HP LaserJet Pro M404dn, HP LaserJet Enterprise, HP PageWide Enterprise - The printer does not print, or it prints slowly

If the printer will not print, or if it prints slowly, use the following solutions.

The printer does not print

If the printer does not print at all, follow the steps below in the order presented.

1. Check the printer control panel and connections.
   1. Make sure that the printer is turned on and that the control panel indicates it is ready.
      • If the control panel does not indicate that the printer is ready, turn the printer off and then on again.
      • If the control panel indicates that the printer is ready, try sending the job again.
   2. Make sure that the cables are all connected correctly. If the printer is connected to a network, check the following items:
      • Check the light next to the network connection on the printer. If the network is active, the light is green.
      • Make sure that you are using a network cable and not a phone cord to connect to the network.
      • Make sure that the network router, hub, or switch is turned on and that it is working correctly.
   3. If the control panel indicates the printer has an error, resolve the error and then try sending the job again.
2. Check the printer ports.
   1. Click the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen, and then type Control Panel.
   2. Click View devices and printers under Hardware and Sound.
   3. Right-click your printer from the Printers section and select Printer Properties.
   4. Click the Ports tab.
   5. Make sure that the printer name listed on the Ports tab matches the printer name on the printer configuration page and that the box next to the printer name is selected.
3. Check the supply levels.
   1. Make sure that the paper trays are full and that only supported paper sizes and types are loaded. Refer to the user manual for a list of supported sizes and types.
   2. Select Supplies on the control panel to check supply levels, such as toner, toner collection unit, or staples. To prevent print quality issues, replace the supplies when they are low or depleted. Refer to the user manual for instructions on replacing supplies.
4. Check the queue and cancel any pending jobs.
   • Windows
     1. Click the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen, and then type Control Panel.
     2. Click View devices and printers under Hardware and Sound.
     3. Right-click the name of your printer from the Printers section and select See what's printing to open the print queue.
     4. Right-click each of the print jobs in the queue and select Cancel.
   • Mac
     1. Click the Apple menu, and then click System Preferences.
     2. Click Printers & scanners.
     3. Click Open Print Queue.
     4. Click the X button next to each print job.
5. Make sure the printer is set as the default printer.
   • Windows
     1. Click the Start button in the lower left corner of the screen, and then type Control Panel.
     2. Click View devices and printers under Hardware and Sound.
     3. Right-click the name of your printer from the Printers section and select Set as default printer.
   • Mac
     1. Click the Apple menu, and then click System Preferences.
     2. Click Printers & scanners.
     3. Click Default printer and choose the desired printer from the drop-down list.
6. Make sure the latest driver is installed.
   1. Go to 123.hp.com/ and enter your model number.
   2. Follow the onscreen prompts to install the latest drivers.
   3. If the installation fails or the printer model is not listed, go to HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads, enter your printer model, and follow the onscreen prompts.

The printer prints slowly

If the printer prints, but it seems slow, follow the steps below in the order presented.

1. Check the computer requirements, paper type, and network signal strength.

   NOTE:

   Complex pages, such as pages that contain a lot of content, usually take more time to print.

   1. Make sure the computer meets the minimum specifications for this printer.
   2. When you configure the printer to print on some paper types, such as heavy paper, the printer prints more slowly. If the paper type setting is not correct for the type of paper you are using, change the setting to the correct paper type.
   3. If your computer or the printer is connected to a wireless network, low signal quality or interference might be delaying print jobs.
2. Reset the printer.
   1. Turn the printer on, if it is not already on.
   2. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you continue.
   3. With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.
   4. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
   5. Wait at least 60 seconds.
   6. Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.

      NOTE:

      HP recommends connecting the printer power cord directly to the wall outlet.

   7. Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.
   8. Turn on the printer, if it does not automatically turn on.
   9. Wait until the printer is idle and silent before you proceed.
   10. Try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
3. If the printer is connected with a USB cable, try using a different USB cable, and then try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.

   NOTE:

   Using a USB cable that is too long or improperly shielded can affect print speed.

