06-26-2025 08:12 PM
I'm creating a promo piece on 4 x 6 glossy postcard size paper.
The glossy side has a picture and wording. The print on that side is great - no smudges.
I want a QR code on the other side - the matte side of the paper.
It smudges - no matter what I do to the print commands (draft, no border, etc.) it smudges.
Is there anything I can do, or is this just not meant to be printed on?
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06-28-2025 09:05 AM
@DM11428 wrote:
I'm creating a promo piece on 4 x 6 glossy postcard size paper.
The glossy side has a picture and wording. The print on that side is great - no smudges.
I want a QR code on the other side - the matte side of the paper.
It smudges - no matter what I do to the print commands (draft, no border, etc.) it smudges.
Is there anything I can do, or is this just not meant to be printed on?
Some photo papers are not really paper; they are a plastic base that has a coating applied to the printable side. The not print side is non-absorbent so ink won't stick. It just sits on the surface.
06-27-2025 08:51 AM - edited 06-27-2025 08:53 AM
Greetings ,
If you're using copy paper, you can print on both sides. It doesn't matter what side you print on. If you are using photo or specialty papers you can only print on one side. I suppose you could flip the paper and try to use a plain paper setting but no guarantee depending on the type and brand of paper. One of the things the paper settings you use does is determining how much ink the printer throws down. However, specialty papers usually only allow printing on one side.
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06-27-2025 08:54 AM
I specifically wrote that I was trying to print on the matte (non-glossy) side of a 4 x 6 glossy photo paper.
06-27-2025 11:51 PM
The back side is not meant to be printed on. It does not have the coating/treatment that allows ink to bond to and dry on the surface.
Is that clear enough?
06-28-2025 09:05 AM
@DM11428 wrote:
I'm creating a promo piece on 4 x 6 glossy postcard size paper.
The glossy side has a picture and wording. The print on that side is great - no smudges.
I want a QR code on the other side - the matte side of the paper.
It smudges - no matter what I do to the print commands (draft, no border, etc.) it smudges.
Is there anything I can do, or is this just not meant to be printed on?
Some photo papers are not really paper; they are a plastic base that has a coating applied to the printable side. The not print side is non-absorbent so ink won't stick. It just sits on the surface.
06-28-2025 01:50 PM
Thanks - makes total sense.
I'll look around for photo paper that is printable on both sides - or use labels.
06-28-2025 03:10 PM
@DM11428 wrote:
Thanks - makes total sense.
I'll look around for photo paper that is printable on both sides - or use labels.
Canon Matte Photo Paper is real paper. Ink spreads a little on non-print side. Depends on how sharp your code needs to be.
06-28-2025 05:10 PM
Needs to be sharp enough to read - I'll probably use a label. But thanks for the explanation. Makes sense.
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