Direct answer
Ghosted text can come from alignment, dirty encoder strips, incompatible media, a loose transfer path or a worn drum/fuser. Whether the duplicate repeats at a fixed distance helps isolate it.
What this covers
- The observed symptom matches this record
- Customer-accessible settings, connections and external components
- Diagnosis before reset, deletion or component replacement
What it does not cover
- ×A model-specific error code with a different documented meaning
- ×Internal electrical, battery-cell, gas, refrigeration or sealed-component repair
- ×A guarantee that every model exposes the same control label
Capture the exact symptom
ReversiblePrint an internal quality page and measure whether the shadow repeats evenly down the sheet.
Run the smallest isolation test
ReversibleVerify paper type, reseat supplies and run the documented alignment/calibration—not repeated generic cleaning.
Correct only the proven cause
ReversibleReplace the customer-serviceable drum/toner only when the internal page and repeat pattern implicate it.
Verify before changing anything else
ReversiblePrint text and graphics from the internal menu and computer without a shadow.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
What should I check before resetting anything?+
Print an internal quality page and measure whether the shadow repeats evenly down the sheet.
What is the safest isolation test?+
Verify paper type, reseat supplies and run the documented alignment/calibration—not repeated generic cleaning.
When should I stop troubleshooting?+
Laser fusers are hot and high-voltage; do not open guarded assemblies.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.