For faded or streaked prints Canon starts with the nozzle check pattern and works through cleaning. Print the pattern and examine it: gaps or missing lines mean clogged nozzles. Clean the print head, reprint the pattern and compare; if still poor, run a deep clean, which clears nozzles that ordinary cleaning cannot. Do not repeat deep cleaning more than needed. If the pattern is still wrong, Canon says the print head may need replacing.
The checks in more detail
Check that packing material was removed and the ink tanks are installed correctly. On print-head-alignment issues, streaks or double images after a jam, run Print Head Alignment from the driver or the printer's Maintenance menu, and check the clear encoder strip, which Canon community answers say often gets dirty after a jam. Use suitable paper: Canon photo paper for photos and plain paper for documents, load the printable side correctly and set the media type in the driver, since a wrong paper setting produces faded prints.
Check the print quality setting: Draft prints lightly. Keep the printer switched off with its Power button so that the head caps and does not dry. On laser models streaks usually mean a low or worn toner cartridge or a dirty drum, and third-party toner can cause quality issues or block maintenance options. Keep each nozzle check pattern so you can compare before and after every step, and write the date on it. If deep cleaning does not change the pattern, stop and consider the print head, rather than using more ink. If the fault is on one side of the page only, note which side; a partial fault points at part of the head, while a fault across the whole width points at ink supply or the paper.
Differential
Likely causes of “Canon printers prints faded, streaked, banded or with missing colors”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Clogged nozzles
What separates it Lines are missing in the pattern because the nozzles are clogged
How to confirm Clean the print head, and then deep clean it if the lines stay missing
- 2
A misaligned head
What separates it Prints show double images or streaks because the print head is misaligned
How to confirm Run Print Head Alignment from the maintenance menu, and print again
- 3
A dirty encoder strip
What separates it Prints look blurred after a jam because the encoder strip is dirty
How to confirm Clean the encoder strip gently with a soft cloth
- 4
Wrong paper or media setting
What separates it Prints look faded because the paper or the media setting is wrong
How to confirm Match the paper and the media setting, so the printer uses the right amount of ink
- 5
Low toner
What separates it Prints show streaks on a laser because the toner is low
How to confirm Replace the toner cartridge, and check that the streaks are gone
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- A nozzle check pattern that shows which lines are missing
- The paper and the media type that you chose
- The print quality setting that is selected
- When the fault began, and what changed at that time
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedPrint a nozzle check
ReversiblePrint a nozzle check, and keep it so that you can compare later, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clean the print head
ReversibleClean the print head once, and then print another nozzle check, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Deep clean if needed
ReversibleDeep clean if needed, but sparingly, since each deep clean uses a lot of ink.
Align the head
ReversibleAlign the head if lines are doubled, using the alignment routine in the maintenance menu.
Check the encoder strip
ReversibleCheck the encoder strip after a jam, and clean it gently if it is dirty.
Set the right media
ReversibleSet the right media type and quality, so that the printer uses enough ink, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Use suitable paper
ReversibleUse suitable paper, either photo paper or plain paper, and choose it in the driver.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Print head
- Some Canon inkjets have a replaceable print head; some have it built in.
- Toner
- imageCLASS models use toner cartridges with chips for maintenance.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models TS9521C, PIXMA TS6420a, G6020, GX7021, GX4020, Color imageCLASS LBP632Cdw, imageCLASS MF455dw, Color imageCLASS MF656Cdw.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the pattern stays wrong after deep cleaning, replace the print head
- !If streaks follow a jam, clean the encoder strip
- !If a laser streaks after a toner change, check the cartridge chip
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Nozzle check, cleaning and deep cleaning.
Clearing a jam on the TS6420.
Remove, reinstall or replace.
Maintenance cartridge.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
How do I check nozzles?+
Print the nozzle check pattern, which shows whether every nozzle is firing.
When should I deep clean?+
When ordinary cleaning does not fix it.
What does alignment fix?+
Alignment fixes double images and offset lines, by lining up the print head.
Does Draft quality fade prints?+
Yes, Draft quality prints lightly, so choose Standard for better results.
Can I dry out the head?+
If the printer is left unused for long.
What about lasers?+
Streaks often mean low toner or a dirty drum.
Can third-party toner matter?+
It can affect quality and maintenance options.
Should I turn it off with the Power button?+
Yes, turn it off with the Power button, so the print head is capped.