instant ink black cartridge not working

[jrregann]

what? I was asking for support. got stuck in an "support circle". what is the **bleep** phone #? haven't used printer for nearly a year and now the black cartridge doesn't work. color one does and it's OG 2 years younger then this "replacement" sent for the original one that failed.

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi @jrregann,

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 Instant Ink black cartridge is not working even though the color cartridge prints fine, and this is happening after the printer was unused for a long time. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this.

Power reset the printer
Turn the printer on, then unplug the power cable from the back of the printer and the wall.
Wait 60 seconds, reconnect the power cable, and turn the printer back on.

Remove and reseat the black cartridge
Open the cartridge access door and remove the black cartridge.
Reinsert it firmly until it clicks into place, then close the door completely.

Check for protective tape or blockage
Remove the black cartridge again and inspect the nozzle and contacts.
Make sure there is no leftover protective tape, dried ink, or debris blocking the ink ports.

Clean the cartridge electrical contacts
Using a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water, gently wipe the copper-colored contacts on the cartridge.
Let it dry completely before reinstalling.

Run ink system maintenance
From the printer menu or HP Smart app, run Printhead Cleaning or Clean Cartridges once or twice.
Do not repeat this too many times, as it uses ink.

Print a diagnostic or test page
Print a printer status or diagnostic page directly from the printer controls.
Check whether black ink appears at all or is completely missing.

Confirm the cartridge status
Instant Ink cartridges stop working if they are expired, disabled, or not properly activated after long inactivity.
If the printer reports the black cartridge as “problem,” “missing,” or “incompatible,” it indicates the cartridge itself is not usable.

Check for dried ink due to long inactivity
If the printer was unused for nearly a year, the black cartridge nozzles may be permanently clogged.
In such cases, cleaning cycles may not recover the cartridge.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[jrregann]

SOLVED. Eventually found a number to call for support and end result of they are sending out replacement cartridges as ink likely dried up. I hadn't printed anything in nearly a year. The color cartridge was printing and it's an OG (~4 years) but the black cartridge didn't. That cartridge was a replacement after OG black cartridge started missing lines after about a year and half. Overall replacements should take care of the issue. Thanks to all.

I don't print much so must print out a couple pages a month to keep thing "young". I've been on the ink cartridge program since the beginning, so the minor monthly cost has paid off. Again, thanks and sorry for the frustrated posting. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi,

A huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Best Regards,