Printer Hacks You Need to Know. Printers have a bit of a reputation, right?
They seem to work perfectly when you’re messing about printing pictures of cute cats or your brother dressed up a superhero, but when you have a really important document you need to print out as soon as possible, well, the paper will jam or the ink will just not do its thing, snf you’re stick, frustrated and unable to do what you need to do.
But, you know what?
The truth is, most of the frustrations we have with printers come down to not knowing a few simple tricks that will change it all and make our machines run like a dream.
Lucky for you, that’s about to change…
1. Use Draft Mode for Everyday Printing
Not everything you print needs to be presentation-quality.
For emails, recipes, or shopping lists, switch your printer settings to “draft” or “eco” mode.
It uses less toner, prints faster, and is usually more than good enough for everyday use.
2. Print Double-Sided by Default
Save paper and reduce bulk by setting your printer to double-sided printing as the default option.
Most modern printers support duplex printing, and it’s a quick win for both your budget and the environment.
3. Keep Spare Supplies on Hand
Nothing derails your flow like running out of toner mid-print.
Keep a spare set of supplies at the ready, especially for high-use machines.
If you’re using a model like the HP M283FDW, it’s worth noting that genuine HP M283FDW toner is known for producing sharp, long-lasting prints.
It’s a reliable choice that helps you avoid those “low toner” meltdowns altogether.
4. Use Print Preview Like a Pro
Before hitting “print,” always use print preview to check how your document will appear on the page.
It sounds basic, but it can save you from wasting pages due to formatting errors, cut-off margins, or unnecessary blank pages.
5. Organise Your Paper
Keep your paper stash tidy and stored somewhere dry.
Damp or crumpled paper is a one-way ticket to jam city.
Also, avoid mixing different paper types in the same tray; your printer isn’t fond of surprises.
6. Update Your Printer Drivers
Printers often act up due to outdated drivers.
If you’re noticing strange behaviour or connectivity issues, a quick software update can solve the problem.
It might not be glamorous, but it can save you hours of troubleshooting.
7. Clean the Printer Heads (Yes, Really)
Blurry prints or streaky ink?
Don’t bin the cartridge just yet – run a head cleaning cycle via your printer’s settings.
This often clears dried ink or dust from the nozzles and gives your prints a new lease of life.
8. Use the Right Fonts to Save Toner
Fonts like Century Gothic and Garamond use less ink than bold, chunky ones like Arial Black or Impact.
It’s a small change, but it adds up over time, especially if you print a lot of documents.
Your printer really doesn’t have to be a constant source of irritation, not if you do these eight things.
Hooray!
Hope you’ve found our article, Printer Hacks You Need to Know useful.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If you’d like to add a comment or thought on this post, please use the comments section below. I can also be contacted via the online contact form. Keep up to date with the latest news on social media.