A check printing too far to the left usually means either the paper isn't seated squarely in the tray, or your software's left margin doesn't match your printer's actual printable area.
Likely causes
- The check stock is sitting loosely in the tray and drifting left during the print pull.
- Your software's left margin is set smaller than the printer's real unprintable edge, so content starts closer to the edge than the paper allows.
- The paper guides in the tray aren't adjusted snugly against the stock's edges.
How to fix it
- Adjust the paper tray's side guide so it sits snugly against the edge of the check stock — not tight enough to bend it, but enough to stop it shifting.
- Print a test check on plain paper and measure from the left edge to a fixed reference point, like the start of the payee line.
- Compare that to where it should land and adjust your software's left margin or horizontal offset accordingly.
- Reprint and re-check — this usually only takes one adjustment once the paper is seated correctly.
If the offset is inconsistent from print to print rather than a steady amount, that points to the paper shifting in the tray rather than a software setting — focus on the paper guides first.