Ghosting is easy to recognize: a header, a logo or a block of text appears again a few centimeters further down the page, faint and gray, sometimes more than once. The printer is failing to erase the previous image from a roller before it prints the next strip. Three rollers can do that, and the spacing between the original and the ghost tells you which one.
Measure the repeat
Print a page with one dark horizontal bar near the top and nothing else. Measure from the bar to its first ghost with a ruler. Then compare:
- Drum: desktop HP LaserJet Pro and Canon imageCLASS drums are typically 24–30 mm in diameter, giving a repeat of about 75–95 mm.
- Fuser roller: repeats of about 60–100 mm depending on model; if the ghost is glossier than the original and smears slightly, it is the fuser.
- Transfer roller: repeats of about 40–60 mm, usually as faint background tint rather than a clear image.
Exact values are in the service manual under "repetitive defect ruler"; the ranges above are enough to decide.
Drum ghosting
The drum is coated with a photosensitive layer that wears with each rotation. As it wears, the charge does not fully reset and a memory of the last image stays. Contributing factors: high humidity, very heavy coverage pages, and printing many pages of the same layout (forms, letterhead). On HP LaserJet Pro M404/M428, M203/M227 and most Canon imageCLASS models the drum is either in the toner cartridge or a separate unit:
- Drum in the cartridge (HP 26A/58A/87A, Canon 045/054/137 and most others): replace the toner cartridge. A genuine HP 87A includes a fresh drum.
- Separate drum: HP 19A (M102/M130), HP 32A (M118/M148/M203/M227), HP 120A (M107/M135 series). Replace the 19A, 32A or 120A drum when its counter reaches the printer's warning, or earlier if ghosting appears.
Fuser ghosting
The fuser melts toner onto paper with a heated roller and a pressure roller. When the roller's release coating wears, a little toner sticks to it and is deposited one rotation later. Signs: ghost is slightly shiny, appears mostly on heavy coverage pages, and gets worse when printing heavy paper with the "plain" setting. Fixes: set the correct paper type; run the printer's cleaning page a couple of times; if it persists, replace the fuser kit (a maintenance part for that model). On low-cost personal printers a fuser can cost as much as the printer.
Settings that cause false ghosting
Before buying parts: set paper type to match the loaded stock; turn off "Toner Save"; on HP, try Print Quality > "Less Paper Curl" off and "Fuser mode" to normal; on Canon, Special Processing options like "Reduce Ghosting" exist for exactly this and are worth trying first. Store paper dry — damp paper increases ghosting because the transfer step is weaker.
Order of action
Correct paper settings → cleaning page → reseat and rock cartridge → new genuine cartridge (or drum unit) → fuser kit. Two out of three ghosting cases end at step four. Find the right cartridge and drum for your model with the printer cartridge finder.
Genuine cartridges mentioned in this guide
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What causes ghosting on a laser printer?
Ghosting is a faint repeat of an image lower on the page. It happens when the drum is not fully cleaned or discharged between rotations (drum or wiper blade wear), when the fuser roller carries toner from the previous rotation, or when paper type and fuser temperature do not match.
How do I know if it is the drum or the fuser?
Measure the distance between the image and its ghost. If it matches the drum circumference (roughly 75–95 mm on desktop models) the drum or cartridge is the cause; if it matches the fuser roller (often 60–100 mm) the fuser is worn. Printing on a different paper type with the matching setting also helps isolate the fuser.
Is ghosting covered by the warranty?
Drum and fuser are consumables. The drum is inside the toner cartridge on many HP models, so a fresh genuine cartridge fixes drum ghosting; separate drum units and fuser kits are sold as maintenance parts.
