Printer Test Page
This is a general-purpose printer test page. It combines an alignment target, CMYK and RGB color patches, a grayscale step bar, a smooth gradient, a fine-line pattern and a text sharpness sample on one printout, so you can spot most common printer problems from a single sheet before running more specific tests. It works with inkjet and laser printers, and you can print it straight from your browser or save it as a PDF.
If the button doesn't work, press Ctrl+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+P (Mac) to open your browser's print dialog.
This is an on-screen preview. Your printer, paper, ink or toner level, and print driver settings all affect the final physical result.
How to use this printer test
- Load plain paper into your printer's main tray (this test doesn't require photo paper).
- Choose your paper size and orientation above — the preview updates instantly to the real proportions.
- Click "Print Test Page" and, in the print dialog, set scale to 100% and disable any "Fit to page" or "Shrink to fit" option.
- Set color mode to "Color" (not grayscale) so the CMYK and RGB patches print correctly, then print.
What should the printed page look like?
Alignment grid
The crosshair and concentric rings in the top section should look like sharp, single-colored circles. Doubled or offset rings mean the print head or color layers are misaligned.
CMYK and RGB patches
Each of the eight color patches should be a solid, even block with no streaks, white gaps or an obviously wrong hue.
Grayscale bar
You should be able to distinguish all 11 steps from white to black. Steps that look identical to their neighbors indicate poor tonal separation.
Fine lines and text
The thin horizontal lines should all be continuous and evenly spaced, and the smallest text size should still be legible without smearing.
Common printer problems
One or more color patches are missing or very faint
Likely cause: A clogged nozzle or a low/empty ink or toner cartridge for that color.
How to fix it: Run the printer's built-in nozzle cleaning cycle, then check ink or toner levels and replace any cartridge that's empty.
Colors or grid lines appear doubled or shifted
Likely cause: The print head or color alignment is out of calibration.
How to fix it: Run our Print Head Alignment test and follow your printer's built-in alignment utility.
Fine lines are broken or have gaps
Likely cause: Partially clogged inkjet nozzles.
How to fix it: Print our dedicated Nozzle Check test to confirm, then run a cleaning cycle and test again.
The test page prints completely blank
Likely cause: Out of ink or toner, a blocked print head, packing tape or a toner seal still in place, or the wrong printer selected in the print dialog.
How to fix it: Confirm the right printer is selected, check ink or toner levels and remove any packing tape, then run your printer's head-cleaning cycle once and print again.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test if my printer is working correctly?
Print this page at 100% scale on plain paper with color enabled. If the alignment grid is sharp, all color patches are solid, and the grayscale bar and text are clear, your printer is working correctly.
Why does my printed test page look different from the on-screen preview?
The preview shows exactly what will be sent to your printer, but the final look still depends on your paper, ink or toner level, and printer driver settings — especially color management and scaling.
Do I need photo paper for this test?
No. Plain printer paper is fine for this general diagnostic test; save photo paper for the dedicated color or photo tests.
Can I download the printer test page as a PDF?
Yes. Use the Download PDF button above the preview to save the test page as a PDF in the paper size you selected, then print it from any PDF viewer — or just use Print to send it straight to your printer from the browser.
My printer prints the test page but nothing else — what does that mean?
If a printer's own built-in test page prints fine but documents don't, the printer hardware is working and the problem is almost always on the computer side: the wrong printer or driver selected, a stuck print queue, or an app-specific setting. Print this page from your browser — if it prints correctly, check the print queue and driver for the document that fails.
Does this work for inkjet, laser and thermal printers?
It is built for standard sheet-fed inkjet and laser printers. It is not designed for thermal receipt or label printers, which print on rolls rather than full pages.
How do I print a test page on Windows 10 or 11?
Open Settings, go to Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, choose your printer and select Printer properties. On the General tab, click Print Test Page. That prints Windows' own page and confirms the driver and connection work; this page goes further by also checking color, alignment and text quality.
How do I print a test page on a Mac?
macOS has no test-page button in System Settings, so the simplest option is to print this page from your browser. If you want the built-in CUPS test page, run cupsctl WebInterface=yes in Terminal, open localhost:631 in a browser, go to Printers, choose your printer and pick Print Test Page from the Maintenance menu. Turn the web interface off again afterwards with cupsctl WebInterface=no.
How do I print a test page from an HP, Canon, Epson or Brother printer itself?
Most printers can print their own report from the control panel or companion app. Look under Setup, Maintenance or Reports for a Print Quality Report, Status Sheet, Test Print or Nozzle Check; the exact name and location vary by brand and model. Those built-in pages test the printer on its own, while this page tests the whole path from browser to paper.
How often should I print a test page?
Inkjet printers that sit unused can dry out and clog, so printing a color test page about once a week keeps the ink moving. Laser printers don't clog this way, so print one when you notice a problem, after replacing a toner cartridge or drum, or after moving the printer.
Does printing a test page waste ink?
Only a little. This page uses small patches and thin lines rather than full-page color, and you can print it in grayscale first if you only want to check black. Cleaning cycles use far more ink than a test page, so print the test first to see whether cleaning is needed at all.
Which paper size should I choose?
Choose the size that is loaded in your printer: A4 is standard in most countries, Letter in the US and Canada. The test scales to the page, so every size shows the same patterns, and A3, Legal and A5 are available if your printer supports them.
What is the difference between a printer test page and a nozzle check?
A test page checks overall output: color, alignment, grayscale and text. A nozzle check zeroes in on whether the nozzles for each ink are firing, using a fine-line pattern per color. Print the test page first, and if a color is missing or streaky, run the Printer Nozzle Check next.
What should a good printer test page look like?
The colored patches should be solid and even with no streaks or white gaps, the grayscale steps should all be distinguishable, the thin lines should be continuous and evenly spaced, and the smallest text should stay readable. The alignment rings should be single, sharp circles. If any of those look wrong, the section that failed tells you which test to run next.
Why does my test page have lines, streaks or faded areas?
Horizontal streaks or missing colors on an inkjet usually mean clogged nozzles or low ink. Vertical lines or a repeating mark on a laser print usually point to the drum, fuser or toner cartridge. Faded areas can also come from the wrong paper type or a draft-quality setting, so check those first.
Why won't my printer print a test page at all?
Check that the right printer is selected and that it isn't shown as offline, then clear the print queue, confirm the USB or Wi-Fi connection, and restart both the printer and your computer. If the printer still doesn't respond, print its built-in status page from the control panel to find out whether the fault is in the printer or in the connection.