In addition to the computer itself, there are many peripheral devices, useful to the user. At home, there is no flow of printed documentation, but sometimes it is very convenient, without leaving home, to fill out an application, print out a coursework or a photo from vacation. It is not enough to buy a printer and connect it to the computer correctly. To use all its functions 100%, you need to configure, install drivers, software from disk.
Turn on your computer and wait until it boots completely. Connect the printer to the power supply, connect the printer to the computer via a USB cable, and turn it on. The operating system will immediately respond and begin scanning the new device. The process will end with a message indicating that the device is ready for use. Maybe the printer driver will be found by the system automatically, but for high-quality operation of the printer it is better to install “native” drivers from the disk supplied with it. The disk is missing or damaged - look for drivers on the manufacturer’s website or on a trusted website. Place the driver disc in your CD drive. The software will start automatically. The Installation Wizard window will open. If the autorun file does not work, run the “Setup Wizard” manually. Open the “My Computer” folder, right-click on the “CD|DVD” drive name, and select “Open” from the list of commands. Find and run the “AutoRun.exe” file. The Installation Wizard will definitely work. Typically, the program interface is designed so that an ordinary user can easily understand and perform all the printer settings. Follow the instructions on the screen. After installing the driver, try printing a test page. Open any text document, in the “File” menu, click the “Print” command. The document will not print immediately. First, make additional print settings - specify the parameters: range of pages or all pages, number of copies, color printing or black and white, and so on. If you decide to print photos, then buy a set of photo paper. The paper can be matte or glossy, of different densities. To ensure high-quality photos, click on the “Properties” button in the printer settings window and change the parameter values as desired. Set the print quality, the required paper size, if it is different from “A4”, and the paper type (plain paper, photo paper, glossy photo paper, ...), sheet orientation (portrait, landscape). It is very important to set the Print Quality setting correctly. If this is a trial option, then choose fast printing and only black ink. After reviewing the “draft”, make the necessary adjustments and then print the document, setting the quality to “Best” or “High”. To use ink more economically, just set the print quality to “Normal”. For printing photographs, the most practical option is semi-gloss photo paper. When finished setting up printing, click “OK”.Without additional settings, you can send an open document for printing using the key combination “Ctrl+P”. In the same way, you can print a web page on the Internet: “Ctrl+P”, select “Print…” from the “File” menu, select a fragment of the page, copy the contents to the memory buffer - “Ctrl+C”, paste it onto a sheet in a text editor - "Ctrl+V". Print as a regular document.
Regardless of whether the printer is inkjet or laser, there are uniform rules for use. Firstly, you shouldn’t put anything in the paper tray that shouldn’t be there. Frequent visitors to service centers are printers whose trays have been loaded with sheets connected with paper clips or a stapler.
Secondly, you cannot load more sheets into the paper tray than are allowed by the design of the device. Modern printer models often have graphic or design limiters on the amount of paper. If the tray is overloaded, this will lead to premature failure of the printer, which cannot be allowed.
There are other requirements for using printers, which can be found out by reading the instructions for use of a particular model. If there is none, then you can download it from the manufacturer’s official website, knowing the printer model.
Particular attention should be paid to printer drivers. If you don't have them, you'll have to get them from the manufacturer's website. You should not download them from third-party sites, as malware is distributed under the guise of drivers.
Printing documents
To ensure acceptable print quality, you must follow a number of simple rules. The first is to print as few documents as possible, the pages of which consist entirely of graphic images. For example, this is a photograph stretched across an entire A4 sheet. If you do not try to adhere to this rule, the photodrum will very soon fail.Second, do not overload the printer's print queue. This may lead to errors within documents. A typical small-sized home printer is not designed to withstand increased loads. If you use it extensively every day, the moving parts inside the printer will be subject to excessive wear.
Third, monitor the amount and condition of ink and toner in the printer cartridges. This is especially true for inkjet models, since the cartridges in them have a small volume. If the printer is under warranty, you will need to buy new cartridges, otherwise warranty service will be denied. The same applies to laser printers.
There are two types of cartridges - original and analogues. They vary in both quality and price. Of course, it is better to use original ones, but if the budget is limited, then analogues will do.
Fourth, it is best to leave refilling cartridges to specialists. If a beginner takes on the job, he can easily damage the cartridge, which will make it impossible to use it again. Refilling is allowed only after the printer warranty period has expired. If a beginner still decides to refill the printer himself, thematic forums where experts and amateurs share their experience can help him with this.
