Dreaming of a mini print shop at home? It's quite real. You need a printer and consumables for it. But it is important to know some of the nuances of the process. Let's look at some useful tips for users who are learning how to print on a printer.

Printing to a printer from a computer

Open the photo on your computer in any photo editor, such as Windows Photo Viewer. Click on the "Print" button located on the top panel.

In the window that opens, select the print settings: paper size, photo size, number of copies. Click the Print button.

Printing to a printer from smartphones

For Android smartphones

On your smartphone, go to the Play Market, type "Printer Modules" into the search bar.

Select the module that matches your printer model. Download it and install it on your smartphone. Select the desired photo in the image gallery. Click on it, in the menu that opens, select the "Print" button. Set the options you want and print your photo.

For Apple iOS devices

Make sure your printer supports the Apple AirPrint feature, otherwise it won't work. A list of devices is available on the Apple Support website.

Open the desired photo on your gadget, click on the "Share" icon. In the menu that appears, find the word "Print". A new menu will appear in front of you, find the "Printer Selection" section in it. Find your printer model and, if necessary, change the settings. Click Print.

If your printer does not support AirPrint, download and install the FingerPrint program on your gadget. To print a photo, follow the prompts of the program.

How to set margins when printing?

You should set margins in a Word document before you type text. To change the margin size, open the Layout tab on the top bar and select the Margins command.

In the window that opens, select the appropriate options. If the pre-made templates do not fit, click "Custom fields" and set arbitrary values.

Never set the field size to zero! Then the text on the edges of the sheet will not be printed. This principle applies to printing from any program.

Another way to change the size of the fields in the Word is to hover over the top line engine and set the fields manually. If the ruler is not displayed, you need to go to the "View" menu on the top panel and check the box next to the ruler.

According to the requirements for document forms, the left margin must be 3 cm wide, the right margin 1 cm, the top / bottom margin 2 cm each. If the sheets are hemmed on the right after printing, the right margin is made 3 cm wide.

Printing to a Printer from a Browser

If you want to print the entire page that is open in the browser, position the cursor anywhere on the page and right-click the mouse. A menu will appear in front of you. Select "Print". You will see a window with a preview of the document and print settings.

Choose the options you need: paper size, color printing or black and white, leave only text or upload a background image. You can also select the number of pages here.

If you want to send only a fragment to the printer, for example, one paragraph of text, first select it in the browser. Then do everything described above.

To print a picture or photo from a browser, you must first hover over the picture and open the image in a new tab. You can then print to the printer as described above.

What to choose - PZK or CISS?

To print more economically and faster, there are refillable cartridges (PZK) and continuous ink systems (CISS). Let's compare their pros and cons.

1. The form. PZK in a form are similar to original cartridges. Their disadvantage is that it is impossible to monitor the actual ink level. If there is no ink left in the cartridges, the print head will be air-filled.
2. Installation. The CISS consists of external tanks, a cable and cartridges similar to the original ones. The downside is that you will need an extra 10 cm to accommodate it, but an external reservoir will allow you to monitor the ink level. PZK are established in the same way as original cartridges.
3. Installation. CISS is carried out in 2 stages. Cartridges are installed, then a cable is laid and fixed. The procedure is simple, besides, CISS is installed only once.
4. Refueling. To fill the PZK, you will need syringes - separately for each color. For refueling CISS, no additional materials are needed. Just take out the plugs, refill the ink from the can.
5. Impact on the printer. Each time the slam-shut is removed, there is a risk of air entering the print head. CISS is installed only once, so mechanical impact and the risk of airing are minimized.
6. Profitability. The cost of printing photos is the same. When buying a CISS, you will have to spend about 3 thousand rubles, but this will be a one-time purchase, the PZK costs about 300 rubles.

If you print a lot - buy CISS

How can I do without a driver disk?

If you have a modern printer model and have a USB cable, connect it to the printer and computer. Turn on both devices, connect them to the Internet. The drivers should load automatically.

