Error Messages This Guide Covers

These messages can look similar, but they do not always have the same cause. Note the complete wording and which cartridge or color the printer identifies.

Before You Start: Confirm the Cartridge and Printer

• Check the full printer model and cartridge number. Compare both with the product’s compatible printer list.
• Check regional compatibility. For a printer purchased outside the United States, confirm that the cartridge is intended for that printer’s region.
• Record when the error began. Was it immediately after installation, after normal use, or after a firmware update?
• Wait for active processes to finish. Do not interrupt printing, maintenance, or a firmware update to perform these checks.

Keep the cartridge instructions and a clean, dry, lint-free cloth nearby. Handle the cartridge by its plastic sides, keeping your fingers away from the chip contacts, ink outlet, and nozzles.

Step 1: Remove the Indicated Cartridge

Remove the cartridge named in the error message. Use your printer’s cartridge replacement procedure to access it.

1. Open the cartridge access door as directed by your printer’s instructions.
2. If the printer has a moving carriage, wait until it reaches the replacement position and stops completely.
3. Release the cartridge or its latch and remove it gently.
4. Inspect for visible damage and designated protective tape or caps left on during installation.

Do not force a latch or manually push the carriage. If the cartridge is leaking, cracked, or has damaged contacts, stop handling it and ask for help with a replacement or further assessment.

Step 2: Clean the Chip Contacts Gently

Use a dry, lint-free cloth to gently wipe the exposed electrical contact surface on the cartridge’s chip, where your cartridge instructions permit cleaning. The aim is to remove surface contamination without damaging the contacts.

• Hold the cartridge by its plastic sides.
• Wipe lightly; do not scrape the contacts or use an abrasive tool.
• Keep the cloth away from the ink outlet and exposed print nozzles.
• Leave the chip attached. Do not peel it off or attempt to reposition it.

Step 3: Reinstall the Cartridge and Check the Display

Place the cartridge in its matching slot and secure it as directed. Close the access door and allow the printer to complete recognition before checking the result.

If the same error remains and the cartridge is correctly matched and undamaged, repeat the removal and reinstallation process, up to 2–3 attempts in total. Check the message after each attempt and stop repeating the process once the printer recognizes the cartridge.

If it still is not recognized, move to the next applicable step. Repeatedly forcing the cartridge into place will not resolve a compatibility problem.

For the complete installation sequence, see How to Install Ink Cartridges: First-Time Setup Checklist.

Step 4: Power-Cycle the Printer for 60 Seconds

If your printer supports a power-disconnect reset, disconnect its power for 60 seconds, then reconnect it. Check the manufacturer’s procedure for your exact model first.

1. Wait until the printer is idle and no maintenance or firmware update is running.
2. For models whose reset instructions specify disconnecting power while the printer is on, unplug it while it is on and idle. If your model requires shutdown first, follow that procedure.
3. Leave the printer disconnected for 60 seconds.
4. Reconnect the power and turn the printer on if it does not restart automatically.
5. Wait for startup and cartridge recognition to finish, then check the display.

A power reset does not add ink, reverse an installed firmware update, or change which cartridge models the printer supports.

Step 5: Check the Cartridge and Printer-Side Contacts

If the error persists, follow your printer’s instructions for checking the cartridge contacts and their matching contacts inside the printer. Depending on the design, these may be in the cartridge holder or printhead assembly.

The chip contacts checked earlier and the copper-colored cartridge contacts may be the same contact surface on some designs. This step adds a check of the corresponding printer-side contacts; it does not mean every cartridge has two separate sets of contacts.

• Follow the model’s access and power-disconnection instructions before cleaning inside the printer.
• Inspect only the contacts identified as user-accessible in the printer instructions.
• Where dry cleaning is permitted, gently wipe with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.
• Do not bend contacts, apply liquid inside the printer, or wipe the nozzle surface.
• Reinstall the cartridge and complete the model’s restart procedure before checking recognition again.

What If the Error Started After a Firmware Update?

Use the firmware troubleshooting guide if a cartridge stopped being accepted after an update. The timing is useful information, but it does not by itself prove that firmware caused the error.

Record the printer model, cartridge number, error wording, and when the update occurred. If available, include the current firmware version. Turning off automatic updates does not reverse a version already installed.

Continue with Printer Firmware Update Blocking Your Ink Cartridge? Here’s What to Check First.

Related Troubleshooting Guides

Choose the next guide based on when the problem started and whether the printer recognizes the cartridge.