Black ink won't print officejet 5255

[Treefrogmom2022]

I have an older black ink cartridge I haven't used for an unknown period of time. Well over a year at least. I couldn't use my printer as I didn't have colored ink. I just bought a color ink cartridge, printer the alignment page. The colors are faint, little to no black ink. Tried two cleaning cycles. Still nothing. The printer is showing I have black ink in the cartridge.

[Max3Aj]

@Treefrogmom2022, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
It sounds like the black ink cartridge in your HP OfficeJet 5255 may have dried out due to prolonged disuse. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

Check Cartridge Expiry and Condition

• Ink cartridges can dry out or expire. If the black cartridge is over a year old and unused, it may be clogged or no longer viable.
• Remove the cartridge and check for any visible ink residue or crusting on the nozzles.

Clean the Cartridge Manually

If the automatic cleaning cycles didn’t help:

• Gently wipe the printhead (the copper-colored area) with a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water or isopropyl alcohol.
• Let it sit for a few minutes, then reinstall and try printing again.

Run a Third Cleaning Cycle

• Sometimes it takes 2–3 cycles to clear dried ink. You can do this from the printer’s control panel or HP Smart app.

Try a Printhead Alignment Again

• After cleaning, run the alignment process again to recalibrate the printhead.

Replace the Black Cartridge

• If cleaning doesn’t help, the cartridge may be too dried out or damaged. Try replacing it with a new, genuine HP black ink cartridge.

Update Printer Firmware

• Outdated firmware can sometimes cause printing issues. Use the HP Smart app or visit HP support site to check for updates.

You may refer to this document - HP DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet 5000, 5200 printers - No black ink, wrong colors, other print quality is...

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support