stopped printing in black

[amark220]

HP 6968Printer has worked for some time with no issues. Attempted to print today but black not printing. Viewed message that the print head needed cleaning. Performed clean to no avail, installed new black cartridge with no improvement. 

Followed virtual agent suggestions with no change of condition. Checked black cartridge to ensure vent hole clear.

Suggestions welcomed.

[Sneha_01]

HI @amark220,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

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

When your HP OfficeJet 6968 printer stops printing in black, even after cleaning the printhead and installing a new cartridge, there are several additional steps you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Here are some detailed troubleshooting steps:

Troubleshooting Steps:

Check Printer Settings:

• Ensure that you are not set to print in grayscale or black ink only. Go to your printer settings and verify the print preferences.

Perform a Hard Reset:

• Turn on the printer.
• While the printer is on, disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer.
• Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Wait for 60 seconds.
• Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet and reconnect the power cord to the back of the printer.
• Turn on the printer.

Run the Printhead Cleaning Utility Again:

• Sometimes, multiple cleaning cycles are needed to clear the blockage.
• On the printer control panel, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Clean Printhead. Repeat the cleaning cycle up to three times.

Align the Printhead:

• On the printer control panel, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Align Printhead.

Print a Diagnostic Page:

• On the printer control panel, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Print Quality Report. This can help diagnose if there are specific problems with the printhead.

Manually Clean the Printhead:

• If the automatic cleaning does not work, you can try manually cleaning the printhead:
  • Turn on the printer.Open the cartridge access door.
  • Wait for the print carriage to move to the center.
  • Remove the power cord from the back of the printer (this will allow you to move the print carriage by hand).Remove the black ink cartridge.
  • Locate the printhead and use a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with distilled water to gently clean the printhead.
  • Reinsert the black ink cartridge and close the access door.Reconnect the power cord and turn on the printer.

Check for Firmware Updates:

• Make sure your printer has the latest firmware installed. Go to the HP support website, search for your printer model, and download any available firmware updates.

Reset the Printer to Factory Defaults:

• On the printer control panel, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Restore > Restore Factory Defaults.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please mark this post as “Accepted Solution” if the issue is resolved and if you feel this reply was helpful click “Yes”.

Rachel571

HP Support