Used printer locked to previous owner's Instant Ink — need de-registration

[offbeatrap]

I bought this printer second-hand. It's still tied to the previous owner's HP Instant Ink subscription and now refuses to print — it shows "Printer Cannot Print" with an account/subscription error.

I've already claimed the printer to my own HP account (I'm the current registered owner, HP+ shows Activated). I've also done a full factory/cold reset — the error returns the moment it reconnects, so the lock is a server-side record tied to the serial, not something on the device.

Please de-register this printer from the previous owner's account and cancel the previous owner's Instant Ink subscription tied to this serial so I can use it with my own cartridges.

Printer: HP ENVY 6052e
Product number: 223N2A
Serial number: Edited

I can provide proof of purchase — please tell me where to upload it.

[Meghana_10]

Hello @offbeatrap, Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding the HP printer.

We appreciate the opportunity to assist you and are glad we could help work toward a resolution. We hope our support has been valuable.

To help us get started on resolving your issue, 

Could you please check if the instant ink subscription has been canceled by the previous owner?

Once done wait until the billing cycle is completed and then you can re-enroll the printer to your instant ink account.

Also please provide us your instant ink account details on private message. Private Messages - HP Support Community

Take care and have an amazing day! 

[offbeatrap]

Sent a private message

[Meghana_10]

Thank you for your response. @offbeatrap 

Please provide us your instant ink account details on private message. Private Messages - HP Support Community

Have a great day!

[offbeatrap · Accepted solution]

Solution: after everything, the only real fix is to stop buying HP.

The lock was not on the printer — it's a record on HP's servers tied to the serial, from the previous owner's Instant Ink. Factory/cold resets, claiming it to your own HP account, and swapping cartridges all fail, because the printer just re-pulls the lock from HP's cloud on every connection. Only HP can delete that record.

And for the record — I got no real help from support here. Every reply was a by-the-book response with zero actual action taken: "ask the previous owner," "cancel and wait for the billing cycle," "replace the cartridge," "try a different cartridge," "visit a service center." Nobody ever actually de-registered the printer or even opened a case for it. Just canned answers passing me in circles until I gave up.

So the working solution: buy a non-HP printer. I got an Epson EcoTank (ET-3958) — no cartridge DRM, no account lock, no subscription that can brick hardware you own, and refillable tanks that are way cheaper. Problem solved permanently.

If you're stuck with a used HP locked like this, either fight HP's de-registration team for weeks, or just get an Epson/Brother and never EVER deal with this again. I strongly recommend the second option.