If your printouts are becoming faded or blotchy, it might be time to replace your ink cartridges. Low ink levels can dry out and clog the ink nozzle, meaning your printer will try and produce more ink than it should, which might in the long-term cause your printer to break. Below is a list of how to check ink levels in some popular brands:
How to check ink levels in Brother Printers
For Brother Printers, to check the ink levels, you have to go on the status monitor from the printer LCD screen. To do this, just click the ink management key on the printer, to find an option for ink volume.
How to check ink levels in Canon Printers
To check ink levels in Canon Printers, you will have to launch the Canon IJ Status Monitor. After that, click on the maintenance tab which will take you to the view printer status screen, and can address any ink problems.
How to check ink levels in Epson Printers
Epson printers are equipped with a status monitor utility that check the ink grade in the printer. This can be accessed from the printer drive, which can be reached from the start menu or home screen dashboard.
How to check ink levels in HP Printers
If you have a Windows PC, to check the ink levels in your HP printer you will have to download and run a free tool called HP Printer and Scan Doctor. This will perform a troubleshooting diagnostic automatically, to identify any potential problems and check printer ink levels. For Windows 10, Android and iOS you will have to download HP Smart app to check the ink levels.
In general most printers should give you a low in reading when you near the end of the ink cartridge life. You will also normally be able to check levels through the printer directly and consult the printer manual for further information.