How To Shut Your Printer Up

Printers can be frustrating at the best of times. You fill your device up with printer ink, then get ready to print out your university work, job application, or pet project.

There's often the usual stuff – paper jamming, ink cartridge problems – but, and especially with older devices, there's sometimes a cacophony of annoying whirring noises and curious clicks. At home, it's just a bit frustrating, but in the workplace, loud printing noise could have a more serious effect, perhaps impacting on worker productivity and contributing to stress levels.

According to Michael King at PC World, though, following a few simple tips can lead to printer heaven.

First – and this is obvious – don't ignore the printer's silent mode. Modern printers may be packed with cool features and gadgets, but this can mean some users ignore them because, well, they just want to print. Most printers nowadays have a silent mode – use it.

Another option, and particularly if you're looking to buy a new printer, is to think about a laser printer, PC World says. They're quieter than inkjets because a laser uses electricity to inject toner onto the paper. An inkjet uses a printer arm, constantly moving back and forth, creating more noise.

Finally, do you need the printer in the same room as you? You've probably not even thought about it. But with the advent of wireless printing, you no longer need to connect your computer, laptop or mobile to a printer via a cable. Simply stick it in another room, or further away – problem solved. Of course, you've still got to collect your documents, but hey – it's good exercise!

According to Lexmark, however, wireless printing is yet to take on, especially among European businesses. A recent poll of 388 home and office workers across eight European countries, including the UK, showed that while seven out of ten staff possess wireless technology, half still use a standard cable to link their devices to printers.

Posted by Johnny McMaster.