What Does The Error Signify –
If you have just replaced the old ink cartridge in your printer with a new one, you might constantly run into the ‘HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge’ error. The ‘Cartridge blocked’ or ‘cartridge cannot be detected’ or ‘no cartridge installed’ errors are the most common ones. The lights on your HP printer would also flash.
This is a prevalent error. We will help you fix the issue. The steps mentioned below will help you figure out the reason for the error to crop up in the first place.
Reasons For The ‘HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge’ Error To Crop Up –
Protective Strips Over The Cartridge Not Removed –
One reason for the error to show up could be the protective strips over the cartridge. You might have installed the cartridge without taking off these strips from the cartridge. These strips protect the cartridge from damage while in transit. The tapes are usually yellow or orange in color.
Internal Memory Not Reset –
Every printer is designed to reset its internal memory as and when a new ink or toner cartridge is installed in it. Even so, sometimes the printer could not process the information or the new cartridge and fail to reset its internal memory. This often causes the printer to show the HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge error.
HP Cartridge Protection Feature –
The Cartridge Protection feature, if enabled, will bind new cartridges from being used in the printer. Although the feature is off by default, you should still check if the HP Cartridge protection feature on your printer is off or not. Disable the HP Cartridge protection feature before you install a new ink cartridge in the printer.
Damaged, Missing or Soiled Metal Contacts On The Ink Cartridge –
The metal contacts on the ink cartridge help it connect to the similar contacts in the printer and communicate. Dirt on these metal contacts can distort the communication between the cartridge and the printer, resulting in the HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge error. Missing or impaired metal contacts also pose the same issue.
Impaired Ink Cartridge –
The ink cartridge you bought for the HP printer might be impaired. The faulty ink cartridge could not be detected by the printer hence the HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge error.
Ink Cartridge Not Installed Properly –
The ink cartridge might not be in its spot or it might have been misplaced whilst installing.
Fixing The Error –
Once you figure out the reason for the error, you can find numerous ways to fix it. Following are the various solutions that will help you through the issue.
· Resetting The Printer Memory –
One method of getting rid of the error is resetting the printer memory. You can carry out these steps to reset the memory –
Remove the new cartridge and put the old ink cartridge back in the printer. Leave the printer as such for some minutes.
After ten to twelve minutes, place the new cartridge in the printer. This is most likely to help you with the issue.
If the error still has not gone away, remove the new ink cartridge once again and place it in a safe spot.
Next, turn off the HP printer using the power button on it and unplug the power cable and the USB cable.
Make sure that you unplug the power cable from the power outlet. Only turning off the printer can sometimes leave it on power saving mode. And to reset the internal memory, it is important that the printer is shut off completely. Leave the printer for 8-10 minutes.
Plug the power cable back in the power outlet. Install the ink cartridge too. And turn on the printer. This would have reset the internal memory of the HP printer.
· Disable the HP Cartridge Protection Feature –
If you have enabled the HP Cartridge Protection, make sure to disable it before installing the new cartridge. The feature often stops the printer from detecting new cartridges.
· Clean The Metal Contacts On The Ink cartridge –
As mentioned above, the metal contacts on the cartridge help the cartridge communicate with the printer. Soiled or damaged metals contacts on the ink cartridge can result in the HP Printer Won’t Recognize New Ink Cartridge error. You can fix the issue by simply wiping the ink cartridge off dirt. Take out the ink cartridge. Place it on a cloth and clean the metal contacts with soft cloth to protect it of any scratches.
· Get A New Ink Cartridge –
You might have brought a faulty ink cartridge. Installing a faulty ink cartridge in the printer can damage the printer itself. If the ink cartridge looks like an imitation of the original product, get it back to the seller and get a new and original ink cartridge for your HP printer.
· Take The Protective Strips Off The Ink Cartridge –
Take out the ink cartridge and see if the protective strips have been removed or not. The strips usually have the ‘Remove’ or ‘Pull’ tag on them. You can pull this tag all the way to the end of the cartridge. Once the protective strips have been taken off, place the ink cartridge back in and turn on the printer.
· Re-install The Ink Cartridges –
See if the ink cartridge is placed in loosely. You ought to reinstall the ink cartridge and make sure that it is not misplaced or loose. Be cautious with the metal contacts while installing the ink cartridge in the printer.
Once you figure out the cause of the error, you can fix it using several of the methods described here. These steps and methods are basic in nature and can be carried out in practically no time at all.