How to Print a Test Page (and What It Tells You)
Print a test page from your computer or the printer itself, and use the result to tell connection problems from print-quality problems.
- 3 min read
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A test page is one of the most useful diagnostic tools a printer has. Depending on how you print it, it can tell you whether the computer can reach the printer, whether the driver is working, and whether the printer itself is putting ink or toner on the page correctly.
There are two kinds of test page: one sent from your computer, and one the printer prints by itself. Comparing the two narrows a problem down quickly.
When this guide applies
- You have just added a printer and want to confirm it works.
- Documents will not print and you want to know whether the problem is the computer, the connection or the printer.
- Prints show streaks, missing colours or faint areas and you want to check the printhead.
What each test page tells you
- 01Computer test page prints correctly
- The connection, the driver and the printer are working. A problem with one document is probably in the application or the document itself.
- 02Printer’s own test page prints, computer’s does not
- The printer is fine. The problem is the connection, the print queue or the driver on the computer.
- 03Neither prints
- The problem is likely the printer itself: paper, ink or toner, a jam, an error message or a hardware fault.
- 04Pages print but look wrong
- Gaps, streaks or missing colours usually point to the printhead, ink or toner rather than the connection.
1. Print a test page from Windows
Open the printer’s settings
Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners and select your printer. On older versions of Windows this is under Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners.
Choose Print test page
Select Print test page. Windows sends a page that lists the driver and printer details, which is useful if you later need to describe your setup.
2. Print a test page from a Mac
Print any simple document
macOS does not have a single “test page” button for every printer. Open a short text document, choose File → Print, select your printer and print it.
Check the printer queue if nothing happens
Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners, select the printer and choose Printer Queue to see whether the job is waiting, paused or showing an error.
3. Print a test page from the printer itself
Use the control panel or screen
Most printers can print a status, configuration or quality report from their own menu, often under Reports, Maintenance, Tools or Setup. The exact names vary by model.
Use the button combination if there is no screen
Printers without a screen often print a test page when you hold down a particular button or combination of buttons. Your manual or the manufacturer’s official support site lists the combination for your model.
Keep the network report
A configuration or network report usually shows the printer’s IP address and Wi-Fi status, which helps with offline and wireless connection problems.
4. Read an inkjet nozzle check pattern
Print the nozzle check
On inkjet printers, look for Nozzle Check, Print Quality Report or similar in the printer’s maintenance menu or in the manufacturer’s printer software.
Look for breaks in the pattern
The pattern is made of fine lines or blocks for each colour. Gaps, missing lines or a whole missing colour mean some nozzles are not firing. Solid, unbroken lines mean the printhead is working.
Decide what to do next
If lines are missing, follow our guide to cleaning a printhead. If the pattern is perfect but documents still look poor, see how to fix printer streaks.
If it still isn’t working
Nothing prints at all? Work through our printer not printing guide.
Blank pages? See printer printing blank pages.
Frequently asked questions
Does printing a test page use much ink?
A standard test page uses a small amount of ink or toner. Nozzle checks are designed to use very little. Repeated head cleaning uses much more ink than test pages do.
Why does my test page print but documents do not?
If the printer’s own test page and the computer’s test page both work, the problem is probably in the application, the document or its print settings, such as the selected printer, paper size or page range.
Where is the Print test page button in Windows?
In Settings, open Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, select your printer and choose Print test page.
