Printers are complicated. Machines with a number of parts and components stuffed with each other. Still, they are used on a global level – in corporate, at home, for government organizations, and everywhere. 

But at the same time, the maintenance of this machine is a hustle. There are a variety of parts and components in this compact beast. Just as new technologies are getting introduced in these systems, they are getting more and more complex.

And one component of this machine has always been a part of the discussion – How to bypass HP printer cartridge error? The leading cause behind these errors can be anything from cartridge error or your HP printer is offline. In today’s piece of writing, we will guide you through the issues of these cartridges and how to resolve them.

So, giving this article the green light, we are proceeding to the first segment of this article. 

Causes of the Errors

Let us begin today’s topic. You are a proud owner of an HP printer. The machine provides you with crisp and vibrant prints. All of a sudden, you encounter an error in your system. Now this is an endless cycle; once you fix one error, you start receiving them regularly. 

What can be the reasons for these errors? Join us on the journey to understand all the basics.

Physically Damaged Cartridges

The primary reason for this difficulty of the HP cartridge Problem can be that the cartridge you have received has some physical or external damage to the body. 

physical damage

Any cartridge contains 2 main components. Cartridge body and the Printhead.

  • Cartridge Body: It consists of the ink that is going to get used in the printing process. It also consists of hydrophobic foam that prevents the process of cartridge refill and leaking.
  • PrintHead: Printhead further contains four major components.
    • Nozzle Plate: The nozzle Plate is the Pathway through which the ink travels from the cartridge to the paper.
    • Cover Plate: The cover plate is used as a cap that prevents any damage while the nozzle plate is not in use.
    • Common Ink Chamber: Common ink chambers store the ink that is to be inked on the paper.
    • Metallic Plate: The metallic plate is heated to melt the ink crystals.

Any physical damage in any of the components can be the cause of an HP printer cartridge error.

Refurbished Ink Cartridge

Another reason that can cause an HP cartridge problem is fake ink cartridges. Various refurbished cartridge brands are available in the market. 

original ve refurbished printer cartridge

Since the OEMs (Original Equipment Manufactured cartridges) are a heavy burden on your pocket, these refurbished cartridges secure you from this issue. The price gap between these two products can range up to 50-60%.

Therefore, they are a business problem for brands like HP. The printer business functions on a razor-and-blade business model – where the printers are sold at a loss or with a tiny margin, and the gap to the profit is then recovered by selling ink cartridges.

To eliminate this problem of refurbished ink cartridges, brands integrate a chip in their OEM that can be identified by the printer. These chips generally allow only one-time use so that the cartridges cannot be used repeatedly. This can be a reason why the new HP ink cartridge is not working. If you still use the aftermarket ink cartridge, you might face the issue of an incompatible HP printer cartridge.

Low-Ink Levels

The most common and predictable cause of the new HP ink cartridge not working can be the ink level. 

printer

Checking the ink level on printers is a hustle in itself. These machines are programmed in a way that notifies you about the ink level while printing the projects. 

low ink levels
low ink levels

We recommend you keep track of the level each month to avoid a sudden surprise. Keep a pile stock of cartridges in case of emergencies to bypass the HP printer cartridge error.

These were some points that can be the reason for your inconvenience. Your valuable print can get stuck during the program if you do not care for these basic things. However, misery always comes unnotified. Sometimes the cause behind the difficulty can be anything. The reason for your HP printer not printing can be anything. Therefore, you should know all the tips and hacks on how to bypass HP printer cartridge errors.

Solve the Problem: HP Printer Troubleshooting Ink Cartridge Error

Yes, you have now reached that part of the discussion where you will find some life-long lessons for yourself. These errors are super common and you can get encountered with them even in some of the top HP printers. Therefore, do not worry, you can try these solutions according to your problem and can learn how to bypass HP printer cartridge errors.

Single Cartridge Mode

Some printers from the house of HP have the capability of working on the Single-cartridge mode. There are no specific steps to follow in order to turn the single-cartridge mode on. 

Just remove all the 3 empty cartridges from the printer and leave one of them in its place. If your HP printer has this feature, you can still easily get some prints for yourself.  

While in the Single-Cartridge mode, a dialogue box will appear on your computer screen stating the situation that the printer is working on a single cartridge. To turn back from this mode and print with all the cartridges in use, just install all the completely refilled cartridges.

Ignore the Low-Ink Notifications

In some cases, low-ink level notifications can get frustrating. You are aware of the fact that the ink level is on a low scale, but still, it is sufficient for a temporary or short period of time.

Therefore, to turn off the warnings on your system,

  1. Go to the “Start Menu” and search for the “printer and scanner” option.
    go to start menu
  2. Select your printer device and right-click on that to find Properties.
    properties
  3. Click on Ports.
    ports
  4. Remove the checkmark from the box that says Enable Bi-Directional Support.

After following all these steps, you will be able to ignore the low ink-level notifications from the system.

Or you can just simply check on the “Don’t show this again” checkbox every time the low-ink notification pop-ups on your system.

Refill Ink Cartridges

In case of an HP cartridge problem, when the cartridge runs out of ink, you might think of buying a new one. However, regular purchases of new ink cartridges can make a deep hole in your bank account. Therefore, you should consider opting for a refill kit.

There are a number of cartridge refilling kits available in online stores. 

Here are some links through which you can buy a good refilling kit for yourself. 

To refill the ink in your cartridge,

  1. Spread tissue paper over a table to avoid a mess.
  2. Take the empty cartridge and remove the sticker to find the ink hole on the body.
    remove the sticker
  3. Suck the ink from the ink bottle with the help of syringe.
    ink refill kit
  4. Fill the cartridge with the syringe.
    fill the cartridge
  5. Cover up the back with the sticker.
    cover up

This is how easily you can refill the empty ink of your HP printer. Moving on to the next solution, we will learn how to replace the damaged ink cartridge.

Replace HP Defective Ink Cartridges

The official HP support team has made a proper guide to HP printer troubleshooting ink cartridge errors. 

If, in case, you have a misfortune and you receive a defective piece of OEM ink cartridge, you can anytime contact the official HP consumer service. 

  1. Go to HP Printer Support.
  2. Enter your printer serial number and hit on Submit.
    enter printer serial number
  3. If you see the “You’re eligible for a free replacement” statement, sign in or create an account to provide them with your shipping address.

This is how you can get a replacement for your defective ink cartridges. The shipping time may vary from location to location, and the service itself is rated good from the consumer’s side.

You can also visit our website to learn some more ways to fix HP printers in error state.

Final Thoughts

Although HP is a renowned brand in the printing industry, still these HP cartridge problems can occur in your life. However, it does not mean that the brand is irresponsible or does not have quality products. 

In this article, we covered both the problems and the solutions for them. Now we hope that you know how to bypass the HP printer cartridge error. 

The consumer service of HP is considered one of the best in the industry, and you won’t feel any rage towards their after-sales experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Ans: To reset a cartridge, you can simply remove the old cartridge from the printer and replace it with another one or just place it back.

Ans: You can use your HP printer without a cartridge chip, except there are some functions, like checking ink levels, etc., that you would not be able to perform.

Ans: Refurbished cartridges that are available in the market for lower prices use old OEM cartridges just for the chips that are integrated with them.

Or, by refilling the cartridge back, you can technically reuse the cartridge after it is empty.

Sources:

www.support.hp.com – HP Support
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