OfficeJet Pro 9018: will only print black

[03921]

My OfficeJetPro 9018 printer will not print w/o manual override. The error message says" change cartridge," but when I open cartridge bay door the message changes to "no cartridges need replacement."  I have shut down and restarted printer and I have reset all cartridges but the problem persists.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @03921 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thanks for sharing the details—this sounds incredibly frustrating, especially when you’ve already tried the basics like restarting and reseating the cartridges. 

Let’s walk through a few focused steps to help your OfficeJet Pro 9018 get back to vibrant, full-color printing without needing manual overrides.

 

Check ink levels via the printer control panel
On the touchscreen, go to Ink Information or Estimated Ink Levels. Even if the cartridges look fine physically, the printer may still detect low ink electronically.

Clean the cartridge contacts

• Power off the printer and unplug it.
• Open the cartridge access door and gently remove each cartridge.
• Use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water to clean the copper-colored contacts on the cartridge and inside the printer.
• Let everything dry for 5 minutes before reinserting.

Update printer firmware
Outdated firmware can cause miscommunication with cartridges.

• Visit the HP OfficeJet Pro 9018 Software and Drivers page.
• Download and install the latest firmware for Windows.
• Restart the printer after updating.

Reset the printer’s internal memory

• Remove all cartridges.
• Power off the printer and unplug it for 60 seconds.
• Plug it back in, power on, and reinsert the cartridges one by one.
  This refreshes the printer’s recognition of the cartridges.

Disable cartridge protection (if enabled)

• On the touchscreen, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Cartridge Protection.
• Turn off cartridge protection to allow full use of all cartridges.

Use the HP App to run a diagnostic

• Download the HP App for Windows if you haven’t already.
• Open the app, select your printer, and run Diagnose & Fix under Support.
  This tool checks for ink system issues and can automatically resolve some errors.

If the issue persists after these steps, you can still print in black and white temporarily, but I know that’s not ideal. Let me know how it goes—happy to guide you further if needed.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye