Laser printer toner problems are common, frustrating, and—fortunately—often easy to fix. Matthew Inman famously captured this frustration in “Why I believe printers are sent from hell to make us miserable.” While that may be an exaggeration, toner-based laser printers can definitely cause headaches—especially if you don’t know what’s going wrong.
The good news? Most toner problems are common, predictable, and easy to fix.
Low Toner Error: Perform a hard reset
Blotchy or Faded Prints: Gently rock the toner cartridge
Fuser Errors (50.2, 50.3, etc.): Improve power supply, ventilation, or replace the fuser
Half-Page Printouts: Restart printer and computer
Color on Black & White Prints: Replace leaking toner cartridge
Gray Background: Adjust print density or replace photoreceptor
Regular Spots: Check and replace fuser cleaning pad
Inman understands your pain with printers. He’s captured the story so nicely in his famous work titled “Why I believe printers are sent from hell to make us miserable.” OK, you probably don’t share his strong opinion on the subject, but you get the point. Printers, in this case, those that use toners, can cause grief if you don’t understand what’s going on.
Toners are laser printers’ alternative to inks in inkjet printers. If you use a laser printer, then you’re familiar with toners and fusers.
Let’s examine common toner problems you may have experienced or might face in future — with solutions to help you get past the mess.
One of the most common toner problems is receiving a “low toner” warning even after replacing the cartridge. Printer error messages are not always accurate and may trigger due to software glitches.
Perform a hard reset on your printer. Reset instructions vary by model, so consult the manufacturer’s support page or user manual.
If you rarely print, toner powder may settle inside the cartridge, causing uneven distribution and poor print quality.
Remove the toner cartridge and gently rock it side to side to redistribute the toner. Do not shake the cartridge, and avoid touching the toner roller.
The fuser is responsible for bonding toner to paper using heat. Without a functioning fuser, toner problems such as smudging, blank pages, or error codes will occur.
Just like other vital parts of the printer — the toner cartridge and the drum unit — the fuser would eventually need replacing. HP and Dell says that the fuser has a lifespan is 100,000 prints. Most consumers wouldn’t need to replace their fusers in a very long time. Albeit, regular printer problems, like paper jams, wears out the fuser faster.
50.1 / 50.8: Low fuser temperature
50.2: Fuser warm-up error
50.3 / 50.9: Fuser overheating
50.4: Faulty fuser
50.5 / 13.20: Incorrect fuser installed
50.6: Open fuser circuit
50.7: Pressure release mechanism failure
Plug the printer directly into a wall outlet
Ensure proper ventilation around the printer
Break large print jobs into smaller batches
Power off and unplug the printer for 20–30 minutes
Verify the fuser model and voltage match your printer
Replace the fuser if errors persist
Half-page printouts may result from printer communication errors, driver issues, or toner and drum problems.
Unplug the printer
Turn off the computer
Restart both devices
Print a test page
Check printer error indicators if the issue continues.
If color appears on black-and-white documents, a leaking color toner cartridge is likely the cause.
Remove the leaking cartridge, clean any toner residue inside the printer, and replace the faulty toner.
This issue is commonly caused by incorrect print density settings or a worn photoreceptor (drum unit).
Lower the print density setting gradually. If the issue remains, replace the photoreceptor.
Consistent, evenly spaced spots usually indicate toner buildup on the fuser or a worn cleaning pad.
Turn off the printer and let it cool completely. Inspect and replace the fuser cleaning pad if needed. Seek professional servicing if the problem persists.
Use the correct paper type
Store toner cartridges properly
Print occasionally to prevent toner settling
Ensure adequate airflow around the printer
Use high-quality, compatible toner cartridges
Inman says “Your printer will always stop working at 3 AM when you’re trying to print out a report that’s due the next morning,” and that’s probably right — if you don’t have this guide handy.
One more thing. If you have unused toners and want to sell, we pay the best market rates, and you don’t have to ever haul anything down to a store, the whole transaction happens online — just let us know.
How do I know if my toner is bad?
You have a bad toner if your printouts are blotchy, streaked, or faded.
Why is the toner not working? (General)
The toner may not be working due to a printer glitch (fixed by a hard reset), or because the toner has settled and needs to be gently rocked.
Why is my new toner not working?
A new toner often doesn’t work due to: A printer glitch that requires a hard reset, Improper installation, or Protective tape left on the cartridge.
What is the common problem of an HP printer?
The text specifies a common issue is fuser errors (like error codes 50.2 or 50.3), often related to power supply or overheating.
Am I supposed to wipe toner off?
No. For printer toner, you should gently rock it if it’s settled. For hair toner, you rinse it out after the processing time.
