Samsung Printer Issues: Fixes for the Problems That Don't Fit Anywhere Else

Samsung doesn't make or support printers anymore. HP bought Samsung's printer business in a $1.05 billion deal that closed on November 1, 2017, and since then all drivers, firmware, manuals, and support documents for Samsung printers have lived on HP's support site (support.hp.com). If a guide somewhere tells you to go to samsung.com for printer drivers, it's out of date.

This page covers the Samsung printer problems that don't fit into our driver, offline, Wi-Fi, paper jam, or error code guides: print quality trouble, scanning failures, firmware headaches, toner recognition errors, PDF printing glitches, and a few less common ones like altitude settings and odd noises. Most fixes apply to Samsung Xpress, ProXpress, and older ML, SCX, CLP, and CLX laser models, though menu names and button layouts vary from one model to the next.

Before You Start: Three Quick Checks

A couple of minutes here will save you a lot of guessing later.

1. Print a configuration report.
This page lists your printer's firmware version, IP address, and page counts. On printers with a display, you'll usually find it under the Menu > System Setup > Report options. On screenless models, you hold down a button instead. On the Xpress M2020 series, for example, holding the WPS button for about 10 seconds prints a configuration sheet, and holding it for about 15 seconds prints a supplies report. Button names and hold times vary, so check your model's user guide on HP's site if nothing happens.

2. Know which Samsung tools you have.

• Samsung Easy Printer Manager (Windows and Mac): shows toner levels and errors, and holds the Device Settings, Scan to PC, and Fax to PC setup screens.
• SyncThru Web Service: a settings page built into network-connected Samsung printers. Type the printer's IP address into any web browser to open it. The default admin login on many models is ID: admin, Password: sec00000. If you're still using that password, change it.
• Samsung Printer Status: the small pop-up window that installs with the driver and flags errors while you print.

3. Try Samsung Printer Diagnostics (Windows).
This free HP-hosted tool can diagnose printing trouble, install or update your Samsung software, update firmware, set up wireless printing over a USB cable, and show toner usage history. If you're not sure where to start, running it first is a good idea.

Issue 1: Faded, Streaky, or Smudged Prints

Bad print quality on a Samsung laser printer almost always comes down to one of four things: toner, paper, a setting, or dirt inside the machine. The pattern on the page tells you which one.

Match the problem to the fix

Check Toner Save first. It sounds too simple, but it's the most common reason for evenly light pages. On Windows, open Printing Preferences, go to the Eco tab, and set Toner Save to off. Print the same page again and compare.

Redistribute the toner. When a cartridge is close to empty, toner settles unevenly and leaves light bands. To buy yourself some time:

1. Open the printer cover and slide the toner cartridge out.
2. Hold it level and gently rock it side to side five or six times.
3. Put it back until it clicks, close the cover, and print a test page.

This is a short-term fix. Samsung's own manuals point out that light printing can come back even after you redistribute, so order a replacement cartridge now.

Clean the inside of the printer. Paper dust and loose toner build up over time and cause specks and smears. Here's the safe way to clean it:

1. Turn the printer off, unplug it, and give it a few minutes to cool. The fuser area gets very hot.
2. Open the front or top cover and remove the toner cartridge.
3. Set the cartridge on a sheet of paper, away from direct light. The drum inside is light sensitive, so don't leave it out for long.
4. Wipe away dust and loose toner in the cartridge area with a dry, lint-free cloth. Don't touch the drum surface or the transfer roller.
5. Reinsert the cartridge, close the cover, plug the printer back in, and print a test page.

Two things to avoid: don't vacuum spilled toner with a household vacuum, since it blows fine toner into the air, and don't use alcohol or solvent-based cleaners on the printer's case. Samsung recommends a cloth lightly dampened with water for outside surfaces.

A note on "drum units." On many small Samsung printers, such as the Xpress M2020 series, the drum is built into the toner cartridge, so replacing the cartridge replaces the drum too. Some higher-volume models use a separate imaging unit. The supplies list in your user guide will tell you which kind you have before you buy anything.

Issue 2: Scanner Not Found or Scan to PC Not Working

If your Samsung multifunction printer prints fine but won't scan, the printer is rarely the problem. Scanning uses its own driver and software, separate from printing. It's very common to have a working print driver and no scan driver at all, especially after Windows installs the printer on its own.

