How to fix a printer producing skewed, crooked, or misaligned pages

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix a printer producing skewed, crooked, or misaligned pages. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When a printer produces skewed, crooked, or misaligned pages, it is typically caused by a physical obstruction or an incorrectly configured paper tray rather than a software glitch. This guide will help you identify the cause and realign your output to ensure professional-looking documents.

Quick Fix Steps

Before diving into deep technical settings, try these three common solutions which resolve the majority of alignment issues:

1. Check the Paper Guides: Ensure the plastic sliders in the paper tray are snug against the edges of the paper stack.
2. Fan the Paper: Remove the paper stack, fan the edges to remove static electricity, and re-insert it neatly.
3. Clear the Path: Check for any accessible areas of the paper path for small scraps of torn paper or debris.

Detailed Instructions

Adjusting Paper Tray Guides

If the paper guides are too loose, the sheets can shift as they are pulled into the printer. If they are too tight, the paper may buckle, causing a crooked print.

1. Open the main paper tray or cassette.
2. Slide the Width Guide and Length Guide away from the paper.
3. Square the stack of paper against the back of the tray.
4. Slide the guides back until they gently touch the edges of the paper.
5. Ensure the paper is not pushed too far forward or backward in the tray.

Cleaning the Pickup Rollers

Over time, the rubber rollers that pull paper from the tray can accumulate dust or paper fibre, causing them to grip one side of the page more strongly than the other.

1. Turn off the printer and unplug the power cable for safety.
2. Locate the pickup rollers (usually found at the front of the paper tray or inside the access door).
3. Dampen a lint-free cloth with a small amount of distilled water or isopropyl alcohol.
4. Gently wipe the rubber surface of the rollers, rotating them manually to clean the entire circumference.
5. Allow the rollers to dry completely before restarting the device.

Running a Print Head Alignment

If the paper is straight but the text or images appear shifted or "stair-stepped," you may need to calibrate the print heads.

• For Windows: Navigate to Control Panel > Devices and Printers. Right-click your printer, select Printing Preferences, and look for a Maintenance or Service tab to find Print Head Alignment.
• For macOS: Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners. Select your printer, click Options & Supplies, and navigate to the Utility tab to run the alignment tool.

Troubleshooting

Dealing with Paper Jams

A partial paper jam—where a small piece of paper remains stuck in the rollers—can force subsequent pages to feed at an angle.

1. Open all access doors (front, back, and top).
2. Carefully pull out any visible scraps of paper. Always pull in the direction of the paper path to avoid tearing.
3. Use a torch to inspect the duplexer unit (the part that handles double-sided printing) for obstructions.

Checking Paper Weight and Quality

Using paper that is too thin, too thick, or damp can cause the printer to struggle with alignment.

• Verify that the paper weight (gsm) is supported by your printer model.
• Ensure the paper is stored in a cool, dry place to prevent curling.
• If you are using labels or cardstock, ensure you have changed the Media Type in the print settings to match the material.

If you have followed these steps and your documents are still misaligned, there may be a mechanical failure with the internal gears. In this case, please Open a Ticket for further technical assistance.

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