Printer printing double vision on Windows computer [Fix]

Sometimes, when printing, you notice that the text looks like it is printed twice on the back of each other, or some characters get printed twice. In this post, we will share how you can fix the issue where your Printer is printing double vision on your Windows 11/10 PC.

Possible causes for double vision printing

Hardware defects and improper printer settings can be the major causes of the said problem, as described below:

• Unclean Printer Heads: Print heads that are dirty or unclean due to dust or dried ink accumulation can be considered one of the major causes of double printing.
• Environmental factors: Print heads are generally designed to operate within a specific temperature and humidity range. High humidity can cause the print to stay wet, causing the colors to bleed into one another. On the other hand, low humidity may lead to overheating of the printer, causing the ink to dry out too fast and leading to errors.
• Mismatched Printer Settings: The PC’s/laptop’s printer settings send instructions to the printer about what needs to be done and how it should be done. If the printer settings, such as paper size, type, or texture, don’t match the paper being loaded for printing, it can lead to double-vision printing.
• Faulty or Incompatible Drivers: Printer drivers are responsible for sending printing instructions from the system to the printer. Faulty, outdated, or incompatible drivers may miscommunicate, resulting in double-vision printing.
• Dirty Encoder Strips: Encoder strips are plastic strips that help the print carriage keep track of its position while it moves along the carriage rod during the print operation. Encoder Strip also sends the signal to activate the print heads while initiating the print operation. An unclean encoder strip may not judge the print position perfectly, resulting in double printing.

Fix Printer printing Double Vision on Windows 11/10

If the Printer is printing Double Vision on your Windows computer, the below-mentioned steps can be followed to resolve this issue:

1. Check Printer Settings
2. Use original cartridges or ink
3. Recalibrate printer head
4. Clean Encoder Strip
5. Perform Hard Reset
6. Reinstall Printer Drivers and Firmware.

1] Check Printer Settings

Since printer settings are directly responsible for the type and quality of the print, checking them to ensure that they are in order can help us correct print quality problems. Bidirectional support allows the printer to print in both directions. However, it may cause double-vision printing if print heads are incorrectly calibrated or misaligned.

To check the printer settings:

• Press the Windows + R keys together to open the Run dialogue box. Type in shell:Printersfolder before clicking on OK.
• Right-click on the printer icon and click on Properties.
• Check whether the settings related to paper size, type, and print quality are correctly configured under Page Setup.

To disable Bi-directional printing:

• Right-click on the Printer icon and click on Printing Preferences

• In the Printing Preferences window, click on the Ports tab, and then select the OFF option in the drop-down menu under Bi-directional Communication.

2] Use original cartridges or ink

Irrespective of whether the printer prints through ink tanks or cartridges, using genuine company supplies can help avoid double printing. It can help us avoid compatibility issues, which may lead to print quality problems.

Read: Printer printing slanted or crooked

3] Recalibrate printer heads

Recalibrating or realigning the printer can help us ensure that the print heads are positioned perfectly, helping us avoid print quality errors. To align the printer:

• Right-click on the printer and click on Printing Preferences after opening the printer’s folder
• Click on the Maintenance tab and click to choose Print Head Alignment (interface or options may vary with make and model).

4] Clean Encoder Strip

Cleaning the encoder strip allows it to position as well as move the print carriage properly by following the below-mentioned steps:

• Power off the printer.
• Open the printer lid to locate the encoder strip parallel to the print head.
• Use a soft, dampened cloth or paper towel and rub it gently on the strip to clean it.
• Allow the strip to dry up completely, and then shut the lid and power on the printer.
• Once done, try printing a document to check if the error has been resolved or not.

5] Perform Hard Reset

Hard resets clear the printer cache and reset the printer’s internal settings. If software or communication issues are causing the problem, we can follow the below-mentioned steps to resolve the issue through hard reset:

• Disconnect the power cord from the printer and take out the cartridges, if any.
• Allow the printer to stay idle for 30-40 seconds before inserting the cartridges, then reconnect the power cord.
• Switch on the printer and check to see if the error persists.

6] Reinstall Printer Drivers and Firmware

Ensuring the printer software is up-to-date and fully functional by reinstalling the printer drivers can help us avoid or resolve print quality issues, as corrupted drivers can lead to double printing.

Firmware updates allow bug fixing and help resolve hardware and software incompatibilities. Sometimes, double printing might also result from incompatibility, which can be addressed by updating the printer firmware. Printer firmware can be updated from the manufacturer’s website by choosing the relevant make and model.

TIP: Use HP Print and Scan Doctor to fix Printer problems 

What is double vision printing?

If the print appears to be faded or smudged when printing text or images, such problems are called double vision or double printing. Apart from fade printing, defects like repeated printing of the same character or images of the current or previously printed document are also part of double printing.

Read: Fix Printer settings could not be saved error on Windows PC

Why is my printer printing a double image?

Broadly, double-vision printing can be divided into two categories. The first is a faint or smudgy print of the current document, and the second is a similar quality print of a previously printed document that appears on the current page.