- 1). Check the weight of the ink cartridge by removing it from the printer. A full cartridge feels weighty in the hand. An empty one feels very light.
- 2). Look for the quality of a full-page printout. If it seems as though the top of the page is darker than the bottom, chances are you're running low on ink. Some printers may also print text unevenly when ink levels are low.
- 3). Check for unusual print colors or white space, or for graphics that seem to be lacking a certain tone, if you're printing in color. For example, if a photo of a deep blue sky prints only with a blue tint, you may be running low on red or yellow ink in your color print cartridge. White spaces may also appear when a certain color has been used up.
- 1). Look for fading and streaking. As laser printers run out of toner, the quality of the print will appear lighter, and may appear fragmented or streaky.
- 2). Change the toner cartridge when the printer turns out nothing but blank pages.
- 3). Listen for unusual noises. Some models make unusual sounds when the toner is used up.