Printer is slow to print

Symptoms

• Pages take much longer than usual to print
• Large documents or photos are especially slow
• Print speed dropped noticeably compared to before
• Delay before the printer even starts, then prints normally

Likely causes

• CommonPrint quality set higher than needed (e.g. 'Best' or 'Photo' mode)Higher quality settings process and print much more slowly than 'Draft' or 'Normal' modes.
• CommonLarge or complex file (high-res images, many pages)Big files take longer to process and send, especially over Wi-Fi.
• CommonWireless connection is slow or weakA weak Wi-Fi signal slows down how fast the print data reaches the printer.
• PossiblePrint spooler processing a backlogIf several jobs were queued, the printer works through them in order, which can look like one job is 'slow.'
• PossiblePrinter's internal memory is limited for the file sizeComplex documents can be slow if they exceed the printer's onboard memory and need to be processed in smaller chunks.

What to do

1. Lower the print quality setting from 'Best'/'Photo' to 'Normal' or 'Draft' for everyday documents.
2. Check the print queue to see if the current job is stuck behind several other queued jobs.
3. If using Wi-Fi, check signal strength and consider moving the printer closer to the router or switching to USB/Ethernet.
4. For large photo or graphic-heavy documents, expect longer print times as normal rather than a fault.
5. Restart the printer and computer to clear any temporary slowdown from a backlog or memory issue.
6. Update the printer driver and firmware, since performance improvements are sometimes included in updates.
7. Split very large documents into smaller batches if printing dozens of pages at once causes excessive slowdown.

Tools and parts

• None

When to call a pro

Slow printing is rarely something to have professionally repaired; if speed is dramatically worse than the printer's rated pages-per-minute even in Draft mode with a good connection, contact the manufacturer's support.

Safety