How to Print a Test Page on Windows, Mac and Any Printer Brand

This guide explains how to print a test page on Windows, macOS, and the brands most people own. A test page shows you, in one sheet, whether your printer, its ink, and your computer are working together. This guide covers Windows 10 and 11, macOS, and control-panel steps for HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, Xerox, Lexmark, and Dell printers. For Samsung, see the note in that section.

Use a computer if the printer is connected to one. Use the control panel to test the printer on its own, for example when your computer is not responding. Knowing both methods gives you a fallback when one fails. You can also use our printer test page to print a color or grayscale sheet.

What a test page shows

A test page checks several things at once: whether text is sharp, whether each ink color prints evenly, whether lines line up, and whether the printer is talking to your computer. Most pages also list the printer model and driver, which helps when you contact support.

If the page prints cleanly, the printer is fine and the problem is more likely in the application or document. If it shows streaks, gaps, or faded colors, the printhead or ink is the usual cause, and a cleaning cycle is the next step. To check for marks on plain paper without a full test pattern, print a blank page first.

When to print a test page

After setting up a new printer or connecting it to a new computer
After installing a new cartridge or refilling an ink tank
When text looks faded, lines are missing, or colors shift
After the printer has sat unused for several weeks, since ink can dry in the nozzles

Learning how to print a test page takes about two minutes, so make it your first step whenever something looks wrong.

How to print a test page from Windows

The steps below cover Windows 10 and Windows 11. The menu paths differ slightly, so follow the version that matches your computer.

Windows 11

Open Settings and select Bluetooth & devices.
Select Printers & scanners, then choose your printer.
Select Printer properties, then open the General tab.
Select Print test page. If the page prints, the connection works.

Windows 10

Open Settings and select Devices.
Select Printers & scanners, then choose your printer.
Select Manage, then select Print test page.

If the test page does not print, check the USB or Wi-Fi connection and make sure the printer is the active device in Printers & scanners. Use Printer properties to find the Print test page button. The plain Properties option does not include it. If you still cannot work out how to print a test page here, check which printer is set as default.

How to print a test page on a Mac

Open System Settings and select Printers & Scanners.
Click your printer in the list.
Select Options & Supplies, then open the Utility tab.
Select Open Printer Utility, then click Print Test Page.

Knowing how to print a test page on a Mac also helps after a driver update. On older versions of macOS, the path starts at System Preferences > Printers & Scanners. The Utility tab also holds nozzle check and head cleaning tools, which you will need if the test page shows problems.

How to print a test page from the control panel

Control-panel menus change between models, even within the same brand. The steps below show how to print a test page from each brand’s menu. Use them as a guide, and check your manual if a menu name differs. Load plain white paper in the size your printer uses, usually Letter or A4.

HP

Most current models: swipe left on the display, touch Setup, swipe up, and touch Print Quality Report.
Models with a button panel: press the down arrow to select Settings, press OK, then choose Print Quality Report.
HP Smart app: select your printer, open Printer Reports, then choose Print Quality Report.

Read the color bars and text on the report. Use the cleaning option from the same menu if lines are missing. For HP’s official steps on printing a print quality diagnostic report, see HP’s support page.

Epson

Many models: press the Maintenance or Setup button, select Print Head Nozzle Check (or Nozzle Check), then select Start.
Models with a screen: select the menu icon, go to Maintenance, then choose Print Head Nozzle Check.
Windows: right-click the printer icon in the taskbar and select Nozzle Check.

If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, run a head cleaning from the same menu, then print the nozzle check again. Epson recommends a power cleaning only when repeated head cleanings do not help.

Canon

Many PIXMA models: press the Maintenance or Setup button, select Nozzle Check, then press OK.
Some models with a Stop button: hold the Stop button until the Alarm lamp flashes once, then release it. Do not start another print job while the pattern prints.
Computer: open the Maintenance tab in the printer driver and select Print Nozzle Check Pattern.

Look for missing lines or horizontal white streaks. Canon says either sign means the printhead needs cleaning. Replace a nearly empty cartridge first, because a low cartridge can give a misleading pattern.

Brother

Most models: press the arrow key until Printer appears, press OK, select Print Options, select Test Print, then press OK or Go.

Brother’s support pages describe this path for most current models. If your screen uses different labels, look for a Print Options or Print Quality menu that contains Test Print.

Xerox

Press Menu, select Tools (you may need to log in as the administrator), then select Configuration Page.
At the Print? prompt, select Yes to print the page.

The configuration page lists the printer’s settings and model details. It confirms the printer is responding, though it does not test print quality the way a nozzle or color test does.

Lexmark

Press the Menu button, select Reports, then select Menu Settings Page.

Lexmark’s Menu Settings Page shows the printer’s configuration and confirms it is responding. Use it to check settings, then follow the steps above for how to print a test page if you need to check quality.

Samsung

Xpress and Multixpress models: press Menu, select Reports or Information, then choose Configuration Page or Print Quality Report, depending on the model.
Windows: open Printers & scanners, select the Samsung printer, then choose Print test page.

Verify before publishing: Samsung menu names vary between Xpress, Xpress Multifunction, and ProXpress models. I did not find an official Samsung page that confirmed these steps. Check each step against Samsung’s manual for the exact model before publishing.

Dell

Dell’s Windows steps match the section above. Open Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, choose Printer Properties (not Properties), then select Print Test Page on the General tab.

Common problems and fixes

Use this table after you print a test page, because knowing how to print a test page only helps if you can read the result.

Problem on the test page	Likely cause	What to do
Streaks, gaps, or missing lines	Clogged printhead or low ink	Run a head cleaning, reprint, and replace the cartridge if the problem stays
Faded or dull colors	Low ink or an old cartridge	Check ink levels, replace the cartridge, then reprint
One color missing	Empty cartridge or blocked nozzles for that color	Check that cartridge first, then clean the head
Misaligned text or colors	Cartridge not seated or alignment off	Run the alignment utility, reseat the cartridge, then reprint
Test page does not print	Connection or driver problem	Reconnect the printer, restart both devices, then reinstall the driver

If you want to type your own text on a sheet and compare print quality, try the online notepad. It lets you print a page of your own text, which shows whether body text prints evenly.

Once you know how to print a test page on your model, return to our printer test page tool for a color or grayscale sheet.

FAQs About How To Print a Test Page

A test page uses only a small amount of ink. It usually saves ink overall, because it shows a problem before you print a long document.

Yes. Most printers can run a test page from the control panel, so learning how to print a test page this way takes only a few presses. The printer can print a test page, nozzle check, or configuration page from its menu. Use the brand steps above, or check the printer’s manual.

No. Learning how to print a test page first tells you whether cleaning is needed. Clean the head only when the test page shows gaps or faint lines. Frequent cleaning uses more ink, and a few cleanings usually clear a clogged head.

Use plain white paper. Lined or patterned paper can hide faint streaks, so use lined paper only for writing and printing your own notes. For grid work, graph paper templates are better kept separate from quality checks.