Why Is My HP Printer Printing Slowly?

If your HP printer is printing slowly, then you are not the only one to face the problem.

It is a common problem amongst HP printer users. In this article, I have discussed how to solve the issue. So keep reading!

How To Fix The Printer Printing Slow Issue?

Contents

Follow the methods described below to fix the printer when it is printing slowly.

1. Reset The Printer

Most often, a fresh restart can easily fix these types of problems. So, before moving to other advanced solutions, restart your HP printer.

To do so, follow the steps below:

Switch off your printer.
Unplug the printer’s power cord.
Wait up to 3-4 minutes to allow the machine to cool down.
Connect the power cord and restart the printer.

Now, try a test printing. If the printer again prints slowly, then go to the next solutions.

2. Check Network Status

If you are using any network-connected HP printer then you might face a slow printing issue due to an unstable network connection.

Make sure that the printer is properly connected to the router or modem.

If the printer is connected via Wi-Fi, try to establish the connection through an Ethernet cable.

Restart your modem or router, switch off the devices, unplug all the cables, drain out the power, and then reconnect everything.

Restart the PC and the printer and see if this could fix the issue.

3. Check The USB Cable

Sometimes the USB cable gets damaged because of which, the printer may take long to print.

So, physically check the cable and replace it if necessary.

Follow the instructions below to change the cables:

Power Off your Printer.
Unplug all connected USB cables from the Printer. Wait for 4-5 minutes.
Press the Power button for 15-20 seconds to drain out all the power from the device.
Connect the new USB cable and tap on the power button to turn on the printer.

After the device starts, try a test printing and see if the printer is performing as expected now. If not, go to the next solution.

4. Disable Quite Mode

If you have enabled silent mode or quiet mode setting, then also the printer can print slowly.

So, disable the feature following the steps as given:

Launch the HP Smart application from your PC.

Select your device, and click on Advanced Settings.
Go to the Settings tab and expand the Preferences option.
Choose Quiet Mode from the left panel.

Click on the radio button to turn off the Quiet Mode.
Finally, select the Apply button to save the changes.

Now, restart the PC and perform a test print.

5. Use Both Cartridges

If you are using an HP inkjet printer then you have the provision to access a single cartridge.

Try to use both the cartridges while you are having slow printing issues.

After using both the cartridges if the HP printer is still taking forever to print then go to the next step.

6. Change The Print Quality

Paper and printing quality can also affect the printing speed.

Follow the instructions below to change the paper quality:

In the Windows search bar, type Printers and select the Print & Scanners option.

Choose Printers and Scanners option from the left side panel.
Select your Printer and click on Manage button.

Click on the Printing Preferences option.

Go to the Paper or Paper/Quality tab, and click on the Plain Paper option from the Media section.
Adjust the printing quality.
Finally, click on the Apply button followed by Ok to confirm the changes.

HP Inkjet printer – select Print Quality field as Draft or Normal.

HP Laser printer – choose the Graphics tab and then select the Standard option in the Print Quality field.

7. Check Paper Tray And Cartridges

If after performing the above steps, your HP printer is still printing slowly, check the paper tray and the cartridges. To do so follow the steps given below:

At first, carefully remove the cartridges from the printer as the cartridge is fragile.
Wait for some time.
Then gently reseat the cartridges back to the position.
Turn on the printer and check if the issue is fixed.

You can also replace the cartridges and check if this fixes the problem.

Make sure to buy original HP ink cartridges to avoid issues.

Sometimes the cartridges become dry and this can give you further issues. To clean them follow the guideline given below:

Hold the cartridges under hot water till you see clear water flowing.
Use a paper towel or tissue to dry it and then insert it into the printer.

Before starting to print, make sure that the paper tray is not empty and is properly connected to the printer. Also, check for any paper jam.

8. Reinstall Driver

An outdated printer can also trigger various technical issues, so update the printer driver to the latest version.

To do so, follow the steps given below:

Press Windows + R simultaneously to open the Run utility.
Copy-paste or type devmgmt.msc in the Run dialog box and hit Enter to open the Device Manager.

Click on the Print queues option and right-click on your device. Select the Update driver option.

Choose Search automatically for drivers option from the next window.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process, and restart your PC.

9. Update Printer Firmware

HP releases new firmware to bypass printing errors. This not only repairs issues but also enhances the printer performance.

To update the printer to the latest firmware version, follow the steps given below:

There are various ways to update your firmware. These are as follows:

Using Printer Control Panel

Some advanced HP printers have touch screen menu options which can automatically find and install the updates.

Make sure that the printer is connected via internet and the internet speed is stable.

Using Device

If the printer is connected through a USB cable then:

Press the HP ePrint button or expand the setup option under the Service or Settings menu.
Choose the Preferences option from Printer Maintenance or Tools.
Tap on Web Services under Printer or Laser Update.

Using HP Customer Support

You can also update your printer firmware using HP customer service support.

Make sure that the printer is connected to a PC, then follow the steps below:

From the browser just click on the HP official software and driver download site.

Check for the latest patch.
Download and Install the updates under Firmware.

Using HP Smart Application

Download the HP Smart Application from the mobile Google Play Store.
Sign in and sync with your printer, otherwise add your printer.
Tap on the printer image and select the Printer Home Page (EWS) / Advanced settings.
Select Tools / Web Services and tap on to Printer Updates option.

10. Check Spooler Service

When HP printer is taking forever to print, try restarting the Print Spooler service.

To do so, follow the steps as given:

Open Run utility and enter services.msc in the dialog box and hit Enter.

From the services window, find Printer Spooler and right-click on it. Select the Stop option to disable it.

Next click on This PC and find Print Spooler installation folder. Double click on it. Delete everything from the printers folder.
Again, open the Print Spooler service right click on the Print Spooler.
Click on the Start button to restart the service. Restart your PC and try a test printing.

11. Change The Port

If you still find that the HP printer is printing slowly, then switch to TCP/IP from WSD port.

Follow the steps below to do so:

Press the Windows + I simultaneously from the keyboard, to open the Windows Settings.
Choose Devices from the list.
From the left panel, select Printers and Scanners option.

Next select Add a printer or scanner option from the right panel.

Click on The printer that I want isn’t listed option.

Choose Add Printer > Add a printer using a TCP/IP or hostname > Next.

Enter the IP address and port name from the next Window and click on the Ok button to save.
From the next menu, select the manufacturer’s name and device. Click Next.

If your printer is not listed here, then click on the Have Disk option.

Finally, choose a name for the local printer driver and click on the Next button again.

Wait till the installation procedure completes and after the installation, check if the problem is fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

1. Why Is My Printer Printing So Slowly?

There are various reasons why your printer is printing slowly. In most cases, a poor network, damaged power cable, outdated printer driver, paper jam, damaged ink cartridges, clogged print heads can cause the problem.

2. How Do You Fix A Slow Printer?

You can try resetting your printer, updating the printer driver, turning off quiet mode, checking network connection, checking printer preferences, and changing the power cable to fix the slow printer issue.

3. Why Is My HP Printer Printing So Slow All Of A Sudden?

If you are facing a slow printing issue, then check the printing paper quality, network issues, power cable, etc.