Canon TS9540, TS9550, and TS9551C Print Incorrect Colors: Red Appears Orange

Last Updated on 18.07.2026 by DriverNew

A Canon TS9500 Series printer may print red as orange, purple as blue, or photos that are too dark, faded, or have an incorrect color cast. The cause may be clogged nozzles, an incorrectly installed ink tank, an unsuitable paper type, or incorrect color correction settings.

This guide applies to the following models:

• Canon PIXMA TS9540;
• Canon PIXMA TS9540A;
• Canon PIXMA TS9541C;
• Canon PIXMA TS9550;
• Canon PIXMA TS9550A;
• Canon PIXMA TS9551C;
• Canon PIXMA TS9551CA.

All the models listed above belong to the Canon TS9500 series and use the same printing system, common driver, and print head maintenance procedure.

Why Red May Print as Orange

To print red, the printer combines magenta and yellow ink. If magenta prints more weakly than it should, a red area may appear orange or yellowish red.

Possible causes:

• the magenta nozzles are partially clogged;
• the magenta ink is running low;
• the ink tank is not installed securely;
• the protective tape was not removed completely from the ink tank;
• the ink tank’s air hole is blocked;
• a faulty or incompatible ink tank is installed;
• the wrong paper type is selected in the driver;
• printing is being performed on the non-printable side of photo paper;
• both the application and printer driver are applying color correction;
• the color balance was previously changed in the driver;
• an unsuitable color profile is being used.

Method 1: Determine Where the Problem Occurs

First, determine whether the problem is related to one computer or to the printer itself.

1. Select a photo or document in which red is clearly visible.
2. Print the file from the computer.
3. Then print the same file from a phone using the Canon PRINT app or another supported printing method.
4. Compare the results.

If the incorrect color appears only when printing from the computer, check the driver and application settings.

If the same incorrect color appears when printing from both the computer and phone, check the ink, nozzles, paper, and print head.

Method 2: Check the Ink Levels

1. Turn on the printer.
2. Wait for the Home screen to appear.
3. Tap the Setup icon.
4. Open the ink information section.
5. Check the level of all color ink tanks.

Pay particular attention to the ink tank marked:

M — Magenta

If the ink tank is empty or the printer displays an out-of-ink warning, replace it. Print head cleaning will not help if the ink has run out.

Method 3: Check the Installation of the Color Ink Tanks

Use this method if the problem appeared after replacing an ink tank.

1. Turn on the printer.
2. Open the scanning unit / cover.
3. Wait until the print head holder stops completely.
4. Do not move the holder by hand.
5. Find the ink tank for the affected color.
6. Press down on the top of the ink tank.
7. The ink tank should be installed until it clicks into place.
8. Check whether the ink lamp is lit.

If the ink tank was installed recently:

1. Press the tab on the ink tank.
2. Carefully remove it.
3. Check that the orange protective tape has been removed completely.
4. Make sure the air hole is open.
5. Do not touch the contacts or ink outlet.
6. Install the ink tank in the slot with the matching label.
7. Press down on it until it clicks into place.
8. Check the ink lamp.
9. Close the scanning unit / cover.

Do not remove all the ink tanks at the same time. Check them one at a time.

Method 4: Print a Nozzle Check Pattern

This is the primary test for incorrect colors.

Step 1: Load Paper

1. Take one sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain white paper.
2. Load the paper in the front cassette.
3. Insert the cassette back into the printer.
4. If the paper settings confirmation screen appears, select A4 or Letter.
5. For the paper type, select Plain paper.
6. Open the operation panel.
7. Pull out the paper output tray.

Step 2: Start the Nozzle Check

1. On the Home screen, tap Setup.
2. Select Maintenance.
3. Select Print nozzle check pattern.
4. Tap Yes.
5. Wait for the pattern to print.

Do not turn off the printer or open the cover during printing.

How to Evaluate the Color Pattern

Check the color bands and grids.

There is a nozzle problem if:

• one of the color bands is missing;
• horizontal white lines are visible in a color band;
• the magenta section is printed very faintly;
• part of the magenta section is missing;
• the color is printed unevenly;
• gaps are visible in the pattern.

If red prints as orange, inspect the magenta section especially carefully.

