New HP carts not laying down any ink

[AnitaHome]

I have an HP OfficeJet 6968 and have just installed all new HP 902 cartridges. When I go to print anything, the printer "sounds" like it's printing but the pages come out with no ink. Have done all the restarts, cleanings, etc. I did try an "off-brand" set of carts that failed to work. Returned those and purchased HP carts. Is my printer now useless because I dared to try cheaper, off-brand cartridges? Thanks!

[zoey7886]

@AnitaHome, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your new HP cartridges! 

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

I totally understand how disappointing it must be to install brand-new cartridges and still see blank pages coming out, especially after trying all the usual fixes like restarts and printhead cleanings.

The fact that your HP OfficeJet 6968 is making the normal printing noises is a good sign—it means the printer wants to work, so let’s try to get it back on track.

One thing to highlight: using third-party or non-HP cartridges, even just once, can sometimes interfere with the printer's internal ink system. These cartridges may not deliver ink correctly or could even cause residual air to enter the printhead, which might be what you're dealing with now. While I completely understand the appeal of lower-cost options, HP printers are specifically engineered to work best with genuine HP cartridges. They're designed to ensure proper ink flow, quality prints, and long-term printer health.

Now that you've switched back to genuine HP 902 cartridges (good call!), here are a couple of extra steps you might want to try:

Run the "Printhead Cleaning" tool one more time, but follow it with a "Print Quality Diagnostic Page" (you’ll find both options on the printer's touchscreen under Setup > Printer Maintenance).

If that still doesn't help, you might want to remove the cartridges, gently clean the electrical contacts (on both the cartridges and the printhead) using a lint-free cloth and distilled water, then reinstall them.

If none of these steps help restore ink flow, the printhead may have been damaged or dried out due to earlier non-HP ink use. 

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,