Blank pages coming out when printing

Issue description

Index of possible solutions:

• Redistribute the toner in the toner cartridge
• Try a different toner cartridge
• Check the paper and paper tray guides for correct loading
• Check the Blank Pages and  Separator Sheets settings
• Check the Toner Darkness and Brightness settings

Solution

The toner cartridge is low on toner: Redistribute the toner in the cartridge

In most cases, the cause of the issue is that the toner cartridge is low on toner, especially if the printer is also displaying a Toner Low message. As a temporary solution, you can try redistributing the remaining toner in the cartridge.

1. Remove the toner cartridge. It can be accessed by opening the upper front cover of the printer.



2. Lightly shake the toner cartridge back and forth to redistribute any remaining toner. 



3. Reinstall the toner cartridge and try printing again.

   • If the print quality improves, the current toner cartridge will need to be replaced soon. The number of pages that you will be able to print with acceptable quality will vary, depending on factors like paper size, darkness settings, and toner coverage per page.
   • If the print quality does not improve, continue with the suggestions below

Try a different toner cartridge

If shaking the toner cartridge does not help, the toner cartridge may need to be replaced.

1. Power off the printer and remove the current toner cartridge.



2. Install a different toner cartridge into the printer. Choose from one of the following methods.

   • Replace the current toner cartridge with a brand new one, if you have one available.
   • If you just installed the toner cartridge that is currently in the printer, reinstall the old cartridge you removed when you installed the new one (if possible).
   • Install a working toner cartridge from another Lexmark printer of the same model.


3. Power the printer back on.



4. Try printing again. Print 10 to 20 pages to see if the print quality improves. If a different toner cartridge corrects the issue, the printer is fine and the problem is with the first cartridge. Please carry out the following checks on the cartridge:

   • Confirm that you are using an original Lexmark brand toner cartridge. If a third-party cartridge is causing this issue, please contact the point of purchase to have the cartridge replaced. 
   • Confirm that the toner cartridge has not been refilled or reworked in any way. Refilling the toner cartridge can damage it, leading to print quality issues of this kind. If the cartridge has been refilled or reworked, contact the place where it was refilled to have it replaced.
   • If this is an original Lexmark toner cartridge, inspect it for any damage or defects. If you notice any damage to the cartridge or loose parts on it, please contact Lexmark Technical Support. The cartridge may be eligible for replacement, depending on how old or used it is.

   Note: If the toner cartridge does not appear to be damaged, but is relatively new or unused, it may still be eligible for replacement. Please contact the point of purchase first as they may have a replacement policy. If the cartridge was purchased directly from Lexmark, contact Lexmark using the phone number or address you used to order the cartridge.



5. If the issue occurs on more than one toner cartridge, continue with the suggestions below.

Check the paper and paper tray guides for correct loading

The sheets of paper may be sticking together in the tray. To eliminate this as a possible cause of the issue, perform the following:

1. Remove the paper from all of the paper trays.



2. Flex the sheets of paper back and forth to loosen them.



3. Straighten the edges on a level surface.



4. When reloading the paper back into the tray(s), make sure the that the side and rear paper guides are set in the correct position.

Note: If the paper is not loaded correctly, more than one sheet of paper may be pulled at a time. This can result in a blank page feeding through the printer. 

Check the Blank Pages setting and the Separator Sheets setting

The Blank Pages setting specifies whether to include application-generated blank pages as part of your printed output. The default for this setting is Do Not Print. However, if this setting has been changed to Print, the printer will print application-generated blank pages as part of your print job. The Separator Sheets setting will instruct the printer to insert a blank separator page between jobs, between multiple copies of a job, or between each page of a job. Both of these settings reside under the Finishing Menu on the printer operator panel. To check/change these settings:

1. Make sure the printer is on and at the Ready or Power Saver status.



2. Press the button once. This will bring up a list of menu choices.



3. Press the  button until the appears next to Settings.



4. Press the  button once. Another list of menu choices will appear.



5. Press the  button until the appears next to Finishing Menu.



6. Press the button once. Another list of menu choices will appear.



7. Press the  button until the

   appears next to Blank Pages, then press the button once.



8. Make sure the asterisk (*) is next to Do Not Print.

   • If the setting is at Print, press the or button once to get the in front of Do Not Print. Press the to save the new setting.
   • To exit this setting without saving, press the  button once.


9. While you are in the Finishing Menu, check the Separator Sheets setting as well.  Press  until the appears next to Separator Sheets. Press once.



10. Make sure the asterisk (*) is next to None.

    • If the setting is at Between Copies, Between Jobs, or Between Pages, press or to get the in front of None. Press to save the new setting.
    • To exit this setting without saving, press once.


11. To exit the menus entirely, repeatedly press the button until the printer screen says Ready or Power Saver.

Note: If you changed either or both of these settings, try printing again to see if that has cleared up the issue.

Check the Toner Darkness and Brightness settings

The Toner Darkness setting may be too low. Select a higher setting in the printer driver and try sending the job to the printer again. The Toner Darkness setting can also be changed via the menus on the printer operator panel by following the steps in the table below.

1. Make sure the printer is on and at the Ready or Power Saver status.



2. Press the button once. This will bring up a list of menu choices.



3. Press the  button until the appears next to Settings.



4. Press the  button once. Another list of menu choices will appear.



5. Press the  button until the appears next to Quality Menu., then press the  button once



6. The printer will display the current Toner Darkness setting. You can select a range from 1 to 10. 8 is the default setting.

   • If the setting is below 8, use the button to increase the setting to 8. Press  once to save the new setting.
   • To exit this setting without saving, press once.


7. While you are in the Quality Menu, check the Brightness setting as well.  Press  until the  appears next to Brightness. Press once.



8. The printer will display the current Brightness setting. The default Brightness setting is 0.

   • If the setting is below 0, use the button to increase the setting to 0. Press once to save the new setting.
   • To exit this setting without saving, press once.


9. To exit the menus entirely, repeatedly press the button until the printer screen says Ready or Power Saver.

Note: If you changed either or both of these settings, try printing again to see if that has cleared up the issue.