If the pattern prints correctly and all colors are even, proceed to checking the paper and driver settings.

Method 5: Perform Standard Cleaning

Perform cleaning only if the pattern contains gaps or a color is missing.

1. Leave one sheet of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the cassette.
2. On the Home screen, tap Setup.
3. Select Maintenance.
4. Select Cleaning.
5. Tap Yes.
6. Wait for the procedure to finish.
7. Print another nozzle check pattern.

If there is no improvement, perform standard cleaning one more time.

Do not perform standard cleaning many times in succession. After two cleaning cycles, proceed to deep cleaning.

Method 6: Perform Deep Cleaning

1. On the Home screen, select Setup.
2. Open Maintenance.
3. Select Deep cleaning.
4. Confirm that you want to start the procedure.
5. Wait for the procedure to finish.
6. Print another nozzle check pattern.

If deep cleaning did not help:

1. Turn off the printer using the power button.
2. Wait 24 hours.
3. Turn on the printer.
4. Print the pattern again.
5. If gaps remain, perform deep cleaning one more time.

If the color is not restored after the second deep cleaning, the ink tank or print head may be faulty.

Method 7: Select the Correct Paper Type

An incorrect media type can significantly change the color and density of the print.

1. Open the photo or document.
2. Select File → Print.
3. Select Canon TS9500 series.
4. Click Printer properties, Settings, or Preferences.
5. Find the Media Type setting.
6. Select the type of paper that is actually loaded in the printer.

Examples:

• for standard office paper, select Plain Paper;
• for Canon glossy photo paper, select the exact name of that photo paper;
• for matte paper, select the appropriate matte paper type;
• for third-party paper, use the paper type recommended by its manufacturer.

Do not select photo paper when printing on standard office paper. Do not select plain paper when printing a high-quality photo on glossy media.

Method 8: Check the Printable Side of the Paper

Some types of photo paper have only one printable side.

When loading paper in the rear tray:

the printable side must face up

If you print on the reverse side of photo paper:

• colors may appear faded;
• the ink may not absorb properly;
• the colors may be incorrect;
• the surface may remain wet for a long time;
• the image may smear.

Check the instructions on the paper packaging.

Method 9: Select High Print Quality

1. Open the print window.
2. Select Canon TS9500 series.
3. Open the printer properties.
4. Find the Print Quality setting.
5. Select High.
6. Click OK.
7. Print the photo again.

High-quality mode prints more slowly and consumes more ink, but it may improve color gradations and color accuracy.

Method 10: Reset the Manual Color Settings

If the cyan, magenta, or yellow settings were changed previously, restore the default settings.

1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Open Bluetooth & devices.
3. Select Printers & scanners.
4. Open Canon TS9500 series.
5. Select Printing preferences.
6. Open the Main tab.
7. Find the Color/Intensity setting.
8. Select Auto.
9. Click Defaults if this button is available.
10. Click OK.

Print the test photo again.

If the colors return to normal, the saved manual driver settings caused the problem.

Method 11: Check the Grayscale Printing Setting

1. Open the Canon printer properties.
2. Go to the Main tab.
3. Find Grayscale Printing.
4. Make sure the checkbox is cleared.
5. Click OK.

This setting must be disabled for color printing.

Method 12: Check Color Correction

For normal printing, it is recommended that you first use the Canon driver’s automatic color correction.

1. Open the printer properties.
2. Go to the Main tab.
3. For Color/Intensity, select Manual.
4. Click Set….
5. Open the Matching tab.
6. Check the Color Correction setting.

For normal printing from a web browser, photo viewer, or Microsoft Office, use the standard driver setting.

If you are printing from a professional graphics application, only one component should manage color:

• either the graphics application;
• or the Canon driver.

If both the application and driver apply color correction, the image may have an incorrect color cast.

Method 13: Print a Color Adjustment Pattern

Use this method only if the nozzle check pattern prints correctly, the paper type is selected properly, but the color is still slightly different.

1. Open the Canon printer properties.
2. Go to the Main tab.
3. For Color/Intensity, select Manual.
4. Click Set….
5. Open the Color Adjustment tab.
6. Select the Print a pattern for color adjustment checkbox.
7. Click Pattern Print preferences….
8. Under the parameters to adjust, select Cyan/Magenta/Yellow.
9. Select the paper size.
10. Click OK.
11. Click OK again.
12. Start printing.

