Ink and toner can feel expensive, especially when a cartridge seems to run out sooner than expected. In many cases, though, the biggest savings come from changing a few everyday printing habits rather than changing the printer itself.

From running unnecessary cleaning cycles to printing everything in colour, small habits can quietly use more ink, toner and paper than you realise.

Here are some of the most common mistakes we see, along with simple ways to avoid them.

1. Running cleaning cycles too often

Printhead cleaning is useful when an inkjet printer has missing lines, faded colours or blocked nozzles. The problem comes when cleaning cycles are run repeatedly without checking whether they are actually needed.

Every cleaning cycle uses ink. Deep cleaning or power cleaning can use considerably more.

2. Replacing cartridges as soon as the low warning appears

Low ink and low toner messages are usually estimates rather than an exact measurement of what remains in the cartridge.

If print quality is still good, the cartridge may continue to work for some time after the warning appears.

There is no need to ignore the warning completely, but it is better treated as a prompt to order a replacement rather than a signal to remove the current cartridge immediately.

3. Printing everything in colour

Colour printing is useful for presentations, school projects, photographs and documents where colour genuinely adds value.

But emails, invoices, drafts, reports and internal documents often work perfectly well in black and white.

If your printer defaults to colour, you may be using cyan, magenta and yellow toner or ink even when the page looks mostly black.

Keep colour available for the pages that actually need it.

4. Printing the whole document when you only need one page

This is one of the easiest mistakes to make. A PDF may contain dozens of pages, but only one or two are actually needed.

Before pressing print, check the page range and select:

• The current page.
• A specific page range.
• Selected pages only.

Print preview is especially useful for spotting blank pages, duplicate content and sections you do not need.

5. Ignoring duplex printing

Automatic duplex printing means printing on both sides of the paper.

It does not reduce ink or toner usage directly, but it can significantly reduce the amount of paper used for longer documents.

It is especially useful for reports, revision packs, training documents, internal paperwork and long reading material.

Check whether your printer supports automatic duplex printing. Some models only offer manual double-sided printing.

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6. Using high-quality mode for everyday documents

Best or photo-quality modes are useful when image detail and colour quality matter, but they are not necessary for every page.

For everyday printing, standard or draft mode may be perfectly suitable.

7. Turning an inkjet printer off at the wall

Cutting power at the socket may seem like an easy way to save electricity, but it can cause problems for some inkjet printers.

When an inkjet printer is shut down using its own power button, it may move the printhead into a protected resting position. Suddenly cutting the power can interrupt that process.

This can increase the risk of dried ink and blocked nozzles, particularly if the printer is left unused for long periods.

8. Leaving an inkjet unused for months

Inkjet printers benefit from occasional use. If the printer sits unused for a long time, ink can dry around the printhead nozzles.

Printing a small page containing black and colour every week or two can help keep ink moving through the printhead.

9. Removing ink cartridges unnecessarily

Once an ink cartridge is installed, it is normally best to leave it in place until it needs replacing.

Repeatedly removing cartridges can expose the ink outlet to air, create poor electrical contact or introduce dust.

10. Using the wrong paper setting

Printer settings should match the type of paper being used. If the printer is set to photo paper while normal copier paper is loaded, it may use more ink than necessary.

Before printing, check paper size, paper type, orientation, print quality and single or double-sided printing.

11. Printing emails and web pages without previewing them

Web pages can contain menus, adverts, navigation, blank sections and extra content that may not be useful on paper.

Before printing, use print preview and check how many pages will be produced.

12. Reprinting because the first page was wrong

Many wasted pages come from simple errors such as the wrong orientation, incorrect margins or an unwanted page break.

For important or expensive print jobs, print one test page before producing the full batch.

13. Buying the smallest cartridge every time

The cheapest cartridge on the page is not always the best value.

If your printer supports XL or high-yield cartridges, these usually contain more ink or toner and may reduce the cost per page.

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14. Ignoring cartridge page yield

Cartridge price on its own does not tell you the full story. A higher-priced cartridge may print far more pages than a cheaper one, which can make it better value over time.

15. Replacing the wrong printer component

On laser printers, toner is not always the only replaceable supply. Some printers also use separate drum units, waste-toner containers, transfer belts and fusers or maintenance kits.

If the printer displays Replace Drum, fitting a new toner cartridge may not clear the warning. Read the exact message shown by the printer before ordering a replacement part.

16. Throwing a cartridge away because of one bad page

A single poor print does not always mean the cartridge has failed.

Before replacing it, check whether the cartridge is fitted correctly, whether the paper is suitable, whether the printer settings are correct and whether the fault appears on every page.

Quick ink and toner saving checklist

Habit	Better approach
Cleaning the printhead repeatedly	Run a nozzle check first and clean only when needed.
Replacing at the first low warning	Order a spare, but continue while print quality remains acceptable.
Printing everything in colour	Use black and white for documents that do not need colour.
Printing entire documents	Select only the pages required.
Using maximum quality every time	Use standard or draft mode for everyday printing.
Leaving an inkjet unused	Print a small colour page every week or two.
Ignoring high-yield options	Compare page yield as well as purchase price.

Final thoughts

Saving ink and toner does not need to mean avoiding printing altogether.

Small changes such as using print preview, selecting black and white when appropriate, avoiding unnecessary cleaning cycles and waiting until a cartridge genuinely needs replacing can make a noticeable difference.

Most importantly, if a printer suddenly shows an error or poor print quality, take a moment to identify the cause before replacing anything. The first solution is not always a new cartridge.

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Disclaimer: Printer behaviour, cartridge monitoring and maintenance settings vary by manufacturer and model. This guide provides general advice only. Always follow the instructions provided for your exact printer.