Printing Blank Pages

[VillainV]

My HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 is printing blank pages.  I went through all the trouble-shooting steps, replaced the ink.  Test pages come out blank.  Trying to print from files comes out blank.  Makes perfectly normal printing noises....but blank pages come out.   It's an older printer, but it worked fine for a coworker a few months ago.  He left, I installed it, and now it doesn't work.  Anything else I can do?  

[Meghana_10 · Accepted solution]

Hello @VillainV, Welcome to the HP Support Community.

We understand how concerning it can be when your HP Officejet Pro 6968 is printing blank pages, especially after replacing the ink cartridges. You have already done a great job trying several troubleshooting steps. Let's go through a few more targeted actions to help resolve this issue.

Verify Ink Cartridge Authenticity

Even if the cartridges are labeled as HP-compatible, non-genuine cartridges can sometimes cause issues. Please ensure you're using genuine HP ink cartridges. You can verify them here: HP anti-counterfeit | HP® Official Site

Check Ink Levels

• On the printer control panel, go to Ink icon or Setup > Ink Levels.
• Ensure none of the cartridges are empty or critically low.

Clean the Printhead (Manually if Needed)

You've already tried the built-in cleaning, but a manual cleaning might help:

• Remove the cartridges.
• Gently clean the printhead contacts and cartridge contacts using a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with distilled water.
• Let it dry for 10 minutes, then reinstall.

If blank pages print from an inkjet printer, make sure that the printer has ink, printheads are clean, the correct settings are being used, and the printer firmware is up to date.

1. Check ink levels and replace any low or empty cartridges. See Check HP printer ink or toner levels for help.

2. Press the information button () to print a test page directly from the printer.

• If the test page is blank, continue to the next step to clean the Printhead.
• If the page prints correctly, skip to the step to check print settings.

3. Clean the Printhead if the test page was blank.

• Load plain white paper into the input tray.
• Run the cleaning tool.

1. Printers with a touchscreen or menus: On the printer, open the Settings or Setup menu, touch Tools or Printer Maintenance, and then touch Clean Printhead or Clean Cartridges.
2. Printers without a touchscreen or menus: Go to 123.hp.com or your app store to install the HP app. Click the picture of your printer, scroll to Diagnostics or Tools, and then click Print Quality Tools. Click Clean Printhead, or click View all print quality tools, then OK, and then Clean Printhead.

• If the page that prints has defects, the Printhead might be badly clogged. Run up to two more cleaning cycles.
• If the page that prints still has defects after three cleanings, replace the cartridges. See HP Printers - Ink Cartridge and Printhead Limited Warranty to check if the cartridges are covered under HP's warranty.

4. Make sure that the color, paper type, paper size, and quality settings are correct for your print job.

• Windows: From the application, click File > Print, and then click Options, Printer Setup, or Preferences, or open the Paper Type/Quality or Media & Quality menu.
• Mac: Click the Spotlight icon to search for and open Preview. Click File > Open to open the item, and then click File > Print.

Please check the link for more information - HP printer prints blank pages | HP® Support

Have a great day!

[Meghana_10]

Hello @VillainV, Welcome to the HP Support Community.

We understand how concerning it can be when your HP Officejet Pro 6968 is printing blank pages, especially after replacing the ink cartridges. You have already done a great job trying several troubleshooting steps. Let's go through a few more targeted actions to help resolve this issue.

Verify Ink Cartridge Authenticity

Even if the cartridges are labeled as HP-compatible, non-genuine cartridges can sometimes cause issues. Please ensure you're using genuine HP ink cartridges. You can verify them here: HP anti-counterfeit | HP® Official Site

Check Ink Levels

• On the printer control panel, go to Ink icon or Setup > Ink Levels.
• Ensure none of the cartridges are empty or critically low.

Clean the Printhead (Manually if Needed)

You've already tried the built-in cleaning, but a manual cleaning might help:

• Remove the cartridges.
• Gently clean the printhead contacts and cartridge contacts using a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with distilled water.
• Let it dry for 10 minutes, then reinstall.

If blank pages print from an inkjet printer, make sure that the printer has ink, printheads are clean, the correct settings are being used, and the printer firmware is up to date.

1. Check ink levels and replace any low or empty cartridges. See Check HP printer ink or toner levels for help.

2. Press the information button () to print a test page directly from the printer.

• If the test page is blank, continue to the next step to clean the Printhead.
• If the page prints correctly, skip to the step to check print settings.

3. Clean the Printhead if the test page was blank.

• Load plain white paper into the input tray.
• Run the cleaning tool.

1. Printers with a touchscreen or menus: On the printer, open the Settings or Setup menu, touch Tools or Printer Maintenance, and then touch Clean Printhead or Clean Cartridges.
2. Printers without a touchscreen or menus: Go to 123.hp.com or your app store to install the HP app. Click the picture of your printer, scroll to Diagnostics or Tools, and then click Print Quality Tools. Click Clean Printhead, or click View all print quality tools, then OK, and then Clean Printhead.

Have a great day!

[Meghana_10]

• If the page that prints has defects, the Printhead might be badly clogged. Run up to two more cleaning cycles.
• If the page that prints still has defects after three cleanings, replace the cartridges. See HP Printers - Ink Cartridge and Printhead Limited Warranty to check if the cartridges are covered under HP's warranty.

4. Make sure that the color, paper type, paper size, and quality settings are correct for your print job.

• Windows: From the application, click File > Print, and then click Options, Printer Setup, or Preferences, or open the Paper Type/Quality or Media & Quality menu.
• Mac: Click the Spotlight icon to search for and open Preview. Click File > Open to open the item, and then click File > Print.

Please check the link for more information - HP printer prints blank pages | HP® Support

Have a great day!