Can you imagine a life without modern technology? Living without your smartphone, tablet, computer, Google, Facebook, or Twitter? It’s hard to imagine. Even though humans have thrived and survived for thousands of years, modern tech has changed our lives irrevocably. Imagine working without your calendar or project management software and navigating to a new place without a map application. It’s a scary thought. Yet, we’ve become dependent on tech, which makes our lives much easier.

The smart Wi-Fi Printer is one tech that makes the office or home much more efficient. Sure, it needs hp officejet pro 8620 ink once in a while, but smart printers are effective machines that can handle all your printing and scanning needs. But what if your smart wi-fi printer is underutilized or underperforming? This helpful article will share seven tips to help maximize your printer’s functionality.

Replace the Ink When Required – and Keep a Supply

Inkjet printers work as their name implies – they use jet technology to imprint ink upon the page. This means they need ink cartridges to function and print in vibrant colors. The last thing you want is to go to print something and realize you’re out of ink. This is why you should keep a ready supply of ink cartridges ready to go to replace when required. You can often save some money if you buy them in a bulk lot, so shop around for some handy discounts.

Update the Firmware When Required

Firmware is software used to program and control hardware, such as printers, mouses, keyboards, and other hardware used with computers. It is different from software used on your computer as it is mainly low-level and tells your hardware how to interface with your computer or the software used to control the hardware.

For example, printers require firmware updates when the manufacturer releases new firmware for a device. Your device will tell you, via its native software or control panel, when it requires a firmware update. Don’t ignore these prompts, and keep your printer’s firmware up to date.

Clean Your Printheads

The printhead is the piece of your printer that houses the ink cartridges. Over time, these heads can become clogged with ink, resulting in your printer malfunctioning or refusing to print. Of course, you don’t want this to occur, but luckily printers have a built-in function that cleans the printheads. You can access this through your printer’s touch menu under the settings or maintenance heading. Navigate to this, and initiate a printhead clean every so often to keep your printer functioning in prime condition.

Use The Best Print Settings for the Job

If you want a perfect print, it’s about tweaking the printer settings when you print a job. This will be in the properties menu of your print page when you click print. From here, you can select if you want full color or greyscale, print quality, double-sided printing, and more. Then, tweak the settings to make the most of your smart wi-fi printer.

Use Your Printer Regularly

This tip might be counter-intuitive, but regular use will help keep your print heads clean and dry. Otherwise, you can run the risk of drying up your ink cartridges. So, instead of printing at the office, try to use your home printer more often.

Dust Your Printer

Dust gets everywhere, all the time, as you’d know from dusting at home on a Saturday. Your printer is no exception, and the problem is that dust can penetrate into its crevices and mess with your machine. The best way to remedy this is to dust your printer regularly. You should use a can of compressed air for this; it’s the best way to clean computers and hardware. Then, give it a thorough spray in all the cracks, open it up, and spray the dust. Doing this will extend the lifespan and functionality of your smart printer.

Switch it Off or Use Sleep Mode

If your printer has been functioning all day, it will likely run hot. This heat can hurt your ink cartridges and can dry them out prematurely. Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to replace them more often, and you want your money’s worth, as replacement ink isn’t cheap. You can remedy this by ensuring you switch off your printer at the end of the day. Or, your smart wi-fi printer may have a sleep setting that you should use.