new cartridge will only print black and blue ink

[andrewk11]

I just installed instantInk cartridges for the first time, and printed a test. Only black and blue ink shows up. Did I receive faulty cartridges?

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @andrewk11,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

Thanks for reaching out—and welcome to Instant Ink! We’re here to help get your printer working just the way it should. If you’re only seeing black and blue ink after installing your Instant Ink cartridges, let’s go through a few checks to help identify the issue.

1. First, Let’s Confirm Your Cartridge Types

Could you please check and let us know:

• Are all the cartridges installed (black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) labeled as:
  • "Instant Ink",
  • "Instant Ink Ready", or
  • "Setup" cartridges?

If any of the cartridges are not Instant Ink or Setup cartridges (for example, one you had from a previous purchase), that may cause ink recognition or color output issues.

2. Let’s Run a Print Quality Diagnostic

Try these quick steps:

1. On your printer, press and hold the Information (ℹ️) button until a page prints.
2. Review the page to see if all colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are present.
3. If any colors are missing, open the cartridge access door and:
   • Remove and gently reinsert the color cartridges, making sure they click into place.
   • Close the door and try printing again.

3. If Color Still Doesn’t Show:

1. Check ink levels using the HP Smart App under your printer’s "Supplies Status."
2. If levels look okay but colors still won’t print, try running a Printhead Cleaning:
   • Open the HP Smart app.
   • Tap your printer > Printer Settings > Tools or Utilities > “Clean Printhead.”

You may need to run this process 2–3 times if the printer has been sitting unused for a while or if the ink hasn’t fully flowed yet.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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VikramTheGreat

HP Support