Printers are essential for many workplace functions today, from scanning documents to printing official looking ones. Canon remains one of the most popular brands of printers – however, do you know what to do when your printer malfunctions? Do you know how to go about troubleshooting it? In this article, we give you a step-by-step crash course on troubleshooting Canon printers.

Check Indicator Lights
The first step to take for troubleshooting Canon printers would be to check if the indicator lights are blinking in any particular pattern. If so, look up the corresponding error code in your printer’s user manual. If the lights do not indicate anything or there is no corresponding error code in the manual, move on to the next step.
Check that Printer is Plugged in Properly
Check for these common problems that can be causing your printer to malfunction:
- Is your printer plugged in to the power supply?
- Is the USB cable of your printer connected to your computer?
- Is there a paper jam within the printer?
Check that Your Canon Printer is Detected by Your Computer
Go to your computer’s Control Panel and check that your printer is recognized as a device. If it is not, follow the on-screen instructions to determine why it is not being detected and how you can solve the problem.
Restart and Reinstall
You will find out if there is a communication or connection problem between your computer and printer when you restart your computer and try to print something. If that proves not to be the problem, uninstall and reinstall the Canon printer software on your computer. It may be that you have yet to update to the latest version – you can check this by going to Canon’s official website.
Run A Test Alignment on the Canon Printer Software
If the problem still has not been fixed, go to the Canon printer software on your computer and open the “Properties” tab. Depending on the version of the software you own, either click on “Test Alignment” or select “Clean Print Heads”. Your printer will print a test page after that – check if it is printed properly.
Engage Professional Help
If you have followed all the above steps and are still unable to identify the problem, it is time to call in professional help.
Get Printer Fleet Maintenance Services at Ameritechnology
Do you constantly experience problems with your fleet of Canon printers? Have you followed all the troubleshooting steps and are still no closer to identifying the problem? If that is the case, the problem could lie with your printer fleet maintenance. Has your business optimized your printing processes to be the most productive and cost-efficient?
Since our inception in 1984, Ameritechnology has been delivering the one-on-one services our clients need to improve their bottom line, and we have vast experience and expertise in Canon printers and equipment. If you have any questions regarding our printer fleet maintenance services, please feel free to contact us today.