Now more and more users are purchasing printers and MFPs for home use. Canon is considered one of the largest companies producing such products. Their devices are distinguished by ease of use, reliability and wide functionality. In today's article you can learn the basic rules for working with devices from the manufacturer mentioned above.
Most novice users do not quite understand how to properly handle printing equipment. We will try to help you figure it out, tell you about the tools and configuration. If you are just planning to purchase a printer, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the recommendations presented in the material at the link below.
Connection
Of course, first of all you need to configure the connection. Almost all Canon peripherals are connected via a USB cable, but there are also models that can be connected via wireless network. This procedure is identical for products from different manufacturers, so you will find detailed instructions below.
Installing drivers
The next point is the mandatory installation of software for your product. Thanks to the drivers, it will be able to function correctly with the operating system, and additional utilities will be supplied to make interaction with the device easier. There are a total of five available methods for searching and downloading software. Read more about them in the material below:
Printing documents
The main task of a printer is to print files. Therefore, we decided to immediately talk about this in detail. I would like to pay special attention to the functions "Quick configuration". It is present in the hardware driver settings and allows you to create an optimal profile by setting the appropriate parameters. Working with this tool looks like this:
There is a list of commonly used parameters here, for example "Photo printing" or "Envelope". Define one of these profiles to automatically apply the configuration. You can also manually enter the loaded paper type, size, and orientation. It is also worth making sure that the print quality has not been switched to economy mode - because of this, documents are printed in poor quality. After selecting your settings, don't forget to apply the changes.
Read more about printing projects in various formats in our other materials below. There you will find configuration guides for the file, driver, text and graphic editors.
Scanning
A sufficient number of peripheral models from Canon are equipped with a scanner. It allows you to create digital copies of documents or photographs and saves them on your computer. After scanning, you can transfer the image, edit and print it. The procedure is performed via standard Windows tool and looks like this:
Check out other scanning methods in our articles.
My Image Garden
Canon has a proprietary application that allows you to work with documents and images, print in non-standard formats and create your own projects. It is supported by almost all models that are present on the official website. The program is downloaded together with the driver package or separately on the printer software download page. Let's look at some examples in My Image Garden:
Another unique feature that is not found in standard means printing in Windows is to create labels for CD/DVD. Let's look at the procedure for creating such a project:
The rest of the tools in My Image Garden work in much the same way. Managing the program is intuitive, even an inexperienced user can figure it out. Therefore, there is no point in considering each function separately. We can only conclude that this application is convenient and will be useful to many owners of Canon printing equipment.
Service
Above, we looked at the basic capabilities of the product, but do not forget that it is regularly necessary to carry out equipment maintenance in order to correct errors, improve print quality and prevent serious malfunctions. First of all, we should talk about the software tools that are included with the driver. They are launched like this:
Sometimes you have to reset the diaper or ink level on the products of the company in question yourself. The built-in functionality of the driver and additional software will help you with this. Below you will find instructions for performing these tasks, which were compiled using the MG2440 as an example.
IN modern world A printer is a technology that greatly simplifies the performance of many household tasks. For example, printing receipts, recipes, instructions, photographs, etc. Using a printer at home is easy for everyone, because manufacturers have simplified the management of functions as much as possible so that everyone can master the full range of capabilities.
Connection
There are several options for connecting the printer to a computer:
- Using a USB cable (local connection). First of all, install the printer in a place convenient for further work. Pay attention to the paper loading and output tray, they need easy access. Remove the protective adhesive tapes from the device.
When purchased, two cables are included with the printer: a power cable (for supplying power) and a USB cable (for interacting the equipment with a computer). Find the appropriate connectors and connect the cables to them, then turn on both devices. Now you need to install the files (drivers) with which the printer will interact with the computer. After downloading operating system will display the message “New device detected” and will automatically select the necessary drivers. The device is ready for further operation.
If the automatic installation fails, you need to select the “Start” menu, “Printers and Faxes” on the screen (in the lower left corner), then in “Tasks” select “Add a printer”, after which the installation wizard will load. Click “Next”. In the menu that opens, select “Local Printer” and uncheck “ Automatic detection" and again "Next". Considering that most computers use the LPT1 parallel port to interact with the printer, we select it in the “Use port” field. Subsequently, follow the instructions that appear on the screen.
When the installation is complete, select “Printers and Faxes” again, and the icon for your printing device should appear in the window that opens. Installation completed.