If there is no USB cable or the driver cannot be loaded automatically, use the capabilities of the operating system. Through the "Start" go to "Settings". Select "Devices", and then - the line "Printers and Scanners". Go to the line "Add a printer or scanner". Click on the line with the type of your device and, following the prompts, install the drivers.

The program allows you to use only the basic functions of the printer. To use all its features, install drivers for a specific model and brand of the printing device.

To download drivers for a specific printer and install them manually, you need to find out the model number. Look for this information on the front of the device.

Type in the search bar of your browser the name of your device and the phrase "download drivers". It is best to download from the official website of the manufacturer. Run the drivers, install them, following the prompts of the program.

How do I check the print quality (nozzle test)?

Through the "Start" menu, go to "Settings". Select "Devices", and then - the line "Printers and Scanners". Select the printer and go to the "Printer properties" section. Then click the Print test page button.

For example, in the case of a Canon printer, you should get an image like this:

If the print does not match the sample, click the Clean button and correct the problem.

test print

What if there are stripes on the sheet after printing?

If the inkjet printer prints with streaks, check to see if the ink has run out. And there is? Refill the cartridge, change it or fill the ink bottles if you have CISS.

If the ink is in order, the nozzles may be clogged - they need to be cleaned. To do this, go to "Devices and Printers", through the "Tools" menu, select "Head Cleaning for Printing". You may have to repeat this procedure twice, or select the Enhanced Cleaning option.

Sometimes the print head needs to be washed manually. It is best to entrust this to the master from the repair service.

If the device began to “stripe” after transportation or rearrangement, the carriage could have shifted and the print head could be uncalibrated. Then there will be streaks, even if the nozzle test is good and the ink is normal. Find the "Printhead Alignment" item in the "Service" tab, follow the prompts.

What should I do if the printer stops printing?

Restart your computer and printer. To do this, disconnect the device from the network. Turn it back on. Take out the USB cable, plug it in again. Through "Start" and go to "Settings". Select "Devices", and then - the line "Printers and Scanners". Select a printer. Check if the box next to "Use by default" is checked.

If our grandmothers and mothers dabbled in knitting, and our fathers tinkered in garages, then 21st century handmade can do with just a 3D printer. The problem is that those who have access to the printer do not know what to do with it. Those who don't have them don't even know. If you find yourself in this description, then check out our list of useful household utensils that you have been forgetting to buy on some AliExpress for a year now, but which a 3D printer can print perfectly. This could be the beginning of a fruitful acquaintance with him.

Cable holder

The current computers, like a Christmas tree, are hung up and down with a variety of cords. Like the problem described above, tangled cables in the near-computer area do not cause positive emotions. Thanks to a 3D printer, this worldly problem will come to naught. Practical and simple, the holders will be excellent controls for the movement of wires on your desk and bring you closer to zen.

Child safety lock

All childhood we were warned that fingers (and not only) should not be put into the socket. And from the fact that we were forbidden, it became even more interesting. Now the attention of the guys on this can not even be sharpened - and the children will be safe, and you will be calmer. No, it's over, it's naive to believe that your child will not find other adventures for himself - but one headache will be less.

Headphone holder

There is no sadder story in the world than headphones tangled in a bunch of keys just when you are late for work. It is high time to end the epic of wasted time and nerves! With a 3D printer at hand (and having mastered this beast), you can make a headphone holder that will greatly simplify your life, and you will catch envious glances from people who do not yet know the recipe for making your “nerve saver”. Therefore, it is not recommended to particularly shine them in public. And it's better to leave it at home, for your own safety, of course.

Owl face bookmark

If you are invited to your companion's best friend's birthday party (whom you dislike, to put it mildly), surprise everyone by saying that the gift for the birthday girl will be handmade. Then print a bookmark on a 3D printer, give it to your niece with felt-tip pens for coloring. In the meantime, you can play video games yourself, pretending to be doing a gift. When the time comes for the celebration, take the gift, which has already acquired its final form and is ready to be presented. Be sure to talk about how the gift is associated with the birthday girl (the owl is a symbol of wisdom, and the original color speaks of its authenticity) ... although such an owl will come in handy. And in the end, you can not go to your birthday, citing poor health.