The printer will print several versions of the same image with different color balances.

13. Select the version with the most accurate colors.
14. Check the values shown next to that version.
15. Open the Manual Color Adjustment window again.
16. Enter the selected cyan, magenta, and yellow values.
17. Clear the Print a pattern for color adjustment checkbox.
18. Click OK.

Do not increase magenta at random. Use the printed patterns to avoid creating another incorrect color cast.

If Photos Print Too Dark

First, check the image on another screen. Excessive monitor brightness can make a photo appear lighter than it actually is.

Then perform the following steps:

1. Select the correct photo paper type.
2. Set the print quality to High.
3. Restore the driver’s default color settings.
4. Disable simultaneous color correction in both the application and driver.
5. Print a test photo.

If the image is still too dark:

1. Open the printer properties.
2. Select Color/Intensity → Manual → Set….
3. Open the Color Adjustment tab.
4. Slightly reduce the Intensity value.
5. Do not change several settings at once.
6. Print a small test section.

If You Are Using Photo Paper from Another Manufacturer

The manufacturer of third-party photo paper may provide a dedicated ICC profile.

Check the paper manufacturer’s website and look for a profile for:

• your printer model;
• the exact paper type;
• the operating system you are using.

If a dedicated profile is unavailable, select the most similar paper type in the Canon driver and make a test print.

Do not use a random ICC profile intended for different paper or another printer.

Test Printing Without a Computer

This test helps determine whether the incorrect color is related to Windows.

1. Take a color original containing red, blue, and green areas.
2. Place it face down on the scanner glass.
3. On the printer’s screen, select Copy.
4. Select color copying.
5. Tap Color.
6. Compare the copy with the original.

If the copy also has a strong orange color cast, reinstalling the driver will not help. Check the nozzles, ink tanks, and print head.

If the copy looks normal but files from Windows print with incorrect colors, check the driver, application, and color profile.

Check Original and Compatible Ink Tanks

If the problem appeared immediately after compatible ink tanks were installed:

1. Print a nozzle check pattern.
2. Check that the ink tanks are installed correctly.
3. Make sure the ink tanks are intended for this printer model.
4. If possible, install a working ink tank that previously printed correctly.

Ink from different manufacturers may have different color characteristics. Even when all nozzles are working properly, the colors may differ from results produced with genuine Canon ink tanks.

Reinstall the Canon Driver

Reinstallation may help if:

• the nozzle check pattern prints correctly;
• copying without a computer produces normal colors;
• the incorrect color appears only in Windows;
• Canon-specific settings are missing from the printer properties;
• Windows is using a standard driver.

Download Canon TS9500 series MP Drivers Ver. 1.06

1. If you are using USB, disconnect the USB cable.
2. Press Windows + R.
3. Enter:

   appwiz.cpl

4. Click OK.
5. Uninstall Canon TS9500 series MP Drivers.
6. Restart the computer.
7. Run the new installation file as an administrator.
8. Complete the installation.

For a USB connection, connect the cable only after the installer asks you to do so.

When to Contact a Service Center

Contact a service center if:

• one color is missing from the nozzle check pattern;
• two standard cleaning cycles did not help;
• deep cleaning did not help;
• a second deep cleaning after 24 hours did not help;
• installing a new ink tank did not change the result;
• the same incorrect colors appear when printing from the computer, phone, and while copying;
• the magenta section is consistently printed with gaps;
• the print head makes unusual noises;
• ink is visibly leaking inside the printer.

If the nozzle check pattern remains incorrect after all official procedures have been completed, the print head may be damaged. Adjusting the color balance or reinstalling the driver will not resolve this type of fault.

Quick Troubleshooting Procedure

1. Print one file from the computer and phone.
2. Check the color ink levels.
3. Check the magenta ink tank.
4. Print a nozzle check pattern.
5. If there are gaps, perform standard cleaning.
6. If necessary, perform standard cleaning a second time.
7. Perform deep cleaning only after two standard cleaning cycles.
8. Check the paper type and printable side.
9. Set the print quality to High.
10. Restore the driver’s default color settings.
11. Check the color correction settings.
12. If necessary, print color adjustment patterns.