What is a printhead

A Canon printer's print head is a device that sprays ink onto paper to create images. It's usually located under the printer's cover and can be built into the printer or the cartridge. The print head works by: 

Transporting ink: Moving ink from the cartridge through small tubes 

Heating the tubes: Using heating elements to create a small ink bubble 

Determining drop size: Deciding how big the ink drop should be to apply to the paper 

Spraying ink: Using tiny nozzles to spray the ink droplets onto the paper 

Over time, the print head can become clogged with ink residue, which can inhibit ink flow. This can lead to poor print quality, such as faded, streaky, or spotty images, or missing colors. Other signs of a clogged or failed print head include blank pages or different colors on the printed page than on the screen. 

To fix a clogged print head, you can try cleaning it manually. You can remove the print head assembly and gently clean it with a lint-free cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol. You can also use the print head cleaning function on your computer to clear up clogged nozzles. 

If cleaning doesn't work, you might need to replace the print head. Canon print heads can be purchased from a variety of retailers, including The Plotter Paper Guys.