The price of just about everything has gone up recently, and toner is no exception. Whether your business prints every single day or just a couple of times a week, the higher cost of toner can sorely impact your operations budget. Luckily, there are many ways you can stretch the life of a toner cartridge when printing in the office. Here are some tips from our experts on how to save printer toner.
How to Save Toner When Printing
1: Use the Print Preview Feature
The simplest way to save on expensive toner is to avoid printing documents more than once. Before you print any document, you should always go to the file tab and click “Print Preview.”
This feature shows you how your document will look after printing. It lets you catch any typos or issues with spacing, view your print settings, see how many pages the job will print, etc., before it’s too late.
2: Follow Best Practices for Printing
Using the print preview feature is just one of the many best practices for efficient printing. Here are a few more:
- Always print in black and white, unless color is absolutely necessary (color toner cartridges are much more expensive). Note that printing in grayscale uses color, so it won’t help save toner.
- Set the duplex printing as a default setting so the printer always prints double-sided pages.
- Only print what you need—can the information be shared via email or stored digitally in a document management system?
- Print internal documents that don’t need special formatting in draft mode.
- Stick to simple fonts that use up less toner, such as Times New Roman.
3: Switch to a DMS
An electronic document management system (DMS) is a secure way to digitally share and store important documents. A DMS also allows you to efficiently organize your documents for quick retrieval. Using a DMS for documents that don’t need to be printed will also save you the costs of paper storage and lost documents.
4: Use Compatible Toner Cartridges
Although it’s tempting to choose the cheaper, generic toner cartridges, they will likely cost you more in the long run. Compared to brand-name toner cartridges, generic toners typically don’t last as long, and they tend to dry up sooner. Plus, some generic cartridges might be incompatible with your printer and could actually damage your machine.
You also need to watch out for toner pirates, who may take your money and then send you poor-quality toner, or even no toner at all. It’s best to stick with the brand-name cartridges that are specifically designed for your printer model. Make sure to choose a reputable source, like our Autoship toner supply service.
Office Technology Dealer in Northern California
Whether you need printer supplies, a new machine, or even a document management system, WiZiX Technology Group can help. We provide businesses across Northern California with the top brands in office technology. We also offer reliable printer repair and maintenance services that minimize office downtime. Call us at 866-846-1411 today to learn more about our services.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/4/2022). Photo by Dario Seretin on Unsplash (cropped)