Why does black ink smudge on my dye-based printer, and would a more expensive model fix it?

Asked 2/6/2018

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I’m using an HP Envy 5540 with original inks. On my prints, the colours seem dry and don’t smear, but the black areas smudge very easily when touched. This can still happen even after the print has been left for a long time.

Is this typical of dye-based printers in general, or is it more likely a limitation of this particular printer? Would buying a more expensive dye-based printer likely reduce the problem, or should I expect similar behaviour?

I’m also aware that some Canon Pixma models use dye colours plus a pigment black, but I understand they may only use the pigment black in certain document-printing situations.

print-quality dye-ink paper printers inkjet-printing

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

2 Answers

Some printers smudge less when printed in highest quality (vs default fast print), as it lays the ink in more precise economic layers.

Pitch black typically uses ink heavily unlike dark gray. If you are printing from Photoshop, make your blacks grayish by increasing Output value of Levels of the blacks (0) a few grades up towards the grays (e.g. 10).

Smudging also depends on paper quality. Printer makers suggest to use their branded paper.

Originally by user69537. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user69537

8y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Black smudging is not necessarily just because the printer is inexpensive, and a pricier dye-based model may still show similar behaviour depending on settings, ink coverage, and paper.

From the community feedback, the main factors are:

Print quality setting: higher-quality modes can place ink more precisely and may reduce smudging compared with faster/default modes.
Heavy black coverage: deep black areas use a lot of ink, so they are more prone to smearing than lighter tones or colours.
Paper choice: paper has a big effect on how well ink dries and resists rubbing. Using paper recommended for your printer can help.

A practical workaround is to avoid using the densest possible black where you can. For example, making blacks slightly lighter/darker gray instead of maximum black may reduce smearing.

So, before replacing the printer, try better paper and the highest-quality print mode. If your work needs very rub-resistant black output, a printer/workflow that uses pigment black for the relevant print type may be better suited.

Why does black ink smudge on my dye-based printer, and would a more expensive model fix it?

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