A supply of the right paper
Keep paper of the weight and type listed in your manual on hand, plus suitable photo paper for pictures. Store packs flat, in their wrapping, somewhere dry: damp, wavy sheets are the main cause of paper jams.
Tools
Tools
You don't need a workshop full of screwdrivers to print in peace. A pack of the right paper, a soft cloth, a dry shelf for spare cartridges, and the habit of saving scans in one place are plenty. Anything that requires opening the case is a job for a repair service: printers don't like curious fingers poking around inside.
The most useful printer accessory is a pack of paper that hasn't spent a year sitting on the windowsill.
How this section works: we describe kinds of items and habits without naming brands or models. Anything in good working order that suits your device and its manual will do.
What comes in handy
A small kit that's enough to keep printing and scanning at home free of surprises.
A soft lint-free cloth
A dry, lint-free cloth is for wiping the scanner glass and the outside of the case. Don't spray household cleaners on the device or reach inside with the cloth: internal parts should be cleaned only as the manual describes, or by a repair service.
A spot for cartridges
Spare cartridges are best kept in their original packaging, somewhere cool and dry, in the position shown on the box. Don't remove protective tape ahead of time, and don't touch the contacts or nozzles.
A switched power strip
Plugging the printer into a power strip with a switch is convenient, but turn the device itself off with its own power button first: that gives it time to park the printhead and finish its maintenance routines. Then flip the strip.
A folder for scans
Create one folder on your computer for scanned documents, with clear subfolders: bills, medical records, contracts. That way scans don't spread across your desktop, and documents with personal info are easier to find and delete on time.
The device's own utilities
The manufacturer's maintenance software shows ink levels, runs printhead cleaning and alignment, and helps with scanning. Download it only from the official website of your device's manufacturer, together with the driver.
Read next
- Guides
Hands-on guides: connect a printer, print from your phone, save ink, and scan a stack of pages into a single file. The article catalog lives here too.
- Comparisons
How inkjet, laser, and all-in-one printers differ, original vs. compatible supplies, and a scanner vs. your phone's camera.
- Problems
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.
- Security
Your printer on the home network and scans with personal info: default passwords, firmware updates, pages left in the tray, and recycling old devices.
- Questions
Answers about this guide, everyday printing at home, and how to scan documents and store scans that contain personal information.
Sources
- Printer and scanner manuals from manufacturers (in general terms)
- Security guidance for home network devices (in general terms)
- Ksvsoft editorial materials
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.