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Issue
(A) The Edges of Paper Are Smudged
(B) Printed Surface Is Smudged
Cause and solution
Check 1: Did you confirm the paper and print quality settings?
Cause and solution
Check 2: Is the appropriate type of paper used? Check the followings:
-⋗ [ Media Types You Can Use ]
If the paper you are using is not suitable for Borderless Printing, the print quality may be reduced at the top and bottom edges of the paper.
-⋗ [ Printing Area ]
Cause and solution
Check 3: Load the paper after correcting its curl
When using Photo Paper Plus Semi-gloss, even if the sheet is curled, load one sheet at a time as it is. If you roll up this paper to flatten, this may cause cracks on the surface of the paper and reduce the print quality.
Turn the paper over and reload it to print on the other side.
Leaving the paper loaded on the front tray for a long time may cause the paper to curl. In this case, load the paper with the other side facing up. It may resolve the problem.
We recommend putting unused paper back into the package and keeping it on a level surface.
If the curl on the four corners of the paper is more than 0.1 inch / 3 mm (A) in height, the paper may be smudged or may not be fed properly. In such cases, follow the procedure described below to correct the paper curl.
1. Roll up the paper in the opposite direction to the paper curl as shown below.
2. Check that the paper is now flat.
We recommend printing curl-corrected paper one sheet at a time.
Cause and solution
Check 4: Adjust the setting to prevent paper abrasion.
Adjusting the setting to prevent paper abrasion will widen the clearance between the print head and the loaded paper. If you notice abrasion even with the media type set correctly to match the loaded paper, set the machine to prevent paper abrasion by using the operation panel or the computer.
Print speed may be reduced if you apply the setting to prevent paper abrasion setting.
* Readjust the setting not to prevent paper abrasion once printing is complete. If not, this setting remains enabled for all subsequent print jobs.
Press the Maintenance button repeatedly until the LED displays as follows, then press the Black button to enable the Prevent paper abrasion function.
To disable the Prevent paper abrasion function, press the Maintenance button repeatedly until the LED above appears, then press the Color button.
Open the printer driver setup window, and in Custom Settings in the Maintenance sheet, select the Prevent paper abrasion check box, and then click OK.
In the Canon IJ Printer Utility, select Custom Settings in the pop-up menu, select the Prevent paper abrasion check box, and then click Apply.
Cause and solution
Check 5: If the intensity is set high, reduce the Intensity setting in the printer driver and try printing again
If you are using plain paper to print images with high intensity, the paper may absorb too much ink and become wavy, causing paper abrasion.
Reduce the intensity setting in the printer driver and try printing again.
1. Open the printer driver setup window.
2. On the Main sheet, select Manual for Color/Intensity, and then click Set....
3. Drag the Intensity slide bar on the Color Adjustment sheet to adjust the intensity.
1. Open the Print dialog.
2. Select Color Options in the pop-up menu.
3. Drag the Intensity slide bar to set the intensity.
Cause and solution
Check 6: Is printing performed beyond the recommended printing area?
If you are printing beyond the recommended printing area of your printing paper, the lower edge of the paper may become stained with ink.
Resize your original document in your application software.
To ensure the best print quality, the machine allows a margin along each edge of media. The actual printable area will be the area inside these margins.
Recommended printing area
Printable area
However, printing in this area can affect the print quality or the paper feed precision.
Caution
- Borderless Printing -
- Photo Paper Pro Platinum ⋖PT-101⋗*
- Glossy Photo Paper "Everyday Use" ⋖GP-501⋗
- Photo Paper Glossy ⋖GL-101⋗
- Photo Paper Plus Glossy II ⋖SG-201⋗
- Photo Paper Plus Semi-gloss ⋖MP-101⋗*
- Matte Photo Paper ⋖KH-301⋗*
* This paper can be used only when printing from your computer.
Performing Borderless Printing on any other type of paper may substantially reduce printing quality and/or result in printouts with altered color hues.
Borderless Printing on plain paper may result in printouts with reduced quality. Use them only for test printing. You can perform Borderless Printing on plain paper only when printing from your computer.
Other Sizes than Letter, Legal, Envelopes
| Size | Printable Area (width x height) |
| A5* | 5.56 x 7.95 inches (141.2 x 202.0 mm) |
| A4 | 8.00 x 11.38 inches (203.2 x 289.0 mm) |
| B5* | 6.90 x 9.80 inches (175.2 x 249.0 mm) |
| 4" x 6" (10 x 15 cm) | 3.73 x 5.69 inches (94.8 x 144.4 mm) |
| 4" x 8" (10 x 20 cm)* | 3.73 x 7.69 inches (94.8 x 195.2 mm) |
| 5" x 7" (13 x 18 cm)* | 4.73 x 6.69 inches (120.2 x 169.8 mm) |
| 8" x 10" (20 x 25 cm)* | 7.73 x 9.69 inches (196.4 x 246.0 mm) |
| Wide* | 3.73 x 6.80 inches (94.8 x 172.6 mm) |
* This page size can be used only when printing from your computer.
(A) 1.28 inches (32.5 mm)
(B) 1.32 inches (33.5 mm)
(C) 0.12 inches (3.0 mm)
(D) 0.20 inches (5.0 mm)
(E) 0.13 inches (3.4 mm)
(F) 0.13 inches (3.4 mm)
Letter, Legal
| Size | Printable Area (width x height) |
| Letter | 8.00 x 10.69 inches (203.2 x 271.4 mm) |
| Legal* | 8.00 x 13.69 inches (203.2 x 347.6 mm) |
* This page size can be used only when printing from your computer.
(A) 1.28 inches (32.5 mm)
(B) 1.32 inches (33.5 mm)
(C) 0.12 inches (3.0 mm)
(D) 0.20 inches (5.0 mm)
(E) 0.25 inches (6.4 mm)
(F) 0.25 inches (6.3 mm)
Envelopes
| Size | Recommended Printing Area (width x height) |
| European DL* | 3.88 x 7.06 inches (98.8 x 179.5 mm) |
| US Comm. Env. #10* | 3.68 x 7.90 inches (93.5 x 200.8 mm) |
* This page size can be used only when printing from your computer.
(A) 0.31 inches (8.0 mm)
(B) 1.28 inches (32.5 mm)
(C) 0.22 inches (5.6 mm)
(D) 0.22 inches (5.6 mm)
Cause and solution
Check 7: Is the Platen Glass dirty?
Clean the Platen Glass.
Cause and solution
Check 8: Is the Paper Feed Roller dirty?
Clean the Paper Feed Roller.
Caution
If the paper feed roller is dirty or paper powder is attached to it, paper may not be fed properly.
In this case, clean the paper feed roller. Cleaning will wear out the paper feed roller, so perform this only when necessary.
You need to prepare: three sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper
1. Make sure that the power is turned on and remove any paper from the front tray.
2. Open the paper output tray.
3. Clean the paper feed roller without paper.
(1) Press the 
(2) Press the Color or Black button.
The paper feed roller will rotate as it is cleaned.
4. Clean the paper feed roller with paper.
(1) Make sure that the paper feed roller has stopped rotating, close the paper output tray, then load three sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the front tray.
(2) Open the output tray extension, open the paper output tray, then extend the paper output support.
(3) Make sure that b is displayed on the LED (Light Emitting Diode), then press the Color or Black button.
The machine starts cleaning. The cleaning will be complete when the paper is ejected.
Caution
After the cleaning is complete, press the Stop/Reset button to return the LED to the copy standby mode.
If the problem is not resolved after cleaning the paper feed roller, contact the service center.
Cause and solution
Check 9: Is the inside of the machine dirty?
When performing duplex printing, the inside of the machine may become stained with ink, causing the printout to become smudged.
Perform the Bottom Plate Cleaning to clean the inside of the machine.
Caution
Cleaning the Inside of the Machine (Bottom Plate Cleaning)
Remove stains from the inside of the machine. If the inside of the machine becomes dirty, printed paper may get dirty, so we recommend performing cleaning regularly.
You need to prepare: a sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper*
* Be sure to use a new piece of paper.
1. Make sure that the power is turned on and remove any paper from the front tray.
2. Prepare paper.
(1) Fold a single sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in half widthwise, then unfold the paper.
(2) Fold one side of the opened paper in another half, aligning the edge with the center crease, then unfold the paper.
(3) Load only this sheet of paper in the front tray with the ridges of the creases facing up and the edge of the half with no crease facing away from you.
3. Open the output tray extension, open the paper output tray, then extend the paper output support.
4. Clean the inside of the machine.
(1) Press the 
(2) Press the Color or Black button.
The paper cleans the inside of the machine as it feeds through the machine.
Check the folded parts of the ejected paper. If they are smudged with ink, perform Bottom Plate Cleaning again.
If the problem is not resolved after performing cleaning again, the protrusions inside the machine may be stained. Clean them according to instructions.
Refer to [ Cleaning the Protrusions inside the Machine ] within this webpage.
Caution
When performing Bottom Plate Cleaning again, be sure to use a new piece of paper.
Cleaning the Protrusions inside the Machine
Caution
Be sure to turn off the power and disconnect the power plug before cleaning the machine.
You need to prepare: cotton swab
If the protrusions inside the machine are stained, wipe off any ink from the protrusions using a cotton swab or the like.
Cause and solution
Check 10: Set the time to dry the printed surface longer.
Doing so gives the printed surface enough time to dry so that paper smudged and scratched are prevented.
1. Make sure that the machine is turned on.
2. Open the printer driver setup window.
3. Click the Maintenance tab and then Custom Settings.
4. Drag the Ink Drying Wait Time slide bar to set the wait time, and then click OK.
5. Confirm the message and click OK.
1. Make sure that the printer is turned on.
2. Open the Canon IJ Printer Utility.
3. Select Custom Settings in the pop-up menu.
4. Drag the Ink Drying Wait Time slide bar to set the wait time, and then click Apply.
5. Confirm the message and click OK.
Cause and solution
Check 11: Is the paper scratched by other loaded paper?
Depending on the media type, the paper may be scratched by other loaded paper when feeding from the front tray. In this case, load one sheet at a time.