HP Printer Printing Blank Pages — Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

HP printers that print blank pages usually have empty cartridges, clogged print head nozzles, or protective tape left on a new cartridge. Check ink levels first, then run a print head cleaning cycle.

Affected Models

HP OfficeJet
HP DeskJet
HP ENVY
HP Photosmart
HP OfficeJet Pro

Common Causes

Ink cartridge empty or nearly empty
Protective tape not removed from a new cartridge
Print head nozzles clogged from drying out during inactivity
Wrong paper type selected — glossy setting on plain paper
Corrupt or blank document being printed

How to Fix It

Check ink levels.

Open the HP printer software on your computer and view the ink level indicators. Empty or nearly empty cartridges produce blank pages. Replace any cartridge below 10% capacity.
Remove protective tape from new cartridges.

If you recently installed a new cartridge, check that the orange pull-tab and any adhesive tape covering the ink nozzles were completely removed. Leaving the tape on prevents ink from reaching the paper.
Run a print head cleaning cycle.

Open the HP printer software → Printer Toolbox → Clean Print Heads. Run a standard cleaning cycle, then print a Diagnostic Page or nozzle check to verify ink is flowing from all nozzles.
Print a test page directly from the printer.

On the printer itself, print a built-in test page using the control panel menu. If the test page is also blank, the problem is hardware (ink or print head). If the test page prints correctly, the blank output is caused by the document or print settings on your computer.

When to Call a Professional

If the print head cleaning cycle runs but the nozzle check pattern still shows no ink, the print head has dried out beyond recovery and needs replacement. On HP models with a replaceable print head, this is a DIY repair.