The printer does not recognize the cartridge — What to do?
A printer is undoubted of great help in the office and at home. Yet it is only a machine and, as such, it can have flaws. Especially older devices cause problems, resulting in uncomfortable and unnerving situations. But it is good to keep calm. One of the most common problems with inkjet printers is the inability of the device to recognize the cartridge.
If the printer does not recognize the cartridge, it is a serious problem, which can, however, be solved with some tricks and some cunning. In this respect, it does not matter whether the printer is Epson, Canon, HP or another brand.
Index
1. The printer does not recognize the cartridge — Irritating, right?
2. Possible sources of error
- Defective cartridge
- Defective printer
3. Epson printer does not recognize the cartridge — What to do?
- Check the advance of the cartridge
4. The Brother printer does not recognize the cartridge — What to do?
5. The printer does not recognize the cartridge — Other solutions
- Checking the print head
1. The printer does not recognize the cartridge — Irritating, right?
You are printing documents with your device and do not predict anything negative. Often, in doing so, do not notice the ink level of the cartridges, therefore, only after the warning message, notice that you need a new cartridge! So buy one for your printer model. It goes without saying that the purchase can also take place on the Internet, making it more convenient and simple.
As soon as you have the new cartridge in hand, you can replace it. If the printer now indicates that it does not recognize the cartridge, the frustration can be great, especially because you have invested money in a new accessory.
It is often wrongly believed that it is the cartridge’s fault, then you throw it away still full. Yet even with another cartridge, the problem recurs and the error message is still there. This should definitely convince you that the headache is not tied to the cartridge. The following tips will help you identify and solve the real problem, to allow the printer to quickly resume its work.
2. Possible sources of error
Before you despair, check the cartridge. First of all, it is good to know that it is irrelevant whether it is an original cartridge or not. Compatible cartridges faithfully reproduce the original cartridges, therefore they cannot cause technical difficulties. The error “The printer does not recognize the cartridge” is a nuisance that cannot be attributed to the quality of the cartridge itself. However, first of all, it is good to check the latter.
Make sure you have purchased the right cartridge for your printer. In a hurry, it is possible to confuse a letter or number, with the result that the device labels the cartridge as unsuitable. Irritating, but it is certainly not the end of the world since it is often possible to return the wrong cartridges and order the right ones or request a refund.
2.1. Cartridge defective
The correct cartridge model is always indicated in the printer instructions, on the manufacturer’s website or on the used cartridge.
- Make sure you have inserted the cartridge correctly. To do this, follow the instructions found in the package.
- The cartridge should make a clear click when it is inserted. Many people are too hesitant to handle a cartridge, therefore it can happen that the problem of non-recognition is attributable exclusively to a cartridge that has not been completely inserted in its guide.
- The correct opening of the package before use is also essential. Remove the protective film and all the rest of the packaging. In many cases, you forget to remove the small strip on the microchip, which prevents the printer from recognizing the cartridge.
- Sometimes, it may happen that you simply have bad luck and have purchased a defective cartridge. If so, have it replaced with a new one.
2.2. Defective printer
The printer can also be a source of error, not just the cartridge. For this, we invite you now to turn your attention to the peripheral. Especially older devices can cause repeated problems, so it’s often not a bad idea to decide on a new model.
If the printer does not recognize only a single cartridge, the problem cannot be traced back to the printer. It is often the cartridge itself that is defective. If you have replaced cyan, magenta, black and yellow and all colors are recognized except black, then the cartridge is defective.
Also, test other cartridges if you have the chance. If these two are not recognized, there is a hardware problem.
A simple tip, but useful in many situations, is to simply restart the printer.
Also, make sure you have installed the latest driver. If not, download and install the new printer driver from the Internet.
If, after following all the aforementioned recommendations, the cartridge is still not recognized, you should contact the customer service of the respective manufacturer, but only after replacing an apparently defective cartridge. Often, customer service can help you with settings or other problems in order to get the cartridge recognized. In our guide for printers, find the contacts of the various manufacturers.
