HP printer 4650 ink cartidge problems

[lizzie7676]

I have two identical printers for my business. Both were working fine two days ago with plenty of ink left in the cartridges. Yesterday, one of the printers stopped printing and displayed a message saying the print cartridges were not correctly installed, which is strange since they worked perfectly before. I tried all the suggested fixes, including removing and switching the cartridges, cleaning the connections, removing and re-adding the printer, and unplugging it to reset, but nothing worked. Now, my other printer, the same model, is showing the exact same issue! I’m completely out of ideas and need these to work.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @lizzie7676,

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 HP OfficeJet 4650 printers are showing a “cartridges not correctly installed” error, even though they were working fine earlier. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Check Cartridge Compatibility
Ensure both printers are using genuine HP ink cartridges compatible with the HP OfficeJet 4650 (HP 63 or HP 63XL).
If you recently replaced or refilled them, try using another genuine HP cartridge to test if the issue persists.

Clean the Electrical Contacts
Turn off the printer and unplug the power cord.
Remove both cartridges and gently clean the copper-colored contacts on the cartridges and the corresponding contacts inside the printer using a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water.
Let them dry completely before reinstalling.

Reinstall the Cartridges Firmly
Insert the black and tri-color cartridges into their respective slots until they click securely in place.
Ensure there’s no protective plastic tape left on the cartridge nozzles.

Perform a Power Reset
With the printer powered on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.
Unplug it from the wall outlet, wait 60 seconds, then plug it back in and turn the printer on.
This helps clear any temporary errors from the printer’s memory.

Run the Printer Without Cartridges
Power on the printer without any cartridges inserted.
When prompted to install cartridges, open the lid and reinstall them one by one to identify if a specific cartridge triggers the error.

Check for Firmware Updates
On the printer’s control panel, go to Setup → Printer Maintenance → Update the Printer.
Keeping the firmware updated can resolve cartridge recognition issues.

Try Cartridges in the Other Printer
Since you have two identical models, test each cartridge set in the other printer.
If the same error appears with a specific cartridge, that cartridge may have failed electronically.

Reset the Printer Settings
On the printer’s control panel, go to Setup → Printer Maintenance → Restore Defaults.
This can help reset internal configurations that may be blocking cartridge detection.

I hope this helps.

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