides all of this, there are many surrounding factors involved that also have to be inspected.
How To Fix Canon Printer Printing Blank Pages?
In case your Canon printer is printing blank pages, try the following methods to troubleshoot and resolve your problem.
Be sure to carefully implement all practices same as described below!
1. Print Another Document Page
There is a chance that the document file you are trying to print has a problem or is completely blank, which is why your printer is printing blank pages.
To determine whether the problem is with the printer or the document, simply print the page from a different file.
Note: Make sure your printer is connected to the PC and both devices are powered on!
How to Print on Canon Printer?
- Open any document that you would like to be printed..
- Press “Ctrl + P” (Windows) or “Command + P” (Mac).
- This will open the print dialog and allow you to proceed.
- Choose your Canon printer from the available printers list.
- Configure the printer print settings as per your preferences.
- Then press on the “Print” or “OK” button to start the printing.
Wait for the Canon printer to process and print the page. When the page comes out of the printer, check to see if it is blank.
If not, the problem is with your previous document file.
2. Restart the Canon Printer
In case your Canon printer suddenly printed several blank pages, the reason is sometimes related to queued files that were waiting.
This exact scenario happens when your internet goes down while you’re attempting to print, hence adding multiple blank pages to the queue.
In those cases, it’s best to reboot your Canon printer and start freshly:
- Press and keep holding the Power button on the printer.
- Release the button when the Canon printer light turns off.
- Unplug the Canon printer from the electrical socket.
- After 5 minutes plug the printer back into the power.
- Turn on the printer by pressing the Power button once.
Next, print a test paper to see if the device is working or still printing blank pages!
3. Check the Ink & Toner Levels!
Check that your Canon printer has enough ink or toner in its cartridges to print. If your printer’s ink is low, it will only print blank pages.
You can either reach and check manually or follow the steps below that would guide you through checking the levels from the connected computer:
Note: Make sure that your Canon printer and computer are connected and on the network!
- Head over to your computer and navigate to the Settings.
- Locate and go to the “Devices and Printers” section.
- Tap on “Options and Supplies” or “View Printer Status”.
- Tap on the “Supply levels” to check the ink and toner levels.
- If your computer shows a low level, replace the ink and toner.
How to Replace the Canon Printer Ink Cartridges?
Note: Make sure to only purchase the original Canon cartridges for your printer!
- Turn off your printer and locate the ink or toner cartridges.
- Carefully take out the empty cartridges from the printer.
- Remove the new Canon cartridge tape or cover.
- Set up the new cartridge back to the printer at its slot.
- When you insert the ink cartridges, you’ll hear a clicking sound.
If your printer continues to print blank pages, proceed with the next solution!
4. Run a Deep Clean Printer Cycle!
Canon printers have an in-built cleaning cycle or maintenance feature that will automatically clean the printer from clogs, ink built up, and system issues.
So, you have to do the same and run a deep cleaning cycle on your Canon printer to eliminate any possible faults.
Here’s how:
- Click on the Start Menu from your Windows computer Taskbar.
- Type the “Control Panel” in the search bar to enter the settings.
- Click on Hardware and Sound and then click on “Devices and Printers”.
- Right-click on your Canon printer device and press “Properties”.
- Click on the “Maintenance” tab and choose “Deep cleaning”.
- Tip: Feel free to also click on the “Nozzle Check” option.
Within a few minutes, your Canon printer will begin to make printing noises, and after some time, the job completion message will appear on the screen.
Then, print a test page to see!
Note: The deep clean takes approximately 5 minutes!
5. Clean the Canon “PrintHead”
Over time, the Canon printer print head becomes clogged due to ink and resulting in the printing of blank pages.
The only thing you need to do is unclog and clean your printer print head to remove any clogged ink traces, which is fairly easy to do…
Method #1 Automatic Deep Cleaning
- Connect to power and turn on your Canon printer.
- Click the “Setup” button until “1” appears on the LCD.
- Click the “+” button until “3” appears on the LCD.
- Locate and tap the Black or the Color button.
As soon as you complete these steps, your Canon printer will begin to thoroughly clean the print head, and when the cleaning is complete, the ON lamp will flash.
Then leave your Canon printer for about 3 to 5 minutes and after that try to print a test page to determine if it will be blank.
Method #2 Manual Deep Cleaning
- Turn off and unplug your Canon printer from the power.
- Open the printer’s head and take out the ink cartridges.
- Locate and disconnect the Canon printer printhead.
- Unclog the printhead using a clean damp cloth (mild force).
- If the printhead is fully clogged, dip it in the warm water.
- Leave the printhead in water for 5 minutes, then take it out.
- Wipe the printhead using a dry cloth, and let it dry completely.
In case your Canon printer is still printing only blank pages, continue reading!
6. Update/Reinstall Printer Driver!
Outdated or corrupted printer drivers can frequently cause printing issues, which is why they must be updated regularly.
There is a chance that your Canon printer is printing blank pages because of an outdated driver, so updating or a clean reinstallation would definitely help!
How to Update the Canon Printer Driver?
- Click on the computer Windows Start button.
- Locate and tap on the Device Manager options.
- Check for the “Print Queues” section and tap on it.
- Choose and right-click on your Canon printer.
- Tap on the “Update Driver” option from the list.
If your Canon printer still prints only blank pages after updating the driver, try uninstalling and reinstalling the driver.
It’s easy as you only need to select the “Uninstall device” menu option.
7. Update the Printer Firmware!
Sometimes the reason why the Canon printer is only printing blank pages is due to outdated firmware or corrupted data in the operating system.
One of the most efficient ways to deal with such data complications would be updating the printer’s firmware.
Here’s how:
- Ensure your Canon printer is connected to WiFi.
- Click on “Menu” then “Setup”, and click OK.
- Choose the Device settings and click OK.
- Tap on the Firmware update and click OK.
- Tap on the Install Update (if it’s available)
- Tap on Yes and click OK to confirm your action.
- Tap on OK to initiate the firmware update process.
- Whenever the “Update Succeeded” pop-up, click OK.
After that, print the paper and check whether the Canon printer’s pages are blank!
Need More Help?
If after trying all the above methods your Canon printer is still printing blank pages, reach out to Canon Support for professional help.
They can provide you with more advanced tips and tricks to regain the original Canon printer functionality. Good luck!
Quick Recap:
If your Canon printer printing blank pages, restart your printer and print from a different file, check the printer ink and replace it if necessary.
Then run a printer deep cleaning cycle and update the printer’s drivers as well as the firmware.
Check out our blog for more troubleshooting guides!
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Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.