4. Check the paper type setting in the print driver.

   NOTE:

   Selecting certain paper types or printing in Best or Maximum DPI quality can slow print speeds. Print with plain paper in Normal or Draft quality for faster print speeds.

   • Windows
     1. Open Printing Preferences.
        1. Search Windows for printers.
        2. Select Printers & scanners.
        3. Select the printer and select Manage.
        4. Select Printing Preferences.
     2. Select the Paper or Paper/Quality tab.
     3. In the Type or Paper Type field, make sure that Plain Paper or Plain is selected.
     4. Click OK or Apply to confirm the changes.
     5. Try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
   • Mac
     1. On your Mac, open the photo or document you want to print.
     2. Press the Command + P buttons.
     3. Press the Continue button.
     4. Make sure your printer is selected.
     5. If you do not see options on the Print dialog box, click Show Details.
     6. Click the unnamed menu at the center of the window, click Quality & Media, and then select Standard or Draft from the Quality or Print Quality menu or slider.
5. Check the print quality settings.
   1. Open Printing Preferences.
   2. Adjust the print quality.
      • HP PageWide and LaserJet printers:
        In the Print Quality field, make sure Draft or Normal is selected.
      • HP Laser printers:
        Click the Graphics tab, and then click Standard in the Quality field.
   3. Click OK or Apply to confirm the changes.
   4. Try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
7. Check the cartridges and then try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
   • Print with all available cartridges. Some printer models allow you to print with only one cartridge installed. Printing with only one cartridge causes slower print speeds.
   • Make sure all cartridges are properly installed, and replace any empty cartridges if needed.
8. Remove and reinstall the print driver and software to make sure you have the latest version.
   1. In Windows, search for and open Add or remove programs.
   2. Select your printer in the list, and then click Uninstall.
   3. After uninstalling the print driver, go to 123.hp.com, and then follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest driver.
   4. Try to print. If the issue persists, continue to the next step.
9. If the printer is connected to a wired or wireless network, check the network status, and make sure the network is working correctly.
   Windows
   • On your computer, check the wireless signal strength by clicking the wireless connection icon in the Windows task bar. If the signal strength is low, move the router, computer, and printer closer together.
   • Make sure there are no additional strains on your network, such as downloading or streaming services. Depending on your bandwidth, these activities can significantly affect print speed.
   • If the printer is connected to the network with an Ethernet cable, make sure the cable connections are secure.
   • Restart your router by unplugging it, waiting 10 seconds, and plugging it back in.
   Mac
   1. If you are using a wireless router, check your router’s documentation or support site to make sure it meets the following requirements:
      • Check the router band: Many routers can operate in both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz frequency bands, but not all HP printers support both bands. Make sure the 2.4 GHz router band is enabled and broadcasting. If the router broadcasts separate network names (SSIDs) for each band, connect the printer to the 2.4 GHz band SSID.
      • Bonjour support: HP recommends routers that support Bonjour, Apple's network discovery software. Connecting with Bonjour is the best way to find the printer and support wireless printing.
   2. Confirm that the printer is ready for the network setup.
      • Wireless network connection: On the printer, open the Wireless network or Settings menu to make sure the wireless signal is turned on and enabled. Make sure the Wireless icon light is either on and steady or blinking.
      • Wired network connection: Check that the cable is connected to the printer Ethernet port and to an available port on the router. The green link light should be steady, and the orange activity light should blink when the cable is connected.
   3. On the Mac, click the network icon in the menu bar to view the network name and status of the connection.
      • If the selected network is not yours (for instance, if you connected to a neighbor's or a guest network), you must reconnect to your own network to complete the printer setup.
      • If the network signal strength is weak, move the computer and printer closer to the router, position the devices away from large metal objects such as bookcases, and move away from devices that emit radio signals, such as microwaves and cordless phones.
      • If the network status is not connected, confirm that your network is working correctly, then check the status again. Make sure a check mark displays next to the network name.
10. Update the printer firmware.
    • For an HP LaserJet Pro printer, go to HP LaserJet Pro - Update the printer firmware.
    • For managed or enterprise HP LaserJet or HP PageWide printers, go to HP Enterprise - Update the firmware.

https://support.hp.com/