🪟 Windows 10

How to Print a Test Page on Windows 10

✍️ By PrinterTech Team
📅 Updated March 2026
⏱️ 5 min read
🪟 Tested on Windows 10 22H2

Windows 10 remains one of the most popular operating systems, and printing a test page is straightforward once you know where to look. This guide covers three methods — including the newer Settings app, the classic Control Panel, and the Command Prompt approach.

⚡ Fastest Method: Print a detailed test page directly from our free Color Test Page — more comprehensive than the basic Windows test page.

Method 1: Windows 10 Settings (Recommended)

  1. Open Settings — Press Windows + I or click Start → ⚙️ Settings
  2. Click "Devices" — In the Settings window
  3. Click "Printers & Scanners" — In the left sidebar
  4. Select your printer — Click on it from the list
  5. Click "Manage" — A new page opens with printer options
  6. Click "Print a test page" — Wait 15-30 seconds
✅ Note: In Windows 10, the flow is Settings → Devices → Printers & Scanners → Manage. This is different from Windows 11 which uses Bluetooth & Devices.

Method 2: Control Panel (Classic)

  1. Open Control Panel — Press Windows + R, type control, press Enter
  2. Click "Devices and Printers" — Under "Hardware and Sound"
  3. Right-click your printer — Select "Printer Properties"
  4. Click "Print Test Page" — On the General tab at the bottom

Method 3: Command Prompt

For IT administrators or advanced users:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Run the following command:
rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /k /n "Your Printer Name"

Method 4: Our Free Online Test Page

The Windows built-in test page is minimal. For thorough printer diagnostics:

🎨 Color Test Page

CMYK bars, gradients, 24 color patches, and grayscale ramp for complete color diagnostics.

📐 Alignment Test Page

Grid patterns, registration crosshairs, and parallel line tests for precise alignment.

Troubleshooting Windows 10 Test Page Issues

Fix 1: Restart Print Spooler

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that manages print jobs. Restarting it fixes most issues:

  1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter
  2. Find "Print Spooler" in the list
  3. Right-click → Restart

Or use Command Prompt (Admin):

net stop spooler && net start spooler

Fix 2: Run Windows Printer Troubleshooter

  1. Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot
  2. Click "Additional troubleshooters"
  3. Click "Printer" → "Run the troubleshooter"

Fix 3: Update or Reinstall Printer Driver

  1. Right-click Start → Device Manager
  2. Expand "Print queues"
  3. Right-click your printer → "Update driver"
  4. Select "Search automatically for drivers"
💡 Upgrading to Windows 11? Check our Windows 11 test page guide — the steps are similar but the Settings layout has changed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Go to Settings → Devices → Printers & Scanners → click on your printer → click "Manage" → click "Print a test page." Alternatively, open Control Panel → Devices and Printers → right-click your printer → Printer Properties → Print Test Page.

Open Control Panel (press Win+R, type "control", Enter) → click "Hardware and Sound" → click "Devices and Printers." You can also search "Devices and Printers" directly in the Start menu search bar.

Press Win+R, type "services.msc", press Enter. Scroll to "Print Spooler", right-click it, and select "Restart." This fixes most "test page failed to print" errors. You can also restart it via Command Prompt (Admin): net stop spooler && net start spooler

Blank test pages usually mean: (1) Ink/toner cartridge is empty — check levels in printer software. (2) Protective tape wasn't removed from new cartridges. (3) Print head is clogged — run a head cleaning from printer settings. (4) Incorrect paper size selected — make sure Letter or A4 is set correctly.