Before you start
- The printer is on with its FINE cartridges installed and enough ink to print the pattern correctly.
- One sheet of A4 or Letter plain paper loaded in the rear tray.
Step 1:Prepare the printer and paper
Load one sheet of A4 or Letter plain paper in the rear tray and adjust the guides to the sheet. Open the output tray. Canon warns that low ink can make the check print incorrectly, so address a low-ink condition before relying on its pattern.
Step 2:Select Setup code 1 and print
Press Setup until the number 1 appears on the LCD. Press either Black or Color to start the nozzle check. Wait for the page to finish and do not perform another operation during printing.
Step 3:Compare the lines and colour bands
Inspect the printed check for missing lines in the grid pattern, horizontal white streaks through the colour bands, or a colour that is absent. A complete pattern with no missing lines or white streaks does not call for cleaning just because you have printed a test.
Canon’s comparison uses the grid labelled A and the colour bands labelled B. Use the illustrations in the linked Canon nozzle-pattern reference if you are unsure whether a mark is a gap or a normal part of the pattern.
Use the result to choose the next check
If the pattern has missing lines, streaks or missing colour, Canon directs you to print-head cleaning and another nozzle check afterward. Follow the linked maintenance sequence rather than jumping straight to replacing a cartridge or repeatedly deep-cleaning.
The video provides a test-page demonstration. A nozzle check helps identify ink-ejection problems; it is not a test of Wi-Fi, scanner function or every cause of a poor document print.
Questions & troubleshooting
Must I use the Color button?
No. Canon specifies either Black or Color after selecting Setup code 1.
Can a low cartridge cause a bad test pattern?
Yes. Canon warns that low remaining ink can stop the pattern printing correctly. Check that condition before treating a missing colour as proof of a blocked nozzle.
