Replace an ink cartridge
Turn the printer on and open the cartridge door
The cartridge holder moves to the middle. Wait until it stops.
Turn the printer on and open the cartridge door
The cartridge holder moves to the middle. Wait until it stops.
Take out the old cartridge
Press it down a little, then pull it out. Replace only the colour that is empty.
Remove the orange tape, push the new one in until it clicks
Don’t touch the copper contacts or the ink nozzles. Close the door; if the printer prints an alignment page, follow it.
- Don’t leave the printer without a cartridge for long. The nozzles can dry out.
Did it work?
Save it, or post it to your story.
From basic to technician
Technical details (for the curious)
Why remove the tape
The tape seals the air vent and nozzles during shipping. If it stays on, no ink comes out and pages print blank.
Refilled or compatible cartridges
Printers often reject non-original cartridges with a “cartridge problem” message. Sometimes re-seating it or wiping the copper contacts with a dry cloth helps.
The copper contacts
The printer uses them to recognise the cartridge and its ink level. Fingerprints or dried ink there can make a cartridge “not detected”.
While you’re here
Worth reading
Quiz time
Still not fixed?
In the next update you can tell us what happened, and our AI helper will suggest another way. Until then, restart the device and go through the steps once more.