Step 1: Install the scan driver.
Go to support.hp.com, search for your exact Samsung model, and open Software and Drivers. Download either the full software package for your model or the Samsung Universal Scan Driver. Install it, restart your computer, and try scanning again.

Step 2: Test with a basic scan app.
Open Windows Fax and Scan or the Windows Scan app and try a scan. If it works there but not in Samsung's software, the scan driver is fine and the Samsung app needs to be reinstalled or updated.

Step 3: Set up Scan to PC (for scanning from the printer's buttons).
If you press Scan on the printer and it says it can't find a computer, or your PC doesn't show up as a destination, the Scan to PC link isn't set up. Open Samsung Easy Printer Manager, switch to Advanced Settings, choose Scan to PC Settings, turn the feature on, and create a scan profile for your computer.

Step 4: Check the connection.

• Network printers: make sure the printer and computer are on the same network. Print a configuration report and confirm the IP address hasn't changed.
• USB printers: try a different USB port and cable, and plug directly into the computer instead of through a hub.

Step 5: Reinstall after a big Windows update.
Major Windows updates sometimes break older scan drivers. If scanning stopped right after an update, uninstall the Samsung software, restart, and install the latest scan driver from HP again.

Issue 3: Firmware Update Fails or Gets Stuck

Firmware is the software that runs inside the printer itself. Updates can fix bugs, connectivity problems, and security holes. An interrupted update, though, can leave the printer stuck in upgrade mode, so it's worth doing carefully.

Before you update

• Print a configuration report and write down your current firmware version.
• Use a stable connection. USB is the most reliable option for older models.
• If you use compatible or refilled toner, check with your toner supplier before updating. Firmware changes on some models have affected how third-party cartridge chips are recognized.

Option 1: Samsung Printer Diagnostics (easiest on Windows)
Install Samsung Printer Diagnostics from HP's support site, select your printer, and choose the firmware update option. The tool checks for a newer version and installs it for you.

Option 2: SyncThru Web Service (network printers)

1. Download the firmware for your model from support.hp.com and unzip it. The firmware file ends in .hd.
2. Type the printer's IP address into a browser and log in as the administrator.
3. Go to Maintenance > Firmware Upgrade and click Upgrade Wizard.
4. Browse to the .hd file and confirm. The printer uploads the file, installs it, and restarts on its own.

Option 3: USB with the firmware package
Some firmware downloads include a small utility called usblist2.exe. With the printer connected by USB and powered on, drag the .hd file and drop it onto usblist2.exe. The update starts on its own, and the printer reboots when it's finished.

While it updates, leave it alone. Don't turn off the printer, unplug it, or send print jobs. On the Xpress M2020 series, a blinking orange status light means the firmware is being written.

If the update stalls
If the display stays on a firmware upgrade message or the printer won't return to Ready, turn it off, wait 30 seconds, turn it back on, and run the update again over USB. If the printer won't respond at all after a second attempt, stop there and get help, because repeated failed attempts can make recovery harder.

Issue 4: "Toner Not Compatible" or Toner Not Recognized

Samsung toner cartridges have a small chip that the printer reads to confirm the cartridge type and track how much toner is left. When the printer can't read that chip, or doesn't like what it reads, you'll see messages like "Toner Not Compatible," "Invalid Toner," or "Install Toner."

Start with the easy checks

• Reseat the cartridge. Pull it out, remove any leftover packing tape or plastic, and push it back in until it clicks.
• Clean the chip contacts. Gently wipe the metal contacts on the cartridge chip with a dry, lint-free cloth.
• Confirm the part number. Samsung cartridge numbers look similar across models (MLT-D111S, MLT-D116L, CLT-K404S, and so on). Make sure the one you have is listed for your exact printer.

Check the region.
This one catches a lot of people off guard. Samsung's user guides state that toner has to be bought in the same country as the printer, because cartridges are configured for each market. A genuine cartridge bought overseas, or from a seller shipping foreign stock, can be rejected even though it looks identical.

If it's a refilled or third-party cartridge
The chip may be missing, reset incorrectly, or not supported by your printer's firmware version. Contact the seller for a replacement or a new chip. Keep in mind that Samsung doesn't guarantee non-genuine cartridges, and repairs caused by them aren't covered under the printer's warranty.

