Lexmark Printer Not Printing Text Properly? Fix Missing Words & Lines

If your Lexmark printer is not printing text properly, you may see missing words, broken letters, faded text, blank sections, or lines that disappear from printed documents.

The printer may still produce paper and print graphics correctly, making the problem difficult to diagnose. In many cases, the cause is related to toner, print settings, document formatting, the printer driver, or the print-quality system.

The best approach is to determine whether the missing text occurs on the printer’s own test page or only when printing from your computer. That simple test can tell you whether to focus on the printer or the software.

1. Check the Toner Level

Low toner is one of the first things to check when printed text becomes faint or incomplete.

Look at the toner status on the printer display or through the printer software.

Low toner can cause:

• Faded letters
• Missing portions of words
• Uneven text
• Light lines
• Gray-looking black text

If the toner is depleted, replace it with a compatible cartridge for your Lexmark model.

If the toner level appears normal but text is still missing, continue with the next steps.

2. Print a Lexmark Test Page

A test page can quickly tell you whether the problem is caused by the printer or the computer.

Use the printer’s control panel to print a configuration or test page when available.

If text is missing on the test page

Focus on:

• Toner
• Cartridge installation
• Print-quality components
• Printer maintenance
• Hardware

If the test page prints normally

The printer is probably capable of producing text correctly.

Focus on:

• Document settings
• Application
• Printer driver
• Print queue
• Computer print settings

This is one of the most important troubleshooting steps because it prevents you from changing printer hardware settings when the actual problem is software.

3. Try Printing a Simple Text Document

Create a new document containing several short lines of plain black text.

Use a standard font and normal font size.

Print it through your Lexmark printer.

If the simple document prints correctly but your original document does not, the problem is probably related to the original file or application.

If text remains missing, continue troubleshooting the printer and driver.

4. Check the Original Document

Sometimes the printer is blamed for missing text that is actually caused by document formatting.

Check whether the missing words or letters are visible on screen before printing.

Look for:

• White text
• Very light gray text
• Hidden text
• Text boxes
• Transparency
• Layered content
• Unusual fonts
• Text placed outside the printable area

Try copying the missing text into a new blank document and printing it.

If the copied text prints correctly, the original document likely contains a formatting or rendering problem.

5. Check the Font

Some fonts may not render correctly through a damaged or incompatible printer driver.

If certain letters disappear while other text prints normally, change the affected text to a common font and print again.

You can test with a standard font such as Arial or another commonly installed font.

If the new font prints correctly, the original font or document rendering may be responsible.

This is particularly useful when only specific characters or sections of text are missing.

6. Check Print Quality Settings

Print-quality settings can affect how clearly text appears.

Open the Lexmark printer preferences and check for settings such as:

• Draft
• Economy
• Toner Saver
• Standard
• High Quality

If the printer is using an economy setting, switch temporarily to standard or higher-quality printing.

Print the same document again.

If text becomes darker and more complete, the problem may have been caused by a reduced print-quality setting rather than a printer fault.

7. Check the Printer Driver

A printer driver controls how text and graphics are converted into printable information.

A damaged or incompatible Lexmark driver can cause:

• Missing words
• Missing characters
• Incorrect fonts
• Broken lines
• Incomplete documents
• Unexpected symbols

Driver problems are particularly likely if the issue started after:

• A Windows update
• A macOS update
• Installing the printer on a new computer
• Changing printer software
• Replacing an existing printer

If necessary, reinstall the correct driver for your Lexmark model.

For detailed driver troubleshooting, see Lexmark Printer Driver Unavailable? Fix Driver Problems Fast.

8. Clear the Print Queue

A corrupted print job can produce incomplete or incorrect output.

Open the Lexmark printer’s print queue and cancel all pending documents.

Then send a fresh test document.

If the queue is stuck, restart the Windows Print Spooler and try again.

This is especially useful if missing text started after one particular document failed to print.

For more help, see Lexmark Printer Print Queue Stuck? Clear Jobs & Fix Spooler.

9. Restart the Printer and Computer

Temporary communication problems can affect the way print jobs are processed.

Turn off the Lexmark printer and wait several seconds.

Restart the computer as well.

After both devices restart:

1. Turn the printer on.
2. Wait for the ready status.
3. Open a simple text document.
4. Select the correct Lexmark printer.
5. Print the document.

If the problem was temporary, the text may return to normal.

If missing text continues, focus on the driver, document, and print-quality system.

10. Try a Different Application

If text disappears only when printing from one application, the application may be responsible.

For example, if text prints correctly from a PDF but disappears from a word-processing application, compare the print settings between the two programs.

Try printing the same content from another application.

If the second application prints normally, investigate:

• Application print preferences
• Document formatting
• Fonts
• Application updates
• Printer settings inside that application

This can help distinguish a printer problem from an application-specific problem.

11. Check Whether Text Is Faded or Completely Missing

There is an important difference between faded text and missing text.

Faded text

If all letters are visible but very light, check:

• Toner level
• Toner Saver mode
• Print quality
• Cartridge condition
• Printer maintenance

For broader troubleshooting, see Lexmark Printer Printing Faded or Light? Fix Poor Print Quality.

