Print Quality Test Page.
Print this quality test page and inspect the resolution wedges, micro-text, halftones and grey sweep — they reveal your printer’s true sharpness and tonal range.
How to read the results
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| The finest line clusters (0.25 px) blur into grey | Your effective resolution is limited — usual on plain paper or in draft mode. |
| Micro-text below about 6 pt is unreadable | Text rendering is soft — use a higher DPI, better paper or the best-quality setting. |
| Visible steps or bands in the grey sweep | Banding from feed or low ink — run a nozzle check and choose a higher-quality mode. |
| Diagonal lines and circles look jagged | Aliasing or head misalignment — align the head and print at a higher resolution. |
| Halftone patches look mottled or the wrong tone | Ink density or paper mismatch — recalibrate and match the media setting. |
Frequently asked questions
What is a print quality test page?
It is a single sheet packed with resolution wedges, tiny text, halftone patches and a smooth grey sweep that together grade how sharp and detailed your printer really is. Comparing what prints with what is on screen tells you your effective resolution and where quality drops off. It is the go-to sheet for judging a printer or a new setting.
How do I read the resolution wedges?
Each wedge is a cluster of lines at a set width — 1 px down to 0.25 px — in both directions. Find the finest cluster where you can still see separate lines rather than solid grey; that is roughly your effective resolution. If even the 1 px lines merge, switch to better paper or a higher-quality setting.
Why does small text look blurry?
Fuzzy micro-text usually means the printer is spreading ink (dot gain) or printing at low resolution. Plain paper absorbs and spreads ink more than coated stock, and draft mode uses fewer dots. Switch to standard or best quality and a smoother paper to sharpen small type.
What is banding, and how does the sweep show it?
Banding is faint light or dark stripes across what should be a smooth tone, caused by uneven paper feed or a partly clogged nozzle. The full-width grey sweep makes it obvious — a good printer shows a seamless gradient, a faulty one shows steps or streaks. Run a nozzle check if you see repeating bands.
What should a good result look like?
Crisp, separate lines down to the finest wedge you need, text readable to about 5–6 pt, a smooth grey sweep with no visible bands, and clean halftone patches with no colour cast. Turn on photo mode to also judge smooth colour gradients. Any area that fails points you to the fix — cleaning, alignment, paper or a higher-quality setting.
More printer tests
What most people check next.