- To connect a printing device, connected to another computer, first of all, you need to establish public access to it. Then go to “Printers and Faxes”, “Printer Installation” and run the installation wizard. Select the option “Network or connected to another computer”, click “Next”. Through the “Printer Browse” we connect to the required device. Following further instructions, we complete the connection. After the download is complete, select “Printers and Faxes” again; the icon of your printing device should appear in the folder. Installation completed.
- When connecting a printer by IP address (network connection) you should run the installation wizard, and in this case select “Network printer”. From the discovered list of network devices, we select the manufacturer and model we need, and set the name. If you set this printer as the default device, all documents that network users print will be sent to it.
Any printer has many parameters that affect the quality, speed, and color of printing. You can set them as default in the Printers and Faxes component. To do this, right-click on the desired printer and select “Properties”. Explore the tabs that open and install the option that suits you.
Don't be afraid to try or fail. Even if you choose the wrong installation or printing option, this in no case can physically damage the printer. And unnecessary settings can always be changed.
Problems
During installation of a printing device, problems may occur, so let’s look at the most common ones:
- The start page could not be printed. The cable connections should be checked to ensure they are securely fastened. Make sure the driver is installed correctly, try reinstalling it. From the control panel, run the Troubleshooting Wizard, and it will correct simple errors automatically.
- When sending a document for printing, sending to another printing device. Through the control panel, go to “Printers and Faxes”, right-click on the required printer and select “Set as default” from the menu.
- When starting the installation, an error occurs and the installation is interrupted. Most likely, drivers for another printing device are installed on your computer; they should be removed.
- The printer is not detected or works with errors, even though the installation was completed successfully. It is necessary to check that the drivers match the system. They can be downloaded from the manufacturer's official website.
If you cannot cope with the printer installation process, or require more complex settings, it is better to contact a specialist.
How to print a page on a printer?
First, make sure the printer is turned on and paper is placed in the output tray.
It doesn't matter what kind of document (photo, text, etc.) you want to print. In any program there is a printer icon (print) in the top bar. By left-clicking on it, you will proceed to printing.
Sometimes, to change the parameters of a printed document (quality, size, etc.), you need to go to the printer properties. In the well-known text editor Word, for example, this is done through the File – Print tab. Depending on the program from which you are printing and its version, the location of the adjustment positions for editing print parameters may differ slightly. But in general, the function windows are similar to each other.
In the printing properties (parameters) window, you can change the page orientation (landscape, portrait), scale, required number of copies of the document, margins from the edges of the sheet, paper size, print speed and much more. The possibilities are very wide and it is worth choosing each time, based on the tasks at hand. Some programs have a Preview button that allows you to see your changes in advance. Make sure that the correct device name is selected in the “Printer” line (clicking on it will show the available options).
After setting the necessary parameters, click “OK” and wait for the sheet to appear from the printer’s output tray. If necessary, we edit and resend for printing.
Using the HP Deskjet F2200 printer as an example, this video shows how to use the printing device, configure print properties and other nuances.
Replacing and refilling cartridges
Jet printer
Inkjet printer cartridges are filled with ink, which sooner or later runs out and needs to be refilled. In this case, you can call a specialist or try to cope with this task yourself.
First of all, you need to write down the exact model of your printing device. It can be found in the documentation or on the label located at the back of the case.
Turn on the printer and open the cover to access the cartridges. In most cases, after this the block with them will leave automatically. If this does not happen, in the printer properties, select the “Replace cartridge” function.
Grasp the top of the cartridge and pull it towards you and up. Some models have a stop mechanism that holds it in place. In this case, to disconnect, press the latch inward (or toward yourself). Be careful not to exert too much effort.
Write down the cartridge number and type. Show all the data to the salesperson at a computer hardware store, he will help you choose the cartridges you need.
At home, without removing it from the plastic packaging, shake the cartridge slightly, then unpack it completely and remove the adhesive film from the metal part. Insert the cartridge into the unit until it locks or clicks slightly. Close the printer cover. Often, the system will prompt you to print a test page, click “OK”. Make sure the print is high quality. Replacement is complete.
Considering the fairly high price of new cartridges, many people resort to tricks that help them refill them at home, and this is much cheaper.
To significantly save on cartridge refills, you can order ink and toners on Chinese websites. If you have never personally refilled cartridges, ask someone you know or watch some of the many videos on the Internet.
To refill the cartridge you need:
- Buy paints that match its type. For a standard custom printer there should be 4 colors (black, yellow, magenta, blue).
