Can I Use Inkjet Transfer Paper in a Laser Printer

by Doug Berg | Last Updated: January 14, 2019

If you have access to a laser printer and you need to create some custom tee shirts you may have thought about buying some inkjet transfer paper and trying to use your laser printer to create some transfers.

So, can you use inkjet transfer paper in a laser printer? The short answer is No. You can certainly print onto inkjet transfer paper with a laser printer. The problem is that inkjet printers and laser printers use a totally different method to apply an image.

Inkjet printers do exactly what their name implies, they spray a jet of ink onto the paper and create an image by applying small dots of ink. A laser jet printer works differently. Laser printers heat toner which is a plastic powder. The powder melts onto the page in the shape of the image.

If you try to apply a heat transfer printed from a laser printer onto inkjet paper the heat from the iron or heat press can re-heat the toner to the point that it will remelt. The re-melted toner will either smear or the image could completely destroy the transfer.

Inkjet transfer paper is made to bind with the ink and when heated make that image permanent. It obviously is also made to adhere permanently to a garment.

What that means for you is that if you have a laser printer you seriously need to look into getting a good inkjet. If you ever plan to expand your business or try your hand at screen printing I’d consider a wide format inkjet printer. I personally use the Canon Pixma IX6820 but I review it and 4 other great inkjet printers in this article.

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Doug has been an entrepreneur for years, starting several businesses. Doug is a web developer, father of 2 great kids and husband to the best wife ever. I've been working on building my custom tee shirt business for 3 years.