An independent reference on home printing and scanning. We don't sell devices or supplies, and we don't do repairs. We're not connected with the former site on this domain.
Guides
Anyone can click "Print." The hard part is getting the page right on the first try, with no streaks and on the correct side, and making sure a scanned contract doesn't turn into a dozen scattered images. Here you'll find guides for everyday tasks at home, from the very first setup to a tidy file with every page of your document.
Half of all printing headaches come down to one question: is the right printer selected in the print dialog?
How to use this section: the advice is written in general terms and works for most home printers and scanners. Menus, button names, and setup steps vary between printers and scanners, so double-check against your device's manual. If it differs from what we say, follow the manual.
Tasks that every home printer or scanner owner runs into sooner or later.
A cable is simpler and more reliable if the printer sits next to a single computer. A home network is more convenient when several people print from different devices. Either way, start with the quick start guide from the box and the driver from the manufacturer's official website.
Many network printers accept print jobs straight from a phone, as long as both devices are on the same home network. Your printer's manual explains how to turn this on; you usually don't need extra apps from questionable sources.
Use draft or economy mode for rough copies, print in black and white whenever color isn't needed, and check the print preview before you hit print. A blank last page with nothing but a footer is the classic way to waste a sheet.
If your device can flip pages on its own, just check double-sided printing in the settings. If not, you can do it by hand: print the odd pages first, flip the stack as prompted on screen, then print the even pages.
Photos need the type of photo paper your printer supports and the matching mode in the print settings. Regular office paper absorbs ink differently, so colors come out dull and the sheet may ripple.
This is where we'll collect standalone Ksvsoft articles written specifically for the English version of the guide.
How Aion 2 guides line up with each stage of progression, which details change with patches, and how to read guide hubs without trusting stale numbers.
Practical raid planning for Final Fantasy XIV players chasing early clears: scheduling, roles, preparation, group options and the limits of carry services.
A dated starter map for Grand Theft Auto VI: where confirmed details live, which beginner topics to expect, and how to judge guides before launch.
How game assistance services are structured across MMOs, shooters and MOBAs, where to find current rules, and a checklist for comparing offers.
How the casual weekly player, the progression raider and the top-end competitor in WoW pay for gear in time, which shortcuts they weigh and where gates rise.
Remove paper clips and staples, smooth out folded corners, and put the pages in order. Crumpled sheets jam in the document feeder, and a paper clip can scratch the scanner glass.
Go over the glass with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. A speck of dust on the glass turns into a line on every page, and people usually notice it only after the scan has been sent.
For documents, choose a universal document format and a medium resolution: the text will be sharp and the file won't balloon to an absurd size. Save high resolution for photos and fine print.
In your scanning software, turn on the mode that saves all pages into a single file. If you place pages on the glass one at a time, the software usually asks after each one whether to add another page or finish.
A simple example: a multi-page contract is scanned page by page, the software offers to continue after each sheet, and at the end it saves everything as one document.
Open the result and scroll through the whole thing: are all the pages there, is anything upside down, can you read the small print? Give the file a clear name instead of the meaningless string of letters and numbers the scanner assigns.
Remove your papers from the glass and the tray. A passport left in the scanner is the most common trophy for whoever uses the device next.
What's handy to keep near the printer: a supply of the right paper, a soft cloth, a spot for cartridges, a switched power strip, and a folder for scans.
How inkjet, laser, and all-in-one printers differ, original vs. compatible supplies, and a scanner vs. your phone's camera.
What to do when paper jams, pages come out streaky, the printer says it's offline, the print queue gets stuck, or scans come out too dark.
Your printer on the home network and scans with personal info: default passwords, firmware updates, pages left in the tray, and recycling old devices.
Answers about this guide, everyday printing at home, and how to scan documents and store scans that contain personal information.
This advice is written in general terms and reflects our editors' understanding as of the review date. Printers and scanners work differently, and their menus and feature names vary too, so your device's manual is always the final word. If it says something different from us, go with the manual.