Cannot run Clean Printhead

[ChrisWho1]

Printer is only printing in grayscale. Tried to run the Clean Printhead, and it says the printer is busy - HP Smart says printer is ready to accept files. Unplugged printer and restarted it. Tried to run Clean Printhead again - now it says "Printer Problem. Please fix this problem and then select Retry." Ran Diagnose and Fix and this says there is no problem.

Tried Virtual Assistant.

It says if a cartridge is running low, replace it. All cartridges are showing as close to full.

It says to replace the cartridges anyway. I don't have any cartridges, because they are all showing as close to full. I can get it to order more, but how do I know this is the problem?

It asks if I am running the current version of the HP Smart software. I am.

It asks if the firmware is up-to-date. It is.

It suggest I try the Print and Scan Doctor tool on the HP Support website. After eventually finding the link to this page, it states that HP recommends users of this tool to uninstall it and use HP Smart software.

Cycle complete and I still cannot print in colour or run the Clean Printhead.

How do I fix this issue?

[VikramTheGreat · Accepted solution]

Hi @ChrisWho1,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

This is frustrating, but the symptoms point to a printhead or ink delivery issue rather than software. Here’s a structured way to fix it:

Why It Happens

• Color nozzles (cyan, magenta, yellow) may be clogged even if ink levels look full.
• Firmware and HP Smart can’t override a physical blockage.
• “Printer busy” or “Printer Problem” during cleaning often means the printer can’t complete the maintenance cycle due to nozzle failure or internal error.

Step 1: Hard Reset

1. Turn off the printer.
2. Unplug it from power for 60 seconds.
3. Plug back in and turn on.
4. Retry Clean Printhead from the printer menu or HP Smart.

Step 2: Print Quality Diagnostic Page

• On the printer: Setup → Printer Maintenance → Print Quality Report.
• Check if cyan, magenta, and yellow blocks are missing or streaked. 
  • If missing → printhead is clogged or defective.

Step 3: Manual Printhead Cleaning

If automatic cleaning fails:

1. Remove cartridges.
2. Lift the latch and remove the printhead (if your model uses a removable printhead).
3. Gently clean the nozzle area with a lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water.
4. Let it dry completely, reinstall, and retry cleaning. (HP has a guide for this: HP Printhead Cleaning Instructions)

Step 4: Update Firmware & Drivers

• Confirm firmware via HP Smart → Printer Settings → Advanced Settings (EWS) → Tools → Printer Update.
• Update drivers from Official HP® Support.

Step 5: If Still No Color

• Even if the ink shows full, cartridges can fail electronically.
• Replace all color cartridges with genuine HP ink, especially if the diagnostic page shows missing colors.
• If new cartridges don’t fix it, the printhead likely needs replacement.

Bottom line:

• Run the diagnostic page first.
• If colors are missing → try manual cleaning.
• If cleaning fails → replace cartridges.
• If still no color → printhead replacement is required.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat

[ChrisWho1]

So, I ran the Print Quality Report - all colours showing.

I tried the Clean Printhead again anyway - it worked. ?? Why did it decide to work now?

I went to Photos (as in Microsoft Photos) and printed my image - no colours.

Checked printer settings - set to print in colour.

Clicked Print Photos, located image and printed - printed in colour.

Went back to Photos and printed from there - printed in colour! **bleep**?

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @ChrisWho1,

That’s a great update, and I completely understand why this feels confusing. What you’re seeing actually does make sense once you know what’s happening behind the scenes.
 

Why did it suddenly started working

When you ran Clean Printhead, the printer did more than just “clean”:

• It re-primed the ink system, pulling color ink back into the printhead channels
• It cleared an internal fault/lock state caused by the printer previously detecting color ink as unavailable
• It reset the printer’s internal ink-status logic, which can get stuck even when ink is physically present

So even though the Print Quality Report showed all colors, the printer’s firmware may still have believed one or more color channels were not usable. The second cleaning forced a full reinitialization, and that’s why it worked this time.
 

You did exactly the right troubleshooting steps, and your observation about the different print paths was spot-on.

If you would like, you can keep it under observation for 24 to 48 hours and check if all is good; we can close the case.

Take care and have an amazing day!
 

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!

Regards,

VikramTheGreat