My all in one HP 6970 will not print Cyan ink

[Skippy09]

I cannot get Cyan to print on my Office Jet Pro 6978

I have cleaned the print heads manually and I still do not have Cyan ink and it is a new cartridge

[Max3Aj]

@Skippy09, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

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

 
Since you’ve already manually cleaned the printheads and installed a new Cyan cartridge, here’s a focused set of steps to help troubleshoot and potentially fix the issue with your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 not printing Cyan:

Double-Check Cartridge Seating

Even if the Cyan cartridge is new:

• Remove and reinsert the Cyan cartridge firmly.
• Make sure the protective tape on the nozzle was removed.
• Check for any ink leakage or visible blockages.

Run HP's Built-in Printhead Cleaning Tool

Since manual cleaning didn’t work:

• On the printer screen, go to Setup > Printer Maintenance > Clean Printhead.
• Run the Level 1 cleaning.
• Print a test page.

If Cyan is still missing, repeat the cleaning up to 3 times — but no more, as excessive cleaning can waste ink or overheat the printhead.

Print Quality Diagnostic Page

This will help confirm which color(s) are failing:

• Go to Setup > Reports > Print Quality Report.
• Check if Cyan appears at all on the report.
• If Cyan is missing entirely, it confirms a delivery failure.

Try a Different Cyan Cartridge

Even new cartridges can be defective — especially third-party ones. Try:

• A genuine HP Cyan 902 cartridge (or HP 902XL).
• If possible, borrow a known working cartridge to test. 

HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 All-in-One Printer - Ink or toner cartridges | HP® Support
 

Update Firmware and Software

An outdated firmware may prevent proper ink detection:

Go to HP 6978 driver page and install:

• Latest Firmware
• HP Smart app
• Reboot printer and PC after updating.

Hard Reset the Printer

• Power on the printer.
• With the printer ON, disconnect the power cord from the back.
• Wait 60 seconds.
• Plug the power cord back in and turn the printer on.

Check the Printhead (Physically)

If nothing works, the printhead may be clogged or failing, especially if:

• You used refilled or third-party cartridges earlier.
• Cyan hasn’t printed for a long time.

You can:

• Remove the printhead (the 6978 allows removal) — carefully clean the Cyan nozzle area with warm distilled water and lint-free cloth, then dry thoroughly.
• Reinstall and test. 

You may refer to this document - HP OfficeJet 6900, 8010, 8020, 8030 printers - No black ink, wrong colors, other print quality issue...
 

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