Your Comprehensive Guide On How To Use Photo Paper In An HP Printer

Using photo paper to get digital print pictures has become common nowadays as it saves not only time but also money. The introduction of high-quality HP (Hewlett Packers) printers to every corner of the world have revolutionized the concept of photo printing. You won’t have to visit a photo lab or a drugstore to use photo paper for print. Moreover, the option to use an HP printer at home enables you to use photo papers like white bond paper, glossy picture paper, and matte-finish paper with no additional charges. When using the HP printer at home or office, you need to know how to use photo paper in an HP printer for best results.

Here you will get valuable insight into every step and several tips to use photo paper in HP printers for efficient results.

Guidelines On How To Use Photo Paper In An HP Printer

These guidelines will help you with the proper handling and storage of the photo paper. Also, these guidelines will enlighten you with the exact temperature and humidity ranges to print with these papers.

• You must avoid scratching or even touching the glossy printable side of the photo paper.
• You must store your photo paper in an environment between 41˚F-86˚F, which is 5˚C to 30˚C.
• Always remember to store the unused photo paper on an even flat surface. Also, keep the papers in their original plastic cover or bag.
• HP printers are ideal for print at room temperature between 59˚F to 86˚F (15˚C to 30˚C). The relative humidity range that HP recommends for printing lies between 20%-80%.

Step-By-Step Guide On How To Use Photo Paper In A HP Printer

HP printers are best for printing both color and black and white documents at a high-quality resolution that is exceptionally different from the output given by other printers. Moreover, the additional perk of using an HP printer is their exceptional capability to print stupendous and high-quality prints with photo papers. However, the proper loading of the photo paper in the HP printer is the key to get the most successful output.

So, check this step-by-step guide for the best insight on how to use photo paper in an HP printer.

Step 1: Open The Pack of Photo Papers

First, you need to open the package of photo paper while handling them by the edges. You must not touch the photo paper’s surface with your bare fingers as it may disrupt its quality.

Step 2: Open The HP Printer Paper Tray

Now, you have to open your HP printer’s paper tray. You can either open it by pulling the tray out or by removing the cover on it.

Step 3: Remove Any Remaining Paper

It is crucial to remove any remaining paper from the tray. If there’s any regular paper other than the photo paper, remove it for the further best alignment. 

Step 4: Load/Insert The Photo Paper

Now, pick your photo paper and insert its matte or glossy side facing right up. This can be done for the HP printers known as the ‘top load’ printers that accept photo paper or any other paper from the top-paper slot. Also, remember to load a stack of photo paper with the short edge facing the product. You can load or insert about ten sheets at a time and push it into the tray until it stops.

Step 5: Place The Paper With Proper Alignment

You have to keep the photo paper in the tray by keeping it as much centre aligned as possible. However, you must keep its printable side down. Also, if you are using letter-size photo paper, you must insert it in the printer lengthwise. For the best alignment, pull the paper tray, lift the paper catch (if it’s present in your printer), and load the photo paper glossy side facing down, as discussed in the above step.

Step 6: Slide And Adjust The Paper Guides

In this step, you have to slide and adjust the media guides. You have to slide the media guides that hold the photo paper to a certain point as far as possible so that you get the maximum width of the tray. Now, adjust the media guides on the top-paper slot until they get tight against the photo paper. You have to slide the paper width guides until they get rest against the paper edges.

Step 7: Close The Paper Tray

Finally, you have to close the printer paper tray’s cover or slide it down to the printer. Then, you can open the paper tray extender. Thus, your HP printer is efficiently loaded with photo papers, ready to print high-quality resolution pictures.

Steps On How To Print A Photo With An HP Printer And Photo Paper

There are some easy steps to print a photo with an HP printer and photo paper. If you know how to insert or load photo paper on an HP printer, you can proceed to set the photo paper size and the print resolution setting. Check the steps to know in-depth.

1. You have to insert or load the photo paper in the input tray. Check the above section to know how to load the photo paper efficiently.
2. You have to open the photo you want to be printed on paper and click on the ‘print’ option. You will notice the print dialog box.
3. Below the printer or name section, go to the drop-down list and select your printer name, which must be the HP model you’re using.
4. Move your pointer to the button that opens the properties dialog box. Click on it. The button might be termed as Options, Properties, Printer, Preferences, or Printer Setup, depending on your software program.
5. Now, go to the paper size menu. Select the paper size that you loaded into the paper tray.
6. Go to the Paper Type Menu. Choose the option for photo paper. If you’re using HP photo paper, then click on HP advanced photo paper option.
7. Now, under the print quality option, click on Best. This will ensure a high-quality resolution print on your photo paper. Moreover, if you’re using HP photo paper, the company itself recommends clicking on ‘Best.’
8. If you’re done with the settings, click on ‘OK’ to apply them.
9. Finally, click on ‘Print’ or ‘OK’ to print the photo.

Tips To Preserve Your Printed Photo Papers

The basic rule to preserve your photos after printing them on photo paper with an HP printer is:

• Keep the photos flat.
• Allow them to dry under average room temperature.
• Keep them far away from sunlight exposure.

Some crucial tips that you must know to preserve the printed photo papers are as follows:

• If you’re done with the printing, immediately place the photo facing upwards on an even flat surface.
• Give the time of 15 minutes for the photo to dry out completely.
• Keep a sheet of plain simple paper between the printed photos prior to stacking.
• You can also keep the photos in frame or photo albums to protect them from getting faded.
• You must always display or show the photos indoors, away from direct sunlight exposure.

Tips On How To Print Photos On Photo Paper

To print photos on photo paper, you can follow these few simple steps.

Tip 1: Get The Best Photo Paper

There are various types of photo papers available in the market. So, you must choose the right one for your purpose. The photo papers range from luster/satin paper, matte paper, glossy paper to canvas paper.

Tip 2: Get The Best HP Printer Model

With so much technological advancement, HP has introduced some exceptional features into their new printer models. So, look out for the right printer that delivers supreme-quality prints in photo papers. Also, check if the printer is cost-efficient or not.

Tip 3: Select The Right Printer Ink

If you want to print with professional-level color precision and graphic resolution, you must choose the correct printer ink. For HP printers, using genuine HP inks is always best in results. So, pick your printer ink accordingly with features like oil-less fusing technology.

Tip 4: Prepare Photos For Printing with Edit

You must go with the editing of the photos before printing them on paper. Also, follow the print setting as mentioned in the above section of the guide for the best results.