Printing can get expensive if you’re not careful. Luckily, your printer has several settings that help you use less toner or ink without sacrificing quality for everyday documents. Here’s how to save money in plain, simple terms.
- Draft or Economy Mode
- What it does: Prints lighter and faster using less toner or ink.
- When to use: For internal documents, notes, or anything that doesn’t need to look perfect.
- Tip: Great for printing multiple drafts or long reports.
- Duplex Printing (Double-Sided)
- What it does: Prints on both sides of the paper automatically.
- When to use: Reduces paper usage by half and is ideal for reports, handouts, and school assignments.
- Tip: Check your printer settings to enable duplex printing by default.
- Grayscale Printing
- What it does: Prints only in black (even if you have color cartridges installed).
- When to use: For documents that don’t need color, like letters, invoices, or notes.
- Tip: Saves color cartridges for when you really need them.
- Print Preview & Page Selection
- What it does: Lets you see how your document will look before printing.
- When to use: Avoid printing unnecessary pages. Only print the pages you need.
- Tip: Useful for PDFs or multi-page documents.
- Lower Resolution for Everyday Printing
- What it does: Reduces the dots per inch (DPI), using less toner or ink.
- When to use: For documents where crisp images aren’t important, like draft reports or personal notes.
Final Thoughts
Small changes in your printer settings can cut costs and waste without affecting the quality of important documents. Using Draft mode, duplex printing, grayscale, selective pages, and lower resolution is a smart way to save money and toner.
