For an HP OfficeJet Pro 9135e that prints slowly, HP's slow-printing guidance is that certain paper types and higher quality settings slow printing. Print on plain paper at a reduced quality: in the Print Quality field, make sure Draft or Normal is selected for HP inkjet and LaserJet printers, and choose Best or Photo only for the pages that need it. Glossy brochure and photo papers slow inkjets because they need more drying time. Check the print settings guide for what each option does. A wireless printer can also be slow because of weak signal: put the router close, print a Wireless Network Test report to check the signal, or connect by USB or Ethernet to compare.
Large files, high resolution photos and complex PDFs take longer to process, so try printing a simple text page to see whether the printer or the file is slow. Restart the printer and computer to clear the queue, remove stuck jobs, and update the driver and firmware. On macOS there is a separate slow printing article. If a laser prints slowly after a while, it may be cooling or waiting for the fuser to warm. Check that the printer is not busy cleaning or aligning, and that the connection is not dropping.
Choose the right paper type so the printer does not slow for a heavier setting. For everyday documents set the printer's default to Normal or Draft and only choose Best for the jobs that need it. This one change often doubles perceived speed and saves ink.
Differential
Likely causes of “HP printers is slow when printing”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
High quality setting
What separates it Printing is slow because a high quality setting is chosen
How to confirm Choose Draft or Normal quality, for everyday documents
- 2
Glossy or photo paper
What separates it Drying and feeding are slow because glossy or photo paper is loaded
How to confirm Use plain paper for drafts, since photo paper prints more slowly
- 3
Weak wifi
What separates it The file transfer is slow because the wifi is weak
How to confirm Move closer to the router, or use USB, to speed up the transfer
- 4
A large or complex file
What separates it The processing is slow because the file is large or complex
How to confirm Try a simple page, to see whether the file is the cause
- 5
A stuck queue
What separates it The printer is slow to start because a stuck queue is blocking it
How to confirm Clear the queue on the computer, and then print again
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The print quality and paper type
- Whether a simple page prints slowly
- The type of connection that you use, wifi or USB
- The size of the file that you are printing
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedSet Draft or Normal
ReversibleSet Draft or Normal quality in the print dialog, for everyday documents, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Use plain paper
ReversibleUse plain paper for everyday jobs, and keep photo paper for photos, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Test a simple page
ReversibleTest a simple page, to isolate whether the file is the cause of the delay.
Test by USB
ReversibleTest by USB, to isolate whether the network is the cause of the delay, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Clear the queue
ReversibleClear the queue, and restart the devices, to clear anything that is stuck, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Improve the wifi
ReversibleImprove the wifi by moving closer to the router, or the printer closer to it.
Update the driver
ReversibleUpdate the driver and the firmware, since new versions can improve speed, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Inkjet and laser
- Lasers print faster on plain paper; inkjets slow on glossy paper.
- Tank
- Smart Tank printers are rated for high page volume but not photo speed.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models OfficeJet Pro 9125e, OfficeJet Pro 9015e, OfficeJet Pro 8025e, ENVY Inspire 7955e, ENVY 6455e, DeskJet 4155e, Color LaserJet Pro 4301fdw, LaserJet Pro 4101fdw, Smart Tank 7602, Smart Tank 5101.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a simple page prints slowly by USB, the printer needs service
- !If only wireless is slow, improve the signal
- !If it slows after a firmware update, contact HP
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Quality and paper effects on speed.
What the print settings mean.
Setup mode, network test report and router placement.
Installing the HP app and setting up.
The company and its products.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my printer slow?+
High quality settings, special paper or weak wifi.
Which quality setting is faster?+
Draft or Normal are the faster quality settings, for everyday documents.
Does photo paper slow it?+
Yes, photo paper slows printing, since the printer lays down more ink.
Does wifi speed matter?+
Yes, wifi speed matters, for large jobs, since the file must travel to the printer.
Does a stuck queue slow printing?+
Yes, a stuck queue can slow printing, so clear it if jobs wait.
Does the fuser warm-up matter?+
On laser printers, the fuser warm up matters briefly, before the first page.
Is macOS different?+
macOS can be different, and HP has a separate article about slow printing there.
Does two-sided printing slow the OfficeJet Pro 9135e?+
Yes. For a duplex job the 9135e prints one side, draws the sheet back in to turn it over and prints the second, so the same document takes noticeably longer than one-sided. Switch duplex off for a draft to see whether that explains the delay.
Does print quality affect how fast the 9135e prints?+
Yes. Best or photo quality settings lay down more ink per page and run the printhead slower than Normal or Draft. Drop the quality setting for everyday documents and compare the time for a page of plain text.