Why does my HP printer say ink cartridge problem?
If your HP printer says ‘ink cartridge problem’, go through the reasons given below and narrow down your problem to fix the HP printer cartridge error.
Here’s why HP printer cartridge problem occurs:
1. Clogged print head
If you have changed the cartridge yourself recently, the spilled ink might have clogged the print head. In this case, remove the print head and clean it thoroughly with a dry cloth or non-fibrous tissue and let it dry. Once it is dried, reinstall the print head carefully.
2. Non-original Ink error
You might get a ‘non-original ink’ error message after installing the cartridge. Don’t worry, as you can get rid of this message by pressing ‘Proceed’, ‘OK’, or ‘Continue’ to resume your printing.
3. Dust on the cartridge chip
Dust can even damage the HP cartridge as the dust accumulates in the electronic chip on the HP cartridge’s body. Remove the indicated cartridge and find the chip on the cartridge’s body. Wipe the cartridge and its chip with a dry lint-free cloth or a non-fibrous tissue such as the kitchen roll. If you can’t find any dirt, use an alcohol-based solution to clean the cartridge and remove the stubborn marks that stop the printer from recognizing the indicated cartridge.
4. Dust between the printer and cartridge
Dust between the printer and cartridge contact can lead to ink cartridge error as your printer fails to recognize the indicated cartridge. Clean the insides of the contacts between the cartridge and printer with a tissue or lint-free cloth. However, make sure that the scraps of tissue are not left behind, or you won’t be able to print your documents.
5. Problem in the old cartridge
Sometimes, a cartridge has an electronic fault that is not visible to a naked eye. Therefore, try out another cartridge and install the cartridge to see if the ‘ink cartridge error’ message disappears.
6. Low ink error
You might rarely get a low ink message even if you installed a new cartridge. Remove the indicated cartridge and reinstall it until it sits into the desired slot to fix this cartridge problem. Once the cartridges are installed in place properly, press ‘Ok’ or ‘Continue’ to clear the cartridge error message.
7. Incompatible HP print cartridge problem
Sometimes, the indicated cartridge is fixed in the wrong slot. You can get rid of this problem by making sure the cartridge model number matches your printer model and country. Then, correctly install the cartridges in the corresponding slots.
How to bypass HP printer cartridge error?
You can bypass the HP printer cartridge error by some simple troubleshooting.
Here’s how you can solve the HP printer cartridge error yourself:
1. Defective Ink Cartridge
If you receive this message, it means dirt has accumulated. So, remove the cartridge, clean it with a dry lint-free cloth and reinstall the indicated cartridge. Sometimes, you forget to remove the plastic protective covers from the cartridge. So, check out for any plastic covers left behind and reinstall the cartridge after removing the plastic cover.
2. Non-original ink error
After pressing ‘Continue’ or ‘Ok’, remove the ink cartridges from the printer if the ‘Non-Original Ink’ error message still shows up. Then, use the cotton swabs dipped in an alcohol cleaning solution to clean the contacts on the cartridges. Dry them for a few minutes and place them back into the HP printer. Congrats, you can print your essential documents now without a hassle.
3. Depleted ink cartridge
Does your printer say ‘Depleted ink cartridge’ or ‘ink cartridge failure’? Reset your printer to recover from the errors by following the below-given steps.
- Disconnect the power cord from the printer while it’s switched on.
- Wait for a few seconds and remove the cord from the power source.
- After waiting for 60 seconds, turn on your printer by plugging the power cord into the wall outlet and complete the reset.
- However, if you still receive the same message, reinstall the cartridges after cleaning them.
4. Damaged or missing cartridge error
Another common HP printer error is ‘Cartridge missing or damaged’ or ‘Print cartridge not detected’. You can fix this error by;
- Turn off your printer and inspect the internal side of the carriage for any damage to the pins.
- If the contact pins are slightly bent, repair them with the tool so that the pin easily connects to the cartridge chip. Also, wipe the contacts with a dry lint-free cloth.
In case your printer still reports errors, visit the official HP website and select ‘Support’ -> ‘Software and Drivers’ -> ‘Printer’. Now choose your printer model. Next, a download page will appear, choose ‘Firmware’ and download the latest version. Once the installation is complete, your printer will recognize the cartridges.
You can even install a known old cartridge if your current cartridge is defective and not recognized by the printer.
Frequently Asked Question
How to factory reset HP printer to bypass the ink cartridge error?
Here’s how you can reset your printer;
- Turn off your printer and disconnect it with the power cable.
- Wait for 30 seconds and reconnect your printer to the power.
- Turn on the printer while holding the ‘Resume’ button.
- An attention light can be seen; this indicates that the printer is restoring the factory settings
Conclusion
Trust us and follow the above-given solutions to solve the HP cartridge ink problem. Fortunately, most of the time, you have to simply clean the indicated cartridges and reinstall them twice or thrice in the desired slots until you hear a click. However, if you have tried everything, including resetting your printer, visit the official HP website to get rid of the HP printer cartridge problem.