- Prepare workplace. If it's a table, cover it with several layers of newspaper or paper towels. To protect your hands from contamination, it is advisable to wear rubber gloves.
- Peel off the adhesive film on top of the cartridge; there will be three holes under it in the color one. We determine what color each of them corresponds to. We pierce them with a needle.
- We fill the syringe with ink (2-3 ml can fit in standard cartridges of custom printers) and insert it into a suitable hole. For each color you need to take a separate syringe. Add slowly to avoid overfilling.
- Wipe the surface with the holes with a paper towel and seal them with a strip of tape. Also clean the metal plate with the outlet nozzles.
- Insert the cartridge into the printer, close the cover, and print a test page.
Printer ink practically cannot be washed off clothes, and it is very difficult to wash off skin, so be careful when handling it.
If you have an inkjet printer and have to print a lot, it will be convenient to purchase a continuous ink supply system. This will significantly save money and time that must be spent on frequent refills of small-capacity cartridges.
Laser printer
To replace a laser printer cartridge you must:
- Purchase a cartridge that matches the model of your printing device.
- Disconnect the device from the power supply.
- Use the special recess to open the printer cover with a light but at the same time sharp movement.
- A laser printer cartridge is an oblong plastic tube. We take it out by pulling the protruding handle. If it doesn’t give in, we try to loosen it a little, but not too much. If this does not help, you should contact service center, otherwise the printer may be damaged.
- After removing the cartridge, carefully so as not to get dirty, place it on the newspaper.
- Unpack the new cartridge, remove the protective tape (carefully so as not to tear it).
- We insert it into the guides, it should slide smoothly until it clicks. Close the printer cover.
- We print a test page, it should be without defects.
Refilling cartridges for laser printers is done with a special fine powder called toner. It is sold in sealed bags or jars. When purchasing toner, tell the seller the exact model of the printer, and also pay attention to the packaging - it must be sealed. Before refueling, prepare your work area by covering it with paper towels or newspaper.
Very small particles of toner easily penetrate into the lungs and are extremely toxic. When working with it, use gloves and a respirator. Contact with printer powder is strictly prohibited for people who have respiratory diseases.
Refilling toner cartridges can be done in two ways:
- Unscrew the plastic cap from one end of the cartridge. If there is a plastic plug underneath, open it. There will be a hole under it into which you need to pour paint. To prevent it from falling apart, you can make a simple funnel from a sheet of paper. After refilling, close the cap and cap and shake the cartridge slightly.
- If there is no filling hole, you need to disassemble the cartridge completely, unscrewing its parts one by one. When disassembling for the first time, we advise you to take photographs of the disassembly stages - this will facilitate further assembly.
Do not touch the surface of the image drum. This may adversely affect print quality.
It doesn’t matter which of the many manufacturers you prefer and which printer you choose, because the methods of connecting and operating printing devices are almost the same. A careful and leisurely approach to familiarizing yourself with the printer will allow you to master its wide capabilities in a short time.
In contact with
You need to print text or photos, but you are using a printer for the first time and don’t know where to start. Use simple tips to set up your HP printer to print.
The following video will tell you more about all HP printing settings:
If you need to print color pictures or photos, you should set the settings for their size and quantity in the “Select Layout” menu. Then click Next to have the HP printer begin printing.
If the printing device has not been connected to the computer before and you do not know how to set up the printer to print on your own, then use the following tips.
The correct sequence of installing and setting up the printer for printing
Latest Windows versions involve scanning new equipment connected to a computer and automatically setting the printer to print. But sometimes after self-configuration the printer still does not print, and the Epson CX4300 MFP does not copy documents. Why doesn’t the automatic setting of the computer for printing work and why did the device stop working normally? Try setting up your Epson CX4300 for printing yourself.
If the disk is lost or simply stops being readable after a while, then you should download the drivers from the official Epson website, selecting the desired printer or MFP model from the list, as well as the version and bit depth of the installedWindows.
If you want to download a driver for Epson, but don’t know where or how, watch the video:
Drivers for printers from HP, Brother and other companies can be downloaded in the same way; you just need to go to the corresponding official website.
- In the “Installation Wizard” that opens, go through all the setup steps, following the system prompts.
- Once the process is complete, try sending the text or photo for printing, following the above procedure.
For installation assistance, watch the following video:
Sometimes you may encounter a problem printing with a Brother printer, which previously repeatedly printed text and photos, but after a failure or Windows reinstallation The printing device has stopped working.