Instant Ink website say can't get status on old printer. How can it ship ink on time?

[pbbb]

If your site states that this is an older printer and can't provide status information, how are you able to determine if I need ink?

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @pbbb 

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

That’s a very reasonable concern, and I’m sorry for the confusion—it’s frustrating when a service you rely on feels inconsistent. 

Even if the HP Instant Ink website says it can’t retrieve status from your HP OfficeJet Pro 6968, the system may still be tracking ink usage through periodic data uploads from the printer itself. 

However, if the connection is unstable or the printer is flagged as “older,” it could affect how reliably that data is received.

Here’s how HP typically manages Instant Ink shipments—even with limited status visibility:

When you enroll in HP Instant Ink, you pay a monthly fee to print a defined number of pages per month and not on how many ink cartridges you used.

HP Instant Ink is a subscription service that sends ink before you need it based on your printing volume and ink levels. 

You might not receive ink cartridges every month. If you print many pages, you might receive multiple ink cartridges in a month.

After your first shipment, Instant Ink cartridges are sent as needed (not monthly) based on your ink or toner usage. Keep your printer connected to Wi-Fi, so your printer can tell us to send replacement cartridges before you need them.

Instant Ink cartridges have extra ink or toner, so they last longer, and shipments may not be frequent. Check ink or toner levels on your printer screen or with the HP Smart app.

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Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye