HP Printers offer speedy printing and reliable performance. So, if they suddenly start printing slowly, it’s a cause for concern. If you find your HP Printer Printing Slow, it can be because of printer errors, faulty printer settings, and outdated firmware. But you can fix all these reasons with corrective troubleshooting. 

Making changes in the printer settings and updating firmware are two critical resolutions you must follow. This article will help you get past the slow printing problem on HP Printers.

 

HP Printer Printing Slow – Quick Tips

  • If you find HP Printer Printing Slow, reset the printer.
  • Turn off the quiet mode in Windows.
  • Boost the printing speed by reducing the print quality.
  • Update your printer firmware.

 

Why Is My HP Printer Printing Slow?

If you are wondering why your HP Printer is suddenly printing so slowly, these are the reasons. 

  • The drivers are outdated.
  • Most of the printing is being put on only one cartridge.
  • The printer server is overloaded.
  • Connections are faulty.
  • Multiple printing commands from various devices.
  • You have chosen the best quality mode to print.
  • The firmware is not updated.
  • Quiet mode is enabled in Windows.

 

Fixes for HP Printer Printing Slow Problem

After uncovering the reasons, you can now start fixing the slow printing problem.

 

  1.  Reset Your HP Printer

Printer errors or failures often diminish the printing speed. Resetting the device resolves this problem.

  • Remove the rechargeable battery from your HP printer.
  • Turn on your printer and disconnect its power cord.
  • Now, unplug the cord from its source.
  • After a minute, reconnect the cord to the outlet.
  • Also, connect the cord to the printer.
  • Switch on the printer.

 

  2.  Turn off the quiet Mode in Windows.

If you don’t like the noise that comes while printing, you may turn on the quiet mode. It is also a major reason for HP printer printing slow in Windows system.

  • On your HP Smart app, tap on your printing device.
  • Now, hit the ‘Advanced Settings.’
  • In the ‘Settings’ section, press ‘Quiet Mode.’
  • Select ‘Off’ followed by ‘Apply.’
  • Those with an HP Printer Assistant should first look for the printer on their system.
  • On the Printer Assistant, select ‘Off’ in the Quiet Mode tab.
  • Tap ‘Save Settings.’

 

   3.  Minimize Print Quality

Slow printing speed also occurs if you have set high quality for specific paper types. If you want to increase the speed, print using plain paper and reduce the quality.

  • Go to ‘Printers & Scanners’ in your Windows system.
  • Click your printer, followed by ‘Manage.’
  • Now, tap ‘Printing Preferences.’
  • Tap the ‘Paper/Quality’ tab.
  • Check that ‘Plain Paper’ is selected.
  • Now change the print quality.
  • HP Inkjet and LaserJet printer users should choose the ‘Draft’ or ‘Normal’ mode.
  • HP Laser printer users should click ‘Graphics’ followed by ‘Standard.’
  • Tap ‘OK.’

 

  4.  Choose Both Cartridges for Printing

In some older models of HP Printers, you can print with a single cartridge. But it will definitely lead to HP printer printing slow. Follow these points to select both cartridges for printing.

  • Install every cartridge properly.
  • Now, substitute the empty cartridge.
  • Also, check ink levels on other cartridges.

 

  5.  Use HP Smart instead of HP Print Driver

If you still find HP Printer Printing Slow over the network, use HP Smart on your computer. 

  • Firstly, open ‘Add or remove programs’ on Windows by searching for it.
  • Find your HP printer and uninstall it.
  • When the User Account Control message shows, tap ‘Yes.’
  • Go by all the instructions for removing the software.
  • Now, restart your system.
  • Now that HP print driver has been uninstalled, head to 123.hp.com.
  • From here, download and install HP Smart. 

 

  6.  Update Your Printer Firmware

HP keeps releasing new firmware versions. If you do not install the updates, the printer performance will decline. You can update the firmware from your control panel easily if your HP printer has a touchscreen. Just ensure that your printer is on a network and has a stable signal strength.

 

You can also download updates by navigating to the HP Software and Driver Downloads page. On this page, check for all the available firmware updates. You will find them under ‘Firmware.’

 

POINT TO NOTE: The HP Smart App also allows you to update the firmware. Just open the app, sign into it and add your printer. Tap ‘Advanced Settings’ followed by ‘Tools.’ Lastly, click ‘Printer Updates.’

 

 

  7.  Examine Your Network Connection

An unstable network connection will make you face printing problems, such as sluggish printing. Ethernet cable users should check whether their cable is linked correctly. If your printer is connected wirelessly, reboot your router. 

 

Take it out from its power supply, and after a minute, plug it back. If there are many programs in use, they may be consuming the bandwidth. It, in turn, causes the network speed to become sluggish and leads to slow printing. 

 

 

  8.  Troubleshoot the Printer Spooler Service. 

Your printer will not print at an optimal speed if the print spooler service isn’t working correctly. It may also be that the files present in the printer’s folder are hindering proper printing to take place. 

 

In order to fix it, remove all the entries in the printer’s folder. Now, use these pointers to stop the spooler service. 

 

  • Hit Windows and R keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
  • After that, input ‘services.ms’ in the text field.
  • Follow it up by tapping ‘OK.’
  • Locate the ‘Printer Spooler’ service and right-tap it.
  • Choose the ‘Stop’ option.
  • After that, tap the button to minimize the window.
  • Navigate to the File Explorer in your system.
  • Here, on the address bar, input the following path:

C/:/Windows/System32/spool/PRINTERS

  • In the directory that opens, remove all the entries.
  • Now launch the Print Spooler window.
  • Tap ‘Start’ to begin this service. 

 

Make Your HP Printer Print Speedily Again!

There are various solutions that you can use to fix the speed of your printer. So, now when your find your HP Printer Printing Slow, it will not feel a cause of much concern. If you cannot follow these resolutions or face any issues, contact an expert HP Printer Support technician.