Note: If your printer is out of warranty, it often does not make sense to have it repaired since the cost of the intervention often exceeds the value of the device. In this case, it is better to look for a new model.
3. Epson printer does not recognize the cartridge — What to do?
There are small differences and subtleties to consider depending on the brand. That’s why we only talk about the two largest and most popular printer manufacturers: Epson and Brother. Epson has an excellent reputation and has already successfully launched several printer models on the market. Sometimes, however, the problem of not recognizing the cartridges also emerges here.
If the “The printer no longer recognizes the cartridge” problem occurs, check the following points:
Often, if you use compatible cartridges, the warning message appears that no original cartridges have been inserted in the printer.
Archive the message by clicking on “OK” or “Next”.
After confirming, printer operation should resume normally.
3.1. Check the advance of the cartridge
Feed safety is a black or orange plastic component located on the cartridge. In order to use the cartridge, you must remove both the protective strip and the so-called safety strip. After doing so, handle the cartridge carefully to avoid contact with the ink.
To replace an Epson cartridge, the ideal is to use the wizard, which can be performed from the print settings of your device.
Follow the instructions on the screen. The important thing is that the previous cartridge is empty enough to generate the replacement request.
If all these tips don’t help, simply unplug the power cord from the outlet. Leave the printer unplugged for about 30 minutes, then try to print something. Your printer does not recognize the cartridge because it is a non-original model? In this case, use original cartridges again and follow the steps described above.
4. The Brother printer does not recognize the cartridge — What to do?
Brother is as important a brand like Epson and offers printers in every price range. This also includes the popular inkjet printers, which convince with several advantages. But even in this case, it is possible that there are problems with the recognition of the cartridges, which could stop the whole printing procedure. For help, follow the tips below.
If the printer no longer recognizes the black cartridge, it is usually the fault of the ink tank.
- Turn off the printer and remove the cartridge.
- Then close the door and turn on the printer.
- Now it indicates which cartridge is missing.
- Do not touch the ink sensor for any reason, as it may damage the device and it is useless.
- Always make sure that the cartridges have afloat.
- If the tanks don’t have a float lever, you can’t use them.
- Again, turn off the device, remove the cartridge and reinsert it.
- Repeat this procedure two or three times.
- Many Brother cartridges have a film underneath, from which ink can spill.
- Make sure that the film is open enough before inserting the cartridge into the printer.
- In many cases, there is not enough ink flow, so the printer cannot print.
- Before use, you can also shake the cartridge thoroughly.
Related Post- Brother Printer Repair
5. The printer does not recognize the cartridge — Other solutions
A printer is a delicate device, made up of many small elements. If these don’t work well, complications can occur. Especially the nozzles of an inkjet printer are at risk. For this reason, before starting, we advise you to perform a nozzle test. Moreover, in correspondence with the nozzles of the cartridges, there are numerous electrical resistances, which are used to heat the ink.
When a drop of ink is released, an electric current passes through the resistance. In this way, the resistance heats the small amount of ink very quickly. This results in an expansion similar to an explosion of the tiny ink droplets that form on the attack surface of the resistance. At the same time, a vapor bubble is generated, which pushes the ink through the plungers of the cartridge.
If one or more resistors are overheated due to too little ink flow, the print is altered. The ink continues to flow through the cartridge but does not end on the paper.
5.1. Checking the print head
- The print head can also be dry, so it is advisable to clean it.
- Here’s how to do it in detail: Cleaning the print head
- Take a container with distilled water and insert the cartridge with the head facing downwards.
- If you have not used the cartridge for a long time, you can dissolve the deposits by making the cartridge soften overnight.
- For the same purpose, you can bring the water to a boil and insert the print head for 10/15 seconds.
- Be careful not to burn yourself.
Here you will find general tips for dry cartridges: Dry print cartridge
The simplest cases can be solved by cleaning the printer’s printhead. Even a heavily soiled printer can cause problems, so running the printer cleaning program repeatedly is recommended.