**Why Does My HP Printer Always Says Alignment Failed?** Are you one of them trying to print from an HP printer and getting the HP printer alignment error message? Then this blog is for you. A printer may reflect misalignment due to many reasons, but the ink cartridges are mainly to blame. ![](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/HJQdLqhB3.jpg) The ink cartridges may not be a genuine version or they may not be inserted correctly or ink is leaking from them or the ink nozzle is broken or the copper contacts have moved out of place causing a Poor electrical connection causing printing problems with the HP printer. Whatever the reason, we'll curate a detailed list of possible reasons along with troubleshooting ideas to help you overcome failed HP printer alignment attempts. **Initially reset the printer** In case your printer suffers from minor connection, jerks, or any printer failure, performing a reset function can help get you through them without much trouble. * With the printer still on, unplug the power cord from the printer. * Then also make sure to remove the power plug from the wall outlet. * Now wait a minute or two * Then reconnect the power cord to the printer and to the power outlet. * In case you have a battery powered printer, simply remove and replace it once to complete the rest of the process. **Try performing an alignment process** In case you are inserting the new ink cartridges or replacing the damaged ones with new cartridges, you need to perform the alignment process for better print quality. * Initially load clean white paper into your printer * Then use the paper width guide to adjust the position of the paper inside the paper tray. * For printers with a touch screen, go to tools and select the option Align cartridges or Print an alignment page * For the HP Utility app for Mac users, choose the option that aligns the printheads and cartridges * For HP Printer Assistant in Windows, please choose Maintain your printer option and choose align print head option which would help you fix misalignment problem. **Then check the ink levels of your HP printer ink cartridges** Sometimes low ink supply or any ink flow issue can be the main reason behind HP printer misalignment issue. Be sure to check ink levels and working conditions before making any decisions. Low ink level can cause poor print quality. * For printer with control panel display, look for the ink drop symbol, ink levels, or cartridge icon * If you have the HP Smart App, open it * Then, from the home screen of the app, check the display of estimated ink levels * In the case of the HP printer software and click the Supplies or Ink Levels option * For ink tank printers, you can check the ink level by checking the line on the tanks * Printers like Ink Tank, Smart Tank, DeskJet GT will show a low ink message if they ran out of ink * If it is not refillable, you need to replace them or you can refill them with enough ink. * Be sure to use genuine HP products from your online store **Now Clean Clear Clean HP Printer Ink Cartridges** When you see unwanted lines, streaks, and smudges with color leaks, you should clean your HP printer's printheads. You can use cleaning software or a cartridge and printhead cleaning tool to perform the cleaning service. * For touchscreen printers, go to settings * Then choose settings and look for an option to clean the cartridges and printheads. * If you have the HP Smart app, open the Choose your printer name app * Then select Print Quality Tools and select the cartridge or printhead cleaning option. * For HP Printer Assistant in Windows, tap the Maintain your printer option * Next, choose the option to clean your printheads or cartridges * In the case of HP Utility on Mac, tap the option to clean printheads or cartridges * Once you are done with cleaning, print a page to check the print quality * If the quality is not acceptable, you may need to perform those steps again * Depending on the print quality, you should perform cleaning until the quality is satisfied. **If possible, replace the damaged ones with new ink cartridges.** Check the printed alignment page. If it contains a lot of flaws, missing color and kinking, it means your printer sensor inside the printer is damaged. This also conveys that your print heads and cartridges are bad. Always make sure to replace your printheads with original products from the HP store. The use of third party products may cause irreversible damage to your printer. **Finally, it's time for a service for your printer:** If you have tried all the above mentioned steps to fix HP printer misalignment issue and still facing the same, then it is time to contact HP customer support for fast service to find what you need. is actually happening with your printer. In case you have the guarantee and guarantee take them with you to claim them. Proper alignment is necessary for the proper print function of any printer. Once the misalignment shows up on your printer, the quality of the output starts to fade. Therefore, you should always keep an eye on the paper and ink cartridges. To prevent this type of printer alignment failure, perform a periodic inspection and be sure to use genuine HP printer products. We hope this blog has really been an eye opener on the failed alignment problem.