Overview 

All your printed pages exhibit late-life backgrounding completely over the entire printout. NOTE: This effect is also called dirty pages, haze page, splotches that cover the entire page, or toner background. This article will help you confirm the issue as late-life backgrounding. Proceed with the following questions.
 

Examples of Late Life Backgrounding

Hazy appearance exists over the entire page; can be gray, pink (magenta), light blue (cyan), or yellow.	Paper should have a clean, white appearance, as illustrated below.

Checklist

To determine whether the issue is caused by late-life backgrounding, do the following checks.

Note: First generate print samples (Print Defects Guide). This guide will help diagnose defects that repeat at regular intervals down the page. Follow the suggested steps below:
 

• When the printer is at Ready state, press the Menu button.
• Using the Navigation keys, scroll down and select Help.
• Under Help, select the Print Defects Guide.
 

Print Defects Guide Print Samples (Click each image to enlarge.)

Using the Print Defects Guide Print Samples, check the following questions to help confirm if issue is caused by late-life backgrounding:

1. Is there toner being printed in the areas of the page that should be white?

Yes: Continue analysis; please go to the next step.
No: The defect is likely not late-life backgrounding.

2. Does the defect cover the entire page from left to right and top to bottom? (Compare to the print sample images above.)

Yes: Continue analysis; please go to the next step.
No: The defect is likely not late-life backgrounding.

3. Determine which color shows the print defect. Is the defect from a brand new toner cartridge?

Yes: The defect is likely not late-life backgrounding.
No: Continue analysis; please go to the next step.

4. If unable to determine what color the defect is, check whether any of the toner cartridges are "Low" or more than half used?

Yes: Continue analysis; please go to the next step.
No: The defect is likely not late-life backgrounding.

NOTE: To check the toner level, press the Menu button. Using the Navigation keys, scroll down and select Supplies. Ensure that the status of all of the supplies is set to OK.

5. If the answer to the first three questions is "YES" and the toner cartridges are not brand new, it is likely the defect is caused by late-life backgrounding. Please follow the suggested steps below.

Troubleshooting

To correct the issue, perform the Color Adjust Procedure.

For Lexmark C73x Series Printers

Steps	Action
1	When the printer is at Ready state, press the Menu  button.
2	Press  until appears next to Settings, then press .
3	Press  until appears next to Quality menu, then press .
4	Press until appears next to Color Adjust, then press  to initiate the auto-alignment process.
5	The printer will return to Ready mode when the progress bar reaches 100%.
6	Reprint the Print Defects Guide. Did the Color Adjust resolve the issue? Yes: The issue is resolved. No: Please contact Lexmark Technical Support for other troubleshooting suggestions.

For Lexmark X73x Series Printers

Steps	Action
1	When the printer is at Ready state, press the .
2	Press  next to Settings.
3	Press  to scroll down, and press next to Print Settings.
4	Press next to Quality Menu.
5	Press to scroll down. Look for Color Adjust and press the next to it. This initiates the auto-alignment process.
6	Reprint the Print Defects Guide. Did the Color Adjust resolve the issue? Yes: The issue is resolved. No: Please contact Lexmark Technical Support for other troubleshooting suggestions.

Still Need Help?

Please contact Lexmark Technical Support if you need additional assistance. NOTE: When calling for support, you will be asked for your machine/model type and serial number (SN). If you need help locating these, click here.

Please call from near the printer in case the technician on the phone asks you to perform a task involving the printer.