CMYK test page.
Print isolated cyan, magenta, yellow and black patches to find the exact channel that’s fading, clogged or off-color.
How to read the results
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| One patch is much paler than the others | That cartridge is low or the channel is drying out — replace or refill it and reprint. |
| A channel shows white gaps or missing steps | Clogged nozzles — run a nozzle check and head clean, then retest that ink. |
| Composite black (C+M+Y) looks brown or muddy | Normal — that’s why printers use true K; if it’s very warm, your color balance is off. |
| C+M isn’t a clean blue, or C+Y isn’t clean green | One overprinting ink is weak or shifted; check that channel’s solid patch. |
| The nozzle lines are broken or stepped | Missing nozzles or misalignment for that ink — clean and align the head. |
Frequently asked questions
What is a CMYK test page?
It prints cyan, magenta, yellow and black separately, plus their overprints, so you can judge each ink channel on its own. That makes it easy to pinpoint which cartridge is fading, clogged or off-balance.
How do I know which cartridge is failing?
Compare the four isolated patches: the one that prints pale, streaky or with gaps is the problem channel. Use the isolate checkboxes to hide the others and study one ink at a time.
Why is my composite black brown instead of neutral?
Composite black from C+M+Y is rarely neutral because inks aren’t perfectly pure, so it often looks warm or muddy. That’s exactly why printers add a true black (K); compare the two swatches on the sheet.
What do the overprint swatches show?
They stack two inks — C+M should be blue, C+Y green, M+Y red. If a secondary color is off, the weaker or shifted ink behind it is easy to spot from its solid patch.
Is the CMYK test page free?
Yes — it is free, with no download or sign-up, and works with any color inkjet or laser. Print it whenever you want to check your ink channels.
More printer tests
What most people check next.