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HP DeskJet 3520 Manual — Setup, Troubleshooting & Support Guide

The HP DeskJet 3520 is a compact all-in-one inkjet printer designed for home and small office use with USB connectivity. This guide covers essential troubleshooting, cartridge maintenance, print quality optimization, and support resources to keep your printer running smoothly.

USB 2.0 Connection Color Inkjet Printer HP 61 / HP 61XL Cartridges
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Product Setup

1

Install Setup Cartridges

When first setting up your HP DeskJet 3520, you must install the cartridges labeled SETUP that came in the box. These calibrate your printer before the first print job. Do not open or uncap cartridges until ready to install to reduce ink evaporation.

2

Connect USB Cable

HP recommends using a USB cable that is 3 meters (10 feet) or less in length to minimize injected noise. Connect the cable from your computer directly to the USB port on the rear of the printer.

3

Load Paper and Power On

Open the paper tray and load letter or A4 plain white paper. Ensure the paper-width guide fits snugly against the paper without bending it. Then power on the printer and follow the on-screen setup prompts.

4

Align Cartridges

After installation, the printer will prompt you to align the cartridges for high-quality output. Load unused plain white paper, access the Printer Toolbox via Print and Scan settings, and click 'Align Printheads' to complete the alignment process.

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Pro-Tip: Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzles. Touching these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.

WiFi Connection Guide

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USB Connection Only

The HP DeskJet 3520 connects via USB 2.0 cable only. WiFi and wireless connectivity are not available on this model. For wireless printing, consider upgrading to the HP DeskJet 3520 wireless series.

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Network Support Resources

Visit the HP online support website at www.hp.com/support for detailed networking information, including firewall and anti-virus setup guidance. Learn how to work with your network security settings and access the Network Diagnostic Utility.

Troubleshooting FAQ

Improve Print Qualityexpand_more
Use genuine HP cartridges and check print properties to select the correct paper type and quality. Check ink levels—if low, consider replacing cartridges. Align the cartridges by going to Printer Toolbox > Device Services > Align Printheads. If quality issues persist, print a diagnostics page from Device Reports and review the color and black boxes for streaks or missing portions. If found, automatically clean the cartridges via the Printer Toolbox.
Clear a Paper Jamexpand_more
If paper is jammed and visible, pull it out gently and press OK. If not visible from the exterior, open the cartridge access door to locate the jam—carefully pull the paper out without touching the white encoder strip. For jams at the back, open the cleanout door and remove the paper. If paper cannot be reached, close the access door, remove all paper from the tray, rotate the printer onto its left side, slide out the tray, remove the jammed paper, and reassemble. To prevent future jams, do not overfill the tray, remove printed papers frequently, keep paper flat, use same paper type and size, and adjust the paper-width guide snugly.
Unable to Printexpand_more
First, download the HP Printing Diagnostic Utility for automatic troubleshooting. Verify the printer is powered on with paper in the tray. Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable. Check that the printer is not paused or offline by accessing Devices and Printers (Windows 7), Control Panel > Printers (Vista), or Control Panel > Printers and Faxes (XP). Ensure the printer is set as the default printer—it will have a check mark in a black or green circle. Restart the Print Spooler service, restart your computer, and clear the print queue via the Printer menu. If issues persist, contact HP support.
Ink Cartridge Problemsexpand_more
First, try removing and reinserting the cartridges. If errors persist, clean the cartridge contacts: power on, open the cartridge access door, press the tab on the indicated cartridge, hold it by the sides with the bottom up, and wipe only the four copper or gold-colored electrical contacts with a dry swab or lint-free cloth. Also wipe the matching contacts inside the printer with the same dry cloth. Reinstall the cartridge and close the door. Do not leave cartridges outside the printer longer than 30 minutes. If the error continues, turn the printer off and on again, or replace the cartridges.
Manual Two-Sided Printingexpand_more
If automatic two-sided printing is not supported for your media type, use manual duplex printing. Go to File > Print, select 'Odd pages' from the Print drop-down menu, and click OK. After odd pages print, remove them from the output tray and reload in the input tray with the blank side facing down. Return to the Print drop-down, select 'Even pages,' and click OK to complete the two-sided printing.
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Important Safety Instructions

  • Check ink levels regularly from the control panel (home screen > Ink Levels) or Printer Software (Estimated Ink Levels) to plan for replacements before quality suffers
  • Replace cartridges when print quality becomes unacceptable; always use genuine HP 61 or HP 61XL cartridges designed and tested for the DeskJet 3520
  • Clean printhead automatically from the control panel (Settings > Tools > Clean Printhead) if print quality degrades or after the diagnostics page shows streaks
  • Order replacement cartridge supplies online at www.hp.com/buy/supplies or locate the cartridge number inside the cartridge door for local purchases
  • Use the Auto Power-Off feature to manage the printer's power consumption and maintain cartridge longevity during extended periods of non-use

Replacement Ink Cartridges

The HP DeskJet 3520 printer uses genuine HP 61 / HP 61XL ink cartridges. Select your cartridge below to purchase replacement cartridges on Amazon:

shopping_cart Buy HP 61 on Amazon shopping_cart Buy HP 61XL on Amazon

Technical Specifications

Feature Specification
Cartridge TypesHP 61 (standard) and HP 61XL (high-yield) cartridges
ConnectivityUSB 2.0 cable (3 meters / 10 feet maximum recommended)
Print TechnologyThermal inkjet color printing
Color Output ResolutionUp to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi
Black Output ResolutionUp to 600 x 1200 dpi
Color Depth24-bit color, 8-bit grayscale (256 levels)
Phone Support DurationOne year in North America, Asia Pacific, and Latin America
Related ModelsDeskJet 3500, 3510, 3511, 3512, 3515
Manual PDFhttp://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c03355292.pdf