Black won’t print

[SPaine86]

Even after using tools and replacing ink cartridges I can’t get black to print. My first page did after new cartridge then nothing. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @SPaine86,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your printer is not printing black even after replacing the cartridge, and it only printed once after installation. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Check the black ink cartridge status
Open the printer software or control panel and confirm the black cartridge shows as installed with ink.
Remove and reseat the black cartridge firmly to ensure proper contact.

Inspect the black cartridge
Remove the cartridge and make sure all protective tape was fully removed.
Check the nozzle area for dried ink or blockage that could stop ink flow.

Run Printhead Cleaning (Level 1)
From the printer Tools or Maintenance menu, run Clean Printhead once.
This clears light air bubbles or clogs that commonly affect black ink.

Run Printhead Cleaning (Level 2 if needed)
If black still does not print, run a second cleaning cycle.
Avoid running more than two cleanings back-to-back to prevent ink waste.

Print a Print Quality Diagnostic Page
This page shows each color separately.
If black is completely missing on this page, the issue is hardware-related rather than a document or setting issue.

Check print settings
Open Printing Preferences and ensure Grayscale / Black only is enabled for testing.
Also make sure Draft or Economy mode is turned off.

Power reset the printer
With the printer turned on, unplug the power cord from the back and the wall.
Wait 60 seconds, reconnect directly to a wall outlet, and turn the printer back on.

Understand what the symptom indicates
If black printed once with the new cartridge and then stopped, this often indicates a failing or clogged black printhead channel.
On many models, the printhead is not user-replaceable, so cleaning may not restore black output.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,