Printing Problem With Word

[SteveD]

If I print out a Word document created a few days ago (or earlier) there is no problem. However, if I print out a document created yesterday or today, a large part of the page (but not all) is printed "smeared".

Any ideas as to what can be causing this and where to look for the problem? My suspicion is that it is Word, not the printer.

Windows 10, HP Envy 5544, full ink cartridges.

Thanks in advance.

[Buenchico]

I still think it must be a printer problem.

Try converting the file to a pdf document. (Go to 'Print' and change the printer from 'HP Envy 5544' to 'Microsoft Print to Pdf'). Then open it in your default pdf viewer. (e.g. Adobe Acrobat, Sumatra Pdf or Foxit Reader). Print from there. If it prints normally, your problem is with Microsoft Word. If it comes out smeared, your problem is with the printer.

[bookbinder]

This might help:
https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-envy-5540-all-in-one-printer-series/5447939/model/7770151/troubleshooting
Plus:
try aligning the print heads
do a print head nozzle check
try print head cleaning
try cleaning the paper guide.

[SteveD]

OK. A Word document converted to a pdf printed out OK. We are having the same problem with Excel so the glitch would seem to be with Microsoft Office. When the print problem occurs, a strip or block of text in the centre strip of the page is blurred/fuzzy.

Emails print OK as did a new Word document I created (a page full of X's).

Office is up to date.

[Zacs-Master]

If the doc appears ok on your screen, then it’s the printer. Try reinstalling / updating the driver.

[SteveD]

The printer software is up to date. The document appears normal on the screen.

Non-Microsoft Office documents print OK.

[Buenchico]

Definitely weird! (At least you've found a workaround for printing new Word documents though, in that you can convert them to pdf and then print from your pdf viewer application).

Try repairing, or even uninstalling and reinstalling, Microsoft Office:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/repair-an-office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

If all else fails, simply ditch Microsoft Office and use something else. The most popular alternative is OpenOffice (which I use myself)
https://www.openoffice.org/
but LibreOffice deservedly has plenty of fans too
https://www.libreoffice.org/
WPS Office is less well known but is actually just as good
https://www.wps.com/
You definitely don't need to use Microsoft Office!