How To Improve Print Quality

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to print a quality photo or document, only to find that your printer is not fulfilling your expectations. When it comes to improving print quality, there are plenty of tricks and considerations. From assessing the actual quality of your printer to upgrading certain components such as your printer ink or paper type, high-quality printing can be achieved without too much messing around.

In this article, our experts explain some of our biggest tips for customers who are looking for ways on how to improve print quality. Scroll down to read through our list of recommendations and be sure to ask any questions in the comments when you are done.

1. Modify your printer settings.

While extremely common to assume that your printer will just know what type of printout you need, modifying your printer settings before you print will go a long way to ensure that your printer is geared up with the right settings to deliver the goods. From selecting your paper type, printing speed, quality settings, and resolution to even modifying colour saturation, there is plenty of options to fine-tune your printout before you press go.

2. Upgrade your printer.

Printing technology moves quickly. Therefore, your printer may not be using the latest technology and could be rendered sub-standard when compared to newer printer models. By upgrading your printer and ensuring that you buy the right printer for your needs, you will immediately upgrade the quality of your prints. For example, some of the latest photo printers, such as the Epson Expression Photo XP-8600, come with the innovative Claria HD Photo Ink with 6 colours. Now that's a whole lot more depth to your printing.

3. Choose an inkjet printer.

For anybody looking to print colourful documents or photographs, an inkjet printer will be far superior to any other printing technology. Furthermore, a specialised photo inkjet printer delivers even more depth and brilliance. Inkjet printers are better suited to high-quality printing because they use wet ink rather than dry powder that you would get from a toner cartridge.

4. Upgrade your paper quality.

Despite a few naysaying articles, your choice of paper does significantly increase the quality of your prints. While there are other factors to consider such as the quality of your printer and the type of ink that you are using, there is specialized paper for almost any application you want to print. For example, HP photo paper does improve print quality. However, it is not a guarantee as there are many factors to consider. For example, should your printer

5. Use premium ink cartridges.

Not all ink cartridges are the same. In fact, there are many different types of ink cartridges and quality levels. For example, a genuine ink cartridge straight from the manufacturer will improve your print quality immediately over standard and non-genuine compatible ink cartridges.

By using sub-standard ink cartridges, you could be compromising your print quality before you have even begun. Another great tip for ensuring the highest quality from your printer cartridges is to ensure they are stored within cool and dry places before use. By doing this, alongside properly installing your cartridges, you can ensure the highest quality of printouts.

6. Clean your printheads.

As explained in more detail with our printer maintenance tips article, cleaning your printheads will ensure that your printer does not collect dust and small print particles. Over time, when you do not clean your printheads, this collection of dust and printer grime will negatively your printing quality. Just like most things in life, printers both look and perform better when they have had a little wash. But don't actually use water on them!

7. Use the latest software and drivers.

By upgrading to the latest printer software and drivers, you can be confident knowing that your printer operates for the latest updates. Frequently, manufacturers will update printer software and drivers to include new features such as security, calibration, and even bug fixes.

Upgrading your printer drivers and software to improve print quality becomes even more beneficial when you have a slightly older printer. Yes, your printer is older, but you may end up with newer software because of the update.

How to improve print quality summary

So there you have it. Our printing experts top tips on how to improve print quality. As a rule of thumb, following key printer maintenance guides, upgrading your paper stock, and ensuring that you are using the right type of ink for your printing application are the biggest improvements you can make to your print quality. By spending some time tweaking your printer settings and upgrading your software to the latest version, we are confident that you will also see improvements in your printouts. After all, how can you expect love from your printer when you do not show your printer some love back!

If you have any questions on how to improve print quality or would like to speak to our experts about printing technology, send us a message in the comments or speak to us via live chat. In the meantime, feel free to check out some of our other printing guides by using the links below.