First use & setup

Prepare the printer and supplies

Unpack the printer and remove shipping materials according to the setup guide. Verify all parts and the included supplies. Install cartridges, bottles, toner, drum, or printhead only as shown for the exact model. Ink tank initialization and laser toner preparation differ; do not shake or pierce a supply unless its manual says to.

Place the printer on a stable surface with the paper trays, scanner lid, and access panels able to open. Keep it level, dry, and ventilated. Retain the carton until setup and the return period are complete.

Load paper that matches the job

Use clean, dry paper within the supported size and weight. Adjust the guides so the stack is not squeezed or loose, and do not exceed the tray line. If using photo paper, labels, envelopes, or thick stock, select the specified tray and media type. Some models require a rear feed or one sheet at a time.

Set the same paper size and type in the printer and computer driver. A mismatch can cause cropping, wrong feed, or poor ink/toner results. Do not mix different paper sizes in one stack unless the printer manual permits it.

Connect through one route first

Choose USB, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi and follow the model’s setup flow. For wireless, use the official app or control panel and the intended network. For USB, connect to the computer as directed; a hub can complicate initial driver discovery. For Ethernet, confirm the printer and computer are on a network that allows device communication.

Avoid installing multiple drivers for the same printer before testing. A duplicate may create separate queues with different settings. Record which connection and printer name the computer uses.

Install software and test print and scan

Download the driver or app from the official model support page for your operating system. A generic driver may omit duplexing, scanning, tray selection, or maintenance controls. Complete alignment or ink initialization only when prompted. Then print a simple document and a printer-generated test page if available.

For a multifunction machine, test the scanner through its own app or control panel, then test a computer-initiated scan. Confirm destination, file type, resolution, and document feeder settings separately. This reveals which function is ready before the printer is used for a large job.

Verify supplies and scanner functions separately

For an inkjet, confirm the installed cartridge or tank status and complete any alignment requested by the model. For a laser printer, confirm toner and drum are seated and any shipping seal is removed as illustrated. Do not touch imaging surfaces or printhead nozzles. Print a printer-generated status or quality sheet when the manual offers one. On a multifunction machine, scan a page from the glass and then from the document feeder if present. Compare orientation, cropping, and page order. A print-ready queue does not prove scan drivers or destinations are configured. Save the tested path—control panel, computer app, or mobile app—for later use.