Only yellow is printing

[Printeruser31]

HP Officejet printer suddenly stopped printing in most colors. Only yellow or black will print. I replaced the cartridge with a new HP cartridge and it’s still only printing yellow. On the print quality diagnostics sheet everything is blank other than yellow or black.
I have done alignment and run the print cartridge cleaning mode 5 times with no changes.

[zoey7886]

@Printeruser31, Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding the print issue!  
We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution. 

It sounds like your HP OfficeJet printer is having a clogged or faulty printhead, preventing cyan and magenta from printing. Since you've already tried cleaning cycles and replacing the cartridge, here are some additional troubleshooting steps:

Check Ink Levels

Even though you've replaced the cartridge, make sure that the printer recognizes the new ink levels correctly.

• On your printer’s display or HP Smart app, check ink levels to ensure that cyan and magenta are not empty.

Perform a Hard Reset

1. Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power source.
2. Wait for 60 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on.
3. Try printing again.

Remove & Reinstall the Ink Cartridges

1. Turn off the printer and open the ink cartridge access door.
2. Remove both ink cartridges and inspect them for protective tape (if it wasn't removed).
3. Gently clean the copper contacts with a lint-free cloth and a little distilled water.
4. Let them dry, reinstall the cartridges, and run another test print.

Manually Clean the Printhead

If the printhead is clogged, an automatic cleaning cycle may not be enough. Try a manual cleaning:

1. Remove the ink cartridges.
2. Dampen a lint-free cloth with warm distilled water.
3. Gently wipe the printhead nozzles where the ink comes out.
4. Use a dry cloth to remove excess moisture.
5. Let it air dry for a few minutes, then reinstall the cartridges and run a test print.

Run HP's Printhead Cleaning Tool

Some OfficeJet models allow deeper cleaning via software:

• On Windows: Open the HP Print Assistant → Maintain Your Printer → Cleaning.
• On Mac: Open HP Utility → Clean Printheads.

Check for Firmware Updates

If the printer is not recognizing new cartridges properly, a firmware update might help:

• Go to HP Support → Software & Drivers and check for updates.
• You can also update directly from the printer’s control panel (if supported).

Perform a Semi-Full Reset (Last Resort)

This resets the printer to factory settings:

1. Turn off the printer, unplug it for 30 seconds.
2. Hold the Power button, then press Resume (or Cancel) button 6 times before releasing the power button.
3. Turn it back on and test.

Let me know if it works!

Take care, and have an amazing day! 
 

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Regards, 

[Raj_05]

Hi @Printeruser31, 

We hope you’re doing great.  We just want to send a follow-up message to check how things are and whether if you still need our help. If you still do, we’re just a DM away. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Raj_05

HP Support