my printer won't recognize new cartridges

[Deb3000]

My printer is out of ink. I bought brand new HP color cartridges. Not knockoffs, name brand HP. The printer won't recognize them. I am dead in the water and cannot print and cannot proceed. Please help. 962XL are my cartridges.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Deb3000 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

My sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused to you. We'd hate for you to be stuck in a situation like this. Because you matter to us.

Thanks for explaining the situation—when you’ve done everything right and the printer still refuses to recognize genuine cartridges, it’s understandably frustrating. 

Let’s walk through a few steps that can help resolve this and get you printing again:

Step 1: Power Reset the Printer

This clears any residual memory that may be interfering with cartridge detection.

1. Turn off the printer.
2. Unplug the power cord from the printer and the wall.
3. Wait at least 60 seconds.
4. Plug it back in directly to a wall outlet (avoid surge protectors).
5. Turn the printer back on and check if the cartridges are recognized.

Step 2: Clean Cartridge Contacts

Sometimes debris or oxidation can prevent proper communication.

• Remove the cartridges.
• Use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water to gently clean the copper-colored contacts on the cartridge and inside the printer.
• Let them dry for a few minutes, then reinstall.

Step 3: Check for Firmware Updates

Your printer may need a firmware refresh to properly detect newer cartridges.

• Visit the HP OfficeJet Pro 9018 firmware page
• Download and install the latest firmware for macOS 12.0
• Restart the printer and try again

Step 4: Disable Cartridge Protection (if enabled)

This feature can sometimes interfere with cartridge recognition.

• Open the printer’s Embedded Web Server using its IP address in a browser
• Navigate to Settings > Security > Administrator Settings
• Look for Cartridge Protection and disable it
• Save changes and restart the printer

Step 5: Verify Cartridge Authenticity

Even genuine HP cartridges can occasionally be defective or mismarked.

• Check the packaging for the HP security label and verify it using HP’s cartridge authentication tool
• If the cartridges are confirmed genuine and still not recognized, they may need to be exchanged

Let me know how far you get—I’m here to help troubleshoot further if needed.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye