Misaligned printing shows up in a few different ways — text that sits at an angle, images that are cut off at the edge, content that prints too far up or down the page, or colours that don't quite line up with each other. The cause is almost always one of a small number of things, and most of them are fixable in a few minutes without calling anyone out. Here's how to work through them.
Start With the Paper Tray
The most common cause of crooked or misaligned prints is how the paper is loaded — and it's the easiest thing to fix. Before doing anything else, remove the paper from the tray, tap it on a flat surface to straighten the stack, and reload it cleanly. Check for:
- Curled or bent paper — this is particularly common with paper that's been stored somewhere warm or damp. Curled sheets feed at an angle and can cause consistent skewing. If the paper is curled, replace it with a fresh, flat stack.
- Mixed paper sizes or types in the same tray — always load a single size and weight of paper at a time.
- An overfilled tray — most trays have a maximum fill line marked inside. Overfilling causes sheets to feed unevenly.
- Paper that isn't sitting flat at the bottom of the tray — fan the paper before loading to separate the sheets and reduce static.
Adjust the Paper Guides
Paper guides are the small adjustable tabs on the sides (and sometimes front) of the paper tray. Their job is to hold the paper in the correct position as it feeds. If they're set incorrectly, misalignment almost always follows.
The guides should sit snugly against the edge of the paper — close enough that the paper can't shift sideways, but not so tight that they're bending or compressing it. If guides are too loose, the paper wanders as it feeds and prints at an angle. If they're too tight, the paper can buckle or skew in the opposite direction.
After reloading paper, always slide the guides in until they just touch the edge of the stack, then test with a print. This single adjustment resolves a large proportion of crooked printing issues.
Check Print Settings — Page Size and Orientation
A mismatch between your print settings and the paper in the tray is a common cause of content appearing in the wrong position on the page. If your document is set to A4 but the printer thinks it's printing on Letter (the US standard, which is slightly shorter and wider), content will shift — sometimes significantly.
Before printing, check that the paper size in your print dialogue matches the paper in the tray. In most applications this is under File → Print → Properties or Page Setup. Also confirm the orientation — portrait versus landscape — matches what you're expecting. Sending a landscape document to a printer set to portrait will almost always produce output that looks misaligned or cropped.
Run a Print Head Alignment
Most inkjet printers include a built-in alignment or calibration tool that corrects the positioning of the print heads. If colours aren't lining up, text looks slightly blurry when it should be sharp, or there's a consistent offset in one direction, running an alignment is the right next step.
You'll find this in different places depending on your printer:
- HP printers: HP Smart app → your printer → Printer Home Page → Tools → Align Printer. Alternatively, go to the printer's control panel → Settings → Printer Maintenance → Align Printer.
- Canon printers: Printer control panel → Settings → Maintenance → Auto Head Alignment. The printer will print an alignment sheet and scan it automatically.
- Epson printers: Epson iPrint app or Windows/Mac printer software → Maintenance → Print Head Alignment.
- Brother printers: Printer menu → Ink → Improve Print Quality → Alignment.
The process typically takes a couple of minutes. The printer prints a test pattern, sometimes scans it automatically, and adjusts the head positions accordingly. Run a test print afterwards to confirm improvement.
Clean the Paper Feed Rollers
Paper feed rollers grip the paper and pull it through the printer. If they're coated in dust, paper residue, or dried ink, they can lose grip and feed paper unevenly — causing skewing, double-feeding, or inconsistent alignment across the page.
Most manufacturers include a roller cleaning option in the printer's maintenance menu — this runs a dry cleaning cycle that helps restore grip. For a more thorough clean, you can usually access the rollers manually: switch the printer off, open the rear access panel (if your model has one), and gently wipe the rollers with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with water. Rotate the rollers as you wipe to clean the full surface. Allow them to dry fully before using the printer again.
Check your printer's manual or manufacturer support page for the specific cleaning procedure for your model, as access varies.
Check for a Paper Jam Remnant
After a paper jam, small torn fragments of paper can remain inside the printer even after the main jam has been cleared. These fragments can interfere with the paper path and cause subsequent sheets to feed at an angle or misalign consistently.
If you've had a recent jam and are now experiencing alignment issues, open all access panels — front, rear, and the cartridge area — and check carefully for any remaining scraps of paper. Use a torch if needed. Remove any fragments carefully by hand, without using scissors or other tools that could damage internal components.
Run a Test Print After Each Adjustment
Make one change at a time and print a test page after each one. This tells you exactly which adjustment fixed the problem — useful both now and if the issue recurs. Most printers can print a test page directly from the settings or maintenance menu without needing a computer connected.
A good test page for alignment issues is a simple document with a border or grid, so you can easily see whether content is centred, straight, and hitting the right position on the page. If your printer's built-in test page doesn't show enough detail, printing a page with a full border in Word or Google Docs works well.
If the Problem Persists
If you've worked through all of the above and the issue continues, it's worth checking whether the problem is consistent across different paper types — if it only occurs with one particular paper brand or weight, the paper itself may be slightly out of specification.
Persistent misalignment that doesn't respond to alignment calibration can occasionally indicate a hardware issue with the paper feed mechanism. If the printer is still under warranty, contacting the manufacturer's support line is the next step. If it's out of warranty, a local printer repair service can assess whether the repair is economical relative to replacement.
In the meantime, make sure you're using genuine ink cartridges — HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother — as compatible inks can sometimes cause head alignment issues of their own due to differences in ink viscosity and flow. And when cartridges are done, recycle them for free with our Freepost service — HP and Canon orders include a prepaid recycling bag automatically.
