Wrinkled output has different causes depending on your printer. On an inkjet, wavy or rippled pages usually come from paper absorbing a lot of water-based ink, while sharp creases come from something pushing the sheet off course. On a laser printer, creases usually form as the sheet passes through the heated fuser, especially when the paper holds moisture. This guide helps you tell which you have, then works through paper, settings and the paper path in that order.
What you might be seeing
- Pages ripple or wave where heavy ink was printed
- Diagonal creases run across the sheet, often from one corner
- Laser prints have fine wrinkles near the trailing edge
Common causes
- Moist paper
- Damp paper softens and wrinkles in the rollers, and a laser fuser turns its moisture into steam.
- Heavy ink coverage
- The water in inkjet ink swells paper fibers, producing a waviness known as cockling.
- Guides or obstructions
- Tight guides or a scrap in the path push one side of the sheet ahead of the other and fold it.
- Wrong paper type setting
- The type setting controls ink volume on inkjets and fuser heat and speed on lasers.
- Worn fuser parts
- On lasers, a worn fuser or pressure roller grips unevenly and creases sheets in the same place.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
A laser fuser stays hot enough to burn for a while after printing, so unplug the printer and wait about 30 minutes before reaching near it. Never pry the fuser out or open sealed covers.
Load paper from a sealed ream
Replace the current stack with paper from a freshly opened package. Paper left in an open tray for weeks absorbs humidity, and damp sheets are the most common reason laser printers produce creases. If fresh paper solves it, the old stack was the problem, not the printer. Keep the rest of the ream wrapped and away from damp rooms.
Recheck the guides and the stack
Pull out the tray and look at how the paper sits. The side guides should touch the edges lightly without bowing the stack. Remove any sheets with folded or crumpled corners. If the stack curls, turn it over so the curl faces down. On rear-feed inkjets, make sure the sheets stand straight and do not lean against one guide.
Set the correct paper type
In Windows 10, open Settings › Devices › Printers & scanners, select the printer, choose Manage and then Printing preferences. Set Paper Type or Media Type to exactly what you loaded. On an inkjet, a photo setting on plain paper floods the sheet with ink. On a laser, a heavy setting on thin paper overheats it. On a Mac, use Media & Quality in the print dialog.
Reduce ink saturation on inkjets
If waviness appears only where coverage is heavy, such as large dark areas or full-page images, the paper is absorbing more water than it can handle. Print those documents on heavier inkjet paper, or lower Print Quality from Best to Normal so less ink goes down. Some drivers also offer ink density or drying time adjustments in their advanced settings. Let heavily printed pages dry flat before stacking.
Use the straight paper path on lasers
Many laser printers have a rear output door that lets pages exit straight out the back instead of curving up to the top tray. Opening it removes the final bend, which reduces creasing on thin paper, envelopes and heavy stock. A front multipurpose or manual feed tray straightens the path on the way in as well. Make sure the rear door is fully open or fully closed.
Look for obstructions in the paper path
Switch the printer off and pull the plug; on a laser, let the fuser cool for about 30 minutes first. Open each access door and check with a flashlight for scraps, a bent guide or a label stuck to a roller. A crease in the same position on every page usually points to something fixed in place catching the sheet. Remove what you find gently by hand.
Check fuser levers and wear on lasers
Some lasers have envelope or pressure levers at the fuser, which you can reach by opening the rear door after the printer has cooled. In the normal position envelopes tend to wrinkle, while in the envelope position toner on plain paper may not bond well, so match the levers to the job. If creases persist on every paper type, the fuser may be worn. Many business lasers accept an official replacement fuser or maintenance kit.
How to keep it from happening again
- Keep paper wrapped until you load it
- Match the paper type setting to every job
- Use heavier paper for pages with large dark areas
- Open a laser's rear output door for thin or heavy stock
Common questions
Why do only some pages wrinkle?
If only pages with heavy coverage wrinkle, the amount of ink or toner is the trigger. If wrinkles appear randomly, the paper may be unevenly damp, often the top sheets of a tray left open overnight. If they appear in the same spot every time, look for a part or scrap in the paper path.
Can I flatten pages that came out wavy?
Inkjet pages often relax once the ink has dried fully. Leave them on a flat surface for a few hours, then press them under a stack of heavy books overnight. Avoid ironing, which can scorch the paper or soften laser toner so it sticks to the iron.
Why does the second side of duplex pages crease more?
In duplex printing, the sheet passes through the printer twice. On an inkjet, the first side may still be damp and slightly swollen; on a laser, the first trip through the fuser dries and curls the sheet. Either way, the second pass is more prone to creasing. Heavier paper helps, as does a longer drying time on inkjets.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.