Quick Resolutions For Canon Print Head Alignment Not Working Issue

Canon Pixma Pro-100, designed for speed is a wireless color professional inkjet printer with advanced technology and known for its incredible features. It comes along with AirPrint and any mobile device compatibility mode that delivers a borderless print in just 34 seconds as well as bordered prints in 90 seconds. Packed with an Optimum Image Generating System, it logically selects the optimum ink combination and generates colors as you intend. A 4800 x 2400 dpi resolution makes it a professional printer that you have been dreaming about. Furthermore, you can connect and print directly from your smartphone using the Canon Print app.

However, with prolonged use sudden breaches may occur and the most common issue reported is Canon print head alignment not working. The images fail to print appropriately or may not print at all. Usually, all your documents are printed at an angle and these are the basic signs of faulty alignments.

Despite the printer model you are using, all gadgets are prone to technical glitches. Abruptly you might notice that horizontal white lines or unusual patterns of light and dark are spreading over the whole array of all your printed documents. These are the initial signs that you require to align your printhead. If you have never executed the process before and wondering what is it and how you can resolve the issue, then you have arrived at the right page. This article will be able to provide you with a vivid insight into all the essential facts that can fix Canon print head alignment problem.

Why Aligning The Print Head Is Necessary?

In case you are not acquainted with the technical domain, then at first, you have to understand what is a printer head. Typically it is found within the ink or printer cartridge. If you are using a dot-matrix printer, then the print heads are designed in the form of a pin that is meant to strike the ink ribbon against the paper to write. However, if you have an inkjet printer, like the Canon Pixma Pro-100,  then you may find that the printer head is situated within the ink cartridge itself. It is a core element that permits a printer to write, scatter or put ink on the paper. It is generally directed through electrical circuits and powered by a precision stepper motor.

Let us take a glance at the importance of the print head alignment:

  • It helps in the correction of the installation positions of the print head.
  • Additionally, it improves and checks the deviation of the colors and lines.

Underlying Reasons Behind Canon Print Head Alignment Not Working

Before proceeding with the quick hacks, let us take a glance at the causes that prompt such an abrupt error. Have a look:

  • If there is any paper stuck in the machine or if you have forcefully pulled out a stuck paper, then you may find Canon print head alignment not working.
  • Often, after the completion of a large print job the printer may become misaligned.
  • Clogging the print cartridge or improper and low-quality installation of cartridges can also be a primary reason behind the alignment issue.

Now, that you are well accustomed to the underlying causes, proceed to the next section that renders help with immediate effect.

Essential Steps To Fix Canon Print Head Alignment Not Working Problem

There are two head alignment methods that you can employ, either automatic or manual head alignment.

Procedure For Manual Print Head Alignment

This involves watching various patterns for a particular ink channel and picking the optimal alignment. You need to mark the figure of the pattern that uniformly spaces the white line.

Step 1: At first, you need to navigate to the printer driver setup window. Try to locate the Custom Settings option and click on it. As soon as the Custom Settings dialog box appears, click on the  Maintenance tab.
You need to switch the head alignment to the manual option. Check the box just beside the label ‘Align heads manually’.

Step 2: At the bottom of the window, search for the ‘Apply’ button. Then click on it in order to save the recent changes in the settings. Further, click on the Ok button and confirm your action when the confirmation message appears.

Step 3: Again navigate to the Maintenance tab and click on the option ‘Print Head Alignment’. Now, wait till the Start Print Head Alignment dialog box emerges.

Step 4: Finally you have to load paper in the front tray of the Canon printer. You can decide to load either sheet of A4 size or Letter dimension plain paper. Turn on the machine and check whether the power switches are working appropriately. Additionally, you have to click on the label ‘Align Print Head’ and follow the on-screen prompts.

Step 5: You have to check the printed pattern, select the number of patterns from the associated boxes, with the least amount of streaks. Otherwise, you can automatically enter the number in the associated boxes. Then click on the Preview window to view the selection.

Step 6: When all the required values are entered, hit the OK button. To print the second pattern you have to select the OK option when a display message pops up on your screen. Follow the same pathway to print the third pattern.  If this process fails then an error message appears on the LCD as ‘Auto head align has failed’.

Procedure For Automatic Print Head Alignment

Ensure that the power of the printer is turned on and the cables are securely attached to the desktop. In case you are trying to print through wireless mode, then check whether you have a stable connection. Load the paper tray with either a sheet of supplied paper or A4 or Letter-sized Canon Matte Photo Paper.

Step 1: For aligning purposes, you need to load the paper in the rear tray instead of feeding the paper from the Cassette. If the inner cover is closed, keep it open and gently open the Output Tray Extension. In order to print the print head alignment pattern, select the settings icon on the Home screen and press the OK button.

Step 2: Eventually, do the same thing after selecting the Maintenance tab and Auto head align. Hit the Apply button and confirm your action by clicking on Yes. Now, sit back and wait, while the print head alignment pattern is printed and the print head position is automatically adjusted. This process takes less than 10 minutes. This will help you to understand if your Canon printer’s print head alignments are working appropriately.

Alternative Procedure: Print Driver Utility

If you are still struggling with dark lines across your printing pages then you have to perform a head alignment through the print driver utility.

Step 1: At first, you have to check whether the nozzles are clog-free. Alongside check if all of the ink channels are visible. Additionally, check if all the lines are free of breaks. Then note if the printer drivers are up to date so that you can proceed with this method. Now, simply move to the print driver utility and make the necessary changes to align the print head.

Step 2: Launch the printer’s software and select the Utility option. Then locate the “Alignment” or “Calibrate Printer” option and click on it. An alignment or calibration page will automatically print. Finally, follow the directions of the calibration or get help from the alignment wizard. Now, to complete the alignment process click on the “Done” or “Finish” option.

Aligning the printheads renders a perfect answer as the print head alignment will automatically improve the installation. Additionally, it also improves the deviation color and lines.

Hopefully, if you try the steps above, you will surely get rid of Canon Pixma pro 100 print head alignment not working error permanently.

Conclusion

We hope that the hacks mentioned earlier must be enough to help you fix Canon print head alignment not working error. Regardless of the option, if you choose to mitigate Canon Pixma Pro 100 print head alignment fail to work, at first you must choose whether you want to do it manually or get some technical assistance.  You can also go for the automatic options as printers nowadays are well equipped to align the printheads through an automated option in order to save your time. Do not forget to restart your device as well as your computer after employing the methods. This will help your gadget detect the recent changes.

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Nathaniel Villa
Nathaniel Villa
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