Canon printer model troubleshooting

Canon printers: imageCLASS lasers and PIXMA inkjets

Canon's office printers are the imageCLASS laser models, such as the MF455dw, a fast black and white laser with scanning and automatic two-sided printing, while its home printers are the PIXMA inkjets. Faults on the lasers are usually about the connection, the driver, paper handling and consumables, and on the inkjets about clogged print heads, ink and Wi-Fi. A Canon printer that stops printing is rarely broken; the control panel nearly always shows a message that says why.

Duplex printing is a good example. The driver must be told that the duplex unit is installed, the program and the driver must both ask for two-sided printing, the paper has to be a size and weight the return path can carry, and the binding edge must match the document, or the back will print upside down. A jam message with the path clear usually means a torn scrap or damp paper somewhere along the way, so open the rear cover and check. For network problems, print a configuration page and compare the address with the one the computer uses.

Canon's drivers and firmware are on its support site, and a printer that has been working for years benefits from an update. For print quality, run the cleaning and nozzle checks the machine offers before replacing consumables, and use the paper type setting that matches the stock. Our model page for your printer gives the steps that fit its screen and buttons. Keep the model and serial numbers ready for Canon support.