Flower pot with automatic watering

The devil would have pulled you to agree with your wife and bring back from your last vacation a bush of exotic grass, by someone's unfortunate oversight, called a flower. And everything would be fine if the wife did it. But then the moment “X” came when the wife announced that she was going to her mother for a week, and caring for a pet in a pot was entirely up to you. And remembering the withered cactus (the last plant that lived with you), it became clear that upon the return of the beloved, a very unpleasant conversation was ahead. But thank you, 21st century, for the self-watering flowerpot. And these 7 days can be spent away from flowers, in the company of friends, football and fishing.

Stash shelf

A fairly simple design, which is a topless box screwed to the wall with a plastic cover put on it, will become a useful and indispensable thing in a house where there are small children and a wife .... Both bonus money and a cigarette that you can smoke alone can spend the winter in it, while all relatives believe that you go to the horizontal bars every day to study. And in general, a shelf in the house is a useful thing.

Hooks for packages

The conservation season will soon come, and who better than you will have to travel endlessly to the store for the source material for lecho and adjika. Those who have repeatedly pulled the ill-fated package to the red stripes on their fingers will appreciate how this journey can be facilitated. With such a device, you can say goodbye to hands crushed from packages. True, to get rid of the fact that "there are not enough hands for everything" now also will not work. In any case, bag hooks are a very handy accessory.

Toothpaste squeezer

Tired of being ripped off by huge corporations, forcing you to buy at exorbitant prices and not be able to use what you bought to the bitter end? Then put a stick in the wheel of a monopoly machine by printing a manual liquid squeezer! With such a simple device, you can squeeze the liquid out of any tube to spite the corporations! And even if the squeezers are not intentionally sold from store shelves, we will print them ourselves! Bring on the revolution!

Washbasin attachment for children

An excellent solution for already quite independent, but not yet long-armed enough. With such a nozzle, your offspring will feel much more self-sufficient, because such an important process as washing hands without outside help will become simple and understandable for him. You will have to keep a mop ready in order to erase the traces of the first manifestations of hygiene in time.

Party device - pouring several containers at the same time

If we are talking about a house party, and not drinking a bottle of whiskey for three, such a desktop accessory that resembles a central irrigation system right on your table will be very appropriate. Think for yourself, a matter that everyone seems tedious and boring to instantly turn into an attraction that everyone who comes wants to ride. The only thing you need to teach guests is to put glasses in the designated places. But if all this is combined with the automatic watering system of that pot ... Ah, dreams.

Tirex head shower head

Of course, this kind of products have a purely decorative mission, but damn it, it's just fine! Put a little effort and time and oops - the head of your favorite cartoon character is pouring warm water on you.

Hot dish handles

This kind of handles will quickly take the status of the most necessary in your kitchen. With their help, you can forget about burns and all the inconveniences associated with the use of a variety of tacks and towels. And if it so happened that your friend Anton, who came to civilian life, interrupted all the dishes in the house - do not worry, with such handles any jar will instantly become a convenient cup.

For those who want to know more

• Why 3D printers will come to every home or how I first used a 3D printer - the first experience with a 3D printer: pitfalls and first skills
• 7 gadgets everyone should try - what else is worth trying in person besides 3D printers
• How 3D printers are changing our lives - what will we 3D print in the near future
• On September 16, 3D Print Conference Kiev will be held in Kiev, dedicated to 3D printing - where you can see the advanced technologies of 3D printing with your own eyes and communicate with those who use them
• Book "3D Printing, Short and Clear" in PDF - Free 3D Printing Tutorial for Beginners

The 3D printer is used not only for entertainment, but also to create really useful items. We will tell you about 20 things that will surely come in handy in your everyday life.

No. 1: sliding lock

A very useful gadget for a summer resident or the owner of a country house. Despite the fact that the lock is printed from plastic, it is suitable for a barn, country toilet or even a closet.

No. 2: office plate

Informative sign that can be put on the desktop. With it, you tell customers and employees about when you have lunch.