Issue 5: PDFs Won't Print or Print Incorrectly

If Word documents and web pages print fine but PDFs don't, or they come out with missing images, garbled text, or blank pages, the problem is usually in how the PDF is being sent to the printer, not the printer itself.

1. Print one page first. Large or graphics-heavy PDFs can overwhelm a small laser printer's memory. If a single page prints, the file's complexity is the likely cause.
2. Use Print As Image. In Adobe Acrobat or Reader, open Print, click Advanced, check Print As Image, and print again. This sends the page as a picture and gets around most font and graphics problems.
3. Update Adobe Reader. Adobe regularly releases fixes, and older versions are more likely to have printing bugs.
4. Try a different driver. If you're using the Samsung Universal Print Driver, try your model's specific driver from HP's site, or the other way around. If your printer offers both PCL and PostScript (PS) drivers, test the other one too.
5. Open it in another app. Printing the same PDF from Microsoft Edge or Chrome is a quick way to tell whether the problem is Adobe or the driver.

Issue 6: Light Prints or Loose Toner at High Altitude

Here's one most people never hear about. Samsung laser printers are set up for normal air pressure, and at higher elevations the toner may not charge and fuse the way it should. According to Samsung's user guides, printers used at 1,000 meters (about 3,281 feet) or higher can produce light images or toner that rubs off the page.

That covers a lot of the US, including Denver (5,280 feet) and much of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and the Mountain West.

To fix it, change the printer's altitude setting:

• Samsung Easy Printer Manager: open Advanced Settings > Device Settings and find the altitude option.
• SyncThru Web Service: log in and look under the machine settings for altitude adjustment.

Settings run from Normal (below 1,000 m) up through High 1 to High 4, with each step covering about another 1,000 meters. In Denver, for example, High 1 is the right setting.

If toner still smudges after you change the altitude setting, check that the paper type in your print settings matches what's in the tray. If it does and the problem continues, the fuser may be wearing out.

Issue 7: Grinding, Clicking, or Other Strange Noises

Laser printers make some noise when they warm up, but a new grinding, clicking, or knocking sound usually means something is catching.

Check these first:

• Packing material. On a new printer or cartridge, look for orange or clear tape, plastic clips, or foam that didn't get removed.
• Paper scraps. A torn corner stuck in the paper path can rub against the rollers. Turn the printer off, open every door, and look carefully with a flashlight.
• The cartridge. Remove it and reinstall it firmly. A cartridge that isn't fully seated can grind against the drive gears.
• The paper tray. Push it all the way in and check that the paper guides are snug but not tight.

When it's a hardware problem
If the noise starts right at power-on, comes back with every print job, and none of the checks above help, a worn gear in the fuser or main drive is the usual cause. That repair means taking off several covers, so it's a job for a technician.

Issue 8: Printing From a Phone or Tablet

Samsung's old mobile printing apps haven't kept up. The HP Samsung Mobile Print app is still listed on Apple's App Store, but as of this writing it hasn't been updated since 2020, and many users report crashes on newer iOS versions.

Better options for most people:

• iPhone and iPad: If your Samsung model supports AirPrint, just tap Share > Print in any app. No extra app is needed. Your printer's spec sheet or user guide will say whether AirPrint is supported.
• Android: Install the Samsung Print Service Plugin from Google Play. It adds Samsung printers (and many other brands) to Android's built-in print menu. The Mopria Print Service app works too.

In both cases, your phone and printer need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. If the printer doesn't show up, print a configuration report to confirm it's actually connected.

When It's Time for Hands-On Help

Some problems can't be fixed with settings or cleaning. If you're seeing any of these, it's worth talking to someone before you spend more money on toner:

• Repeating marks that keep showing up after you've installed a new cartridge
• Toner that still rubs off after you've corrected the altitude and paper settings
• A grinding noise at power-on that isn't caused by paper or packing material
• A printer stuck in firmware upgrade mode after two attempts
• Your printer's display or Samsung Printer Status telling you to contact a service representative

Samsung printers are getting older, and for some models the cost of a fuser or drive repair is close to the price of a new printer. Getting an honest opinion first can save you from paying for a repair that doesn't make sense.