Completely missing text

If certain words, characters, or lines are absent while other content prints normally, focus on:

• Document formatting
• Fonts
• Driver
• Application
• Print data
• Printer hardware

This distinction can make troubleshooting much faster.

Lexmark Printer Missing Some Words

If only specific words disappear, first check the original document.

Make sure the missing words are visible on screen and are not formatted in white or another very light color.

Then copy the affected paragraph into a new document and print it.

If the copied paragraph prints normally, the original document is likely responsible.

If the same words disappear from multiple documents, investigate the printer driver.

Lexmark Printer Missing Lines of Text

Missing horizontal lines or sections of text can indicate either document formatting or print-quality problems.

Print a printer test page.

If the test page also contains missing lines, inspect toner and the printer’s print-quality components.

If the test page is normal, check the document layout and application.

A simple text document can help confirm whether the issue is specific to one file.

Lexmark Printer Printing Faded Text

Faded text is usually easier to diagnose than completely missing text.

Start with the toner level.

Then check whether the printer is using:

• Draft mode
• Economy mode
• Toner Saver
• Reduced print quality

If these settings are normal but text remains light, the toner cartridge or printer’s print-quality system may need attention.

See Lexmark Printer Printing Faded or Light? Fix Poor Print Quality for a focused troubleshooting guide.

Lexmark Printer Not Printing Text From PDF

If text disappears only from PDFs, try another PDF.

If the second PDF prints normally, the original file may contain unusual fonts, transparency, or formatting.

You can also try opening the PDF in another application and printing it again.

If all PDFs have missing text, check the printer driver and print settings.

Lexmark Printer Not Printing Text After a Driver Update

If the problem started after a driver update, the new driver may be incompatible with your printer or operating system.

Check whether the previous driver was working correctly.

Reinstalling the correct Lexmark driver can restore normal text rendering.

After installation, restart the computer and print a simple text document.

Lexmark Printer Not Printing Text After Windows Update

A Windows update can change printer drivers, print services, or printer configuration.

If text printing stopped after an update:

1. Restart the computer.
2. Restart the printer.
3. Clear the print queue.
4. Check the selected printer.
5. Check the Lexmark driver.
6. Reinstall the driver if necessary.
7. Print a test page.

If the printer’s own test page is normal, focus on the computer rather than the printer hardware.

What to Do If Lexmark Text Still Prints Incorrectly

If missing words or lines continue after the basic fixes, use a systematic test.

Test 1: Print the printer’s test page

If text is missing there, focus on the printer and toner.

Test 2: Print a simple text document

If this works, the original document may be the problem.

Test 3: Print from another application

If the second application works, investigate the original application.

Test 4: Print from another computer

If another computer prints correctly, focus on the original computer’s driver and settings.

This process helps isolate the problem without unnecessarily changing multiple printer settings.

Quick Lexmark Text Printing Checklist

Before contacting technical support, check:

• Toner level
• Cartridge installation
• Printer test page
• Document formatting
• Font
• Print quality
• Economy mode
• Toner Saver mode
• Correct printer selection
• Print queue
• Print Spooler
• Printer driver
• Application settings
• Another document
• Another computer

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Lexmark printer not printing text properly?

Common causes include low toner, incorrect print settings, document formatting, damaged fonts, driver problems, corrupted print jobs, or printer print-quality issues.

Start by printing the printer’s own test page.

Why are some words missing from my Lexmark printout?

If only certain words are missing, check the original document for hidden, white, transparent, or unusually formatted text.

Try copying the affected content into a new document.

Why is my Lexmark printer printing faded text?

Faded text can be caused by low toner, Economy mode, Toner Saver, print-quality settings, cartridge problems, or printer maintenance issues.

Why does my Lexmark printer print text correctly on a test page but not from my computer?

The printer is probably functioning normally. Focus on the printer driver, document, application, print settings, and print queue.

Can a Lexmark printer driver cause missing text?

Yes. A damaged or incompatible driver can affect how text, fonts, and document elements are processed before printing.

Why are lines missing from my Lexmark printouts?

Missing lines can be caused by document formatting or printer print-quality problems. Print a test page to determine whether the issue affects the printer itself.

Related Guides

• Lexmark Printer Not Printing? 15 Proven Fixes That Actually Work (2026)
• Lexmark Printer Not Printing Black? Easy Fixes That Work (2026)
• Lexmark Printer Printing Blank Pages? 11 Fixes That Actually Work
• Lexmark Printer Printing Faded or Light? Fix Poor Print Quality
• Lexmark Printer Printing Half Page or Cut Off? Fix Layout Issues
• Lexmark Printer Printing Weird Symbols? Fix Gibberish Output
• Lexmark Printer Driver Unavailable? Fix Driver Problems Fast
• Lexmark Printer Print Queue Stuck? Clear Jobs & Fix Spooler

Final Thoughts

When a Lexmark printer is not printing text properly, the first step is to determine whether the problem occurs on the printer’s own test page.

If the test page has missing or faded text, focus on toner, cartridge installation, and printer print quality. If the test page looks normal, investigate the computer, document, application, driver, and print queue.

Testing a simple text document and a different application can quickly reveal whether the problem is limited to one file or affects the entire printing system.

By working through these checks systematically, you can usually identify why words or lines are missing without replacing the printer unnecessarily.