#3: book page holder

No. 4: coin sorter

A handy device for those who constantly deal with coins. You can adapt the sorter for any currency. The model was presented on Thingiverse.

No. 5: folding coffee cup sleeve

Buying coffee to go? Then this protective sleeve will come in handy so as not to burn your hands. The design is foldable, which means it will fit any coffee cup.

No. 6: honeycomb for cable storage

Chargers, USB or HDMI cables are probably scattered throughout the apartment. Now they can be stored in one place - in convenient cells that we found on Thingiverse.

No. 7: coaster for a mug

Nobody likes marks on furniture. To prevent their occurrence, we propose to print a coaster in the form of a coffee molecule. It's funny, isn't it?

#8: SD Card Storage Stand

It is not only convenient, but also beautiful. The cards are stored in a special stand in such a way that their corners form the tops of the mountains. Like the previous 7 models, we found the stand on Thingiverse.

No. 9: bag holder

It is very inconvenient to carry large packages from the store, because the handles literally eat into the palm of your hand. At Cults3D, we found a device that will relieve the discomfort.

#10: plastic bottle opener

An unusual boomerang will help you open a tightly closed plastic bottle even with one hand. You can download the model on Cults3D.

No. 11: a set of parametric hooks

Beautiful and very practical hooks on which you can hang keys, towels, bags and other household items. You can find them on Thingiverse.

No. 12: a shelf for a charging phone

The shelf is printed exactly to the size and shape of the outlet so that you can conveniently position the phone while it is charging. We found this shelf at MyMiniFactory.

No. 13: soap dish

Consists of two parts which are removed and easily washed from a soap raid. On Cults3D you can download different patterns for the inner tray.

No. 14: shower head

Why spend money in a plumbing store? The nozzle can now be printed on your home 3D printer by downloading it from Thingiverse.

No. 15: a shelf with a cache

A secret hiding place inside which you can store money, documents or other small items. We found it on MyMiniFactory.

No. 16: self-wetting pot for indoor plants

With such a pot, your flowers and flowerpots will always bloom and smell. Suitable for storing freshly picked greens (if you want them to stay fresh as long as possible). You can download the model on Cults3D.

#17: flash drive for secret data

A special case with a combination lock will help to keep all your photos, documents or other files from theft and extraneous encroachment. Do you want a flash drive? Her model is posted on Thingiverse.

No. 18: opener and slot for a slice of pizza

It can be used for its intended purpose, worn as a keychain, or you can print a set of such slots at once and use them to separate pizza. Download from Cults3D.

No. 19: Windshield Scraper

With it, you quickly remove snow or ice from the car glass. We found it on Thingiverse.

#20: toilet paper holder

It was posted on YouMagine. This is a handy holder in the style of the classic Space Invader.

Typically, printers are used to print various documents, educational materials, literary text, photographs. Not many people think that the device can also be used for entertainment purposes, creating unique things on it from games to unusual decor elements.

What can be printed on a printer?

If the first printer models could recognize one or two document formats, now a rare file is unsuitable for printing. However, it is most convenient to print the following basic formats:

• pdf (especially practical when transferring from one PC to another, since regardless of software versions, a document of this format will not change);
• docx (files created by Microsoft Word);

REFERENCE! You can also print other Microsoft Office documents (presentations, tables, etc.), but they do not often match the external display with the dimensions of one sheet, which, for example, can print one wide table on several pages at once.

• jpeg, bmp, png and other graphic formats (for printing photos);
• html (web pages).

In fact, there are much more formats suitable for printing, but rarely does the average user go beyond this list.

However, the printer can be used not only for the usual printing of books, documents, articles, photographs, etc. - on it you can "create" a huge number of unique things. Users around the world create and post similar ideas online, sometimes with ready-made files. These printouts touch on various areas of life and, as a rule, they are aimed at improving them.

Most popular ideas:

Sheets for the diary. In connection with the popularization of numerous planning systems, the fashion for notebooks specific to them has gone. Unfortunately, such diaries are produced abroad (as well as separate pages for them), so their cost is quite high. And it turns out much cheaper to print them from ready-made templates yourself. Bullet journal is one of such popular planning systems.

