HP LaserJet 1020: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the HP LaserJet 1020 right for you?

The LaserJet 1020 is the slightly faster sibling of the 1018 and, as the 1020 Plus, became one of the most common printers in Indian offices and cyber cafes. It prints crisp text, costs pennies per page with a refilled 12A cartridge, and has almost nothing to go wrong mechanically apart from the pickup roller and separation pad. Like the 1018 it is host-based and USB-only, so driver availability on new operating systems is the main reason people retire it.

Best for: High-volume cheap mono printing from a single PC

Setting up the HP LaserJet 1020

Connect the USB cable after installing the HP basic driver on Windows; on Windows 11 the in-box driver usually loads automatically. Clean the grey pickup roller with a damp cloth when it starts picking multiple sheets or none at all. Streaks down the page generally mean a worn drum in the cartridge, which is cured by a new or refilled 12A.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the toner cartridge and drum unit, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use HP's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The HP LaserJet 1020 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• HP 12A (Q2612A) toner

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications