How to Tell When a Laser Printer Toner Cartridge Is Empty

Log on to your computer and print a test page to the printer. Click on the 'Start' button, choose 'Control Panel' and then 'Printers and Faxes.' Right-click on the laser printer, choose 'Properties' from the drop-down menu and click the 'Print test page' box.
Look at the quality of the print on the finished page. If the print is light or faded, the ink cartridge is probably empty or at least empty enough that it should be replaced. You can try to get some extra life out of your toner cartridge by taking it out of the printer, shaking it vigorously and putting it back in. Under normal printing loads, this can give you one to three days of additional printing capacity.
Open the printer cover and carefully pull out the toner cartridge. Set the cartridge aside while you open the box containing the new toner. Pull the new toner out but do not yet remove any of the packaging materials. Compare the weight of the new toner with the old one. If the old toner is very light, it is nearly empty and should be replaced.