REFERENCE! Diary sheets require thicker sheets than normal documents.

Checklists. If you keep forgetting to do something in your daily or monthly cleaning, or take something on a regular trip, then checklists will definitely help you organize. You can either create them yourself or print ready-made ones from the Internet. The public templates cover a variety of topics: a monthly shopping list, beach essentials, monthly cleaning tasks, interesting places to visit in a particular city, and more.

Marathons and Challenges. For a long time you can not force yourself to go in for sports or read more books, then this option is for you. Among ready-made ideas, there are litas, which describe how long it is necessary to hold the bar on a particular day (or any other exercise), what task should be completed today in order to become a little better, etc.

Poster on several sheets. The embodiment of this idea will be a wonderful decoration of the house. But it is worth choosing good quality images or photographs to avoid blurring. Then such a poster can fully replace the wallpaper.

Corporate style of forms for documents. Do you want your company's paper to be different from others? Decorate it with a logo or distinctive color stripe. Then your clients/colleagues/suppliers will immediately see who the paper came from, without even reading the document itself.

REFERENCE! Prepare such forms in advance so as not to add a logo each time a document is created.

Volumetric things. To decorate a room or as an original gift, you can print templates of some things, and then assemble a three-dimensional structure from them, for example, a camera.

What to print on a printer for a girl?

If, for example, you live in a small town where it is difficult to find something for creativity or entertainment, and ordering online is too risky, since the product may arrive wrinkled, then you can print many things yourself. For girls, the most relevant ideas are:

• board games (you can come up with it yourself or find a template for some popular game);
• mazes, crosswords and other various puzzles;
• paper dolls;
• scrapbooking paper;
• coloring books (including from the popular anti-stress series);
• templates for making toys (for example, squash);
• puzzles;
• stickers;
• calendar and more.

By printing out such things yourself, you also save yourself from the insane store red tape, when the child needs exactly what is not currently available.

You should not immediately rush to print out everything that you met on the Internet at once. First of all, make sure that this template is of high quality (blurry coloring outlines have not pleased anyone yet). If it's an image on a web page, then right-click on it and select "Find Image (Google)". This search query will help you find all available sizes of the image you are interested in.

You need to be careful about the size of the printed document. This is especially true for choosing the most appropriate orientation: portrait or landscape.

After making sure that the printer is connected, the drivers are installed and the device is working properly, you can start printing. Using the Word office program as an example, let's look at how to print text.

Open a ready-made text document or prepare it yourself, for which you need to copy or type text on Word sheets, then edit and format it.

Further actions, based on the Office version, may vary slightly.

In version 2010 the icon with the printer for quick printing is displayed on the quick access panel. Pressing it will help fast printing.

In Word 2003 you will also find the printer icon without problems.

AT 2013 Word version of the icon on the quick access panel is not initially available by default, but it can be easily added by clicking the drop-down list and selecting the item. There is an item below View if you want to preview the layout of the document.

You can also go to the window responsible for sending to the printer through the menu File/Seal.

In all versions, a universal combination will work ctrl-p. Next, go to the settings window. For the 2010 version it looks like this.

For 2003 so.

Here you can tune page range or specify specific numbers, select the number of copies, and specify the printer to send the document to. Among the many other settings, let's focus on setting color or black and white print. To go to the window for setting these parameters, open Properties.

Choose here Color and press OK for confirmation.

It should be noted that these actions similar for any program that works with text.

Printing a web page

There are two ways to do this. The first - copy(Ctrl+C) the desired text from the web page and insert(Ctrl+V) in text editor(for example, the same Word). Then print as shown in the first paragraph.

The second way is to print directly directly from the browser.

The easiest way to do this is by pressing a keyboard shortcut. ctrl+p- a window will open settings. You can also open it using the menu button in the browser − Seal(example for Google Chrome).

Here, in settings, you can set all the same parameters as in a Word document with a slightly different interface, but quite intuitive.

How to print a picture

You can open the print window of a picture without even opening it by selecting from the menu, after right-clicking on the icon, the item Seal.