tank 7300 not printing magenta and can't acces print heads because they are stuck on the right side

[gabigrigore00]

Help, help, help please! Not the end of the world since I can still print. But it looks awful, though! Even if I print in greyscale, the red comes out green and blurry. The colours were not right for the last few weeks. I bought some more black( first refill) and rolled up my sleeves this morning to clean and align whatever was possible. Only to realise that magenta does not come out at all.

The warranty expired on it, so any advice is useful, please. From the HP Smart app, I can't clean the heads because it says the printer is busy. Tried a million resets. I've done it from the web page. Cleaned the heads, done the smear, and the alignment. Magenta is still not coming out. I've done the button combination on it ( it's a 7305, not display) for the head cleaning. Did not improve anything. So I was thinking the head might be at fault, but there's no error on it. I looked up videos on how to take the head out, to clean or replace and I can't. The head is blocked on the right side, so I can't open it. Tried all the related topics in regards, from this forum, and I still can't get the head to move to the center. I only gently tried to manually move it, but I don't want to force it and completely break the printer. I need it for work...It does not look like there is any blockage anywhere visible. Took the trays out and all. Please help. I paid £300 and it's a few days short of turning 3 years. If I can't salvage it, I will surely not buy one of these again.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @gabigrigore00,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

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

It sounds like you’ve done nearly everything right, and I completely understand your frustration, especially since your HP Smart Tank 7305 is out of warranty and you rely on it for work. Based on everything you've described, this is very likely a case of either:

• A severely clogged magenta printhead, or
• A printhead failure

Let’s go through targeted next steps that may still salvage it, or confirm it’s truly beyond repair.

Confirm Printhead Movement

You said the printhead is stuck on the right, and you can't get it to come to the center.

Try this:

1. Unplug the printer while it's turned on – this will remove motor locks.
2. Gently open the ink access door.
3. Now, manually try sliding the printhead carriage toward the center.
   • Use both hands gently — one on each side of the carriage — and don’t force it.
   • If it won’t budge at all, there may be a physical jam or dried ink lockup.

Try a Deep Manual Cleaning

Since you've already done built-in cleanings:

1. Soak the printhead (without removing it) using a paper towel and distilled water:
   • Turn off and unplug the printer.
   • Dampen a folded paper towel with warm distilled water (not tap water).
   • Place it under the printhead (where it parks).
   • Gently slide the printhead over the damp towel and let it rest for 10–15 minutes.
   • Slide it back and forth slowly a few times to help dissolve dried ink.
2. Then plug in the printer and do one more cleaning cycle.

Still Nothing? Try This "Magenta-Only" Test Pattern

1. Open MS Paint or Word.
2. Fill a page with a bright magenta box (RGB: 255, 0, 255).
3. Print in normal color mode — not greyscale.
4. If the magenta ink still doesn’t show up at all, even slightly:
   • The magenta nozzle is completely blocked or dead.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support

[gabigrigore000]

Hi again!  It did not work with the purge magenta sheet. I was not able to move the printheads and put a damp towel underneath. I took a thick watercolour sheet of paper, dampened it, and tried to insert it underneath the heads, but no use.

Unplugging the printer while on did not make the printhead budge. I took a thin-bladed knife and I inserted it underneath the printheads. It as no chocked ink or paper; it was the part from underneath the head that was slightly misaligned, and it blocked the movement. Managed to slide it to the center, opened it, took the heads out, and cleaned them with a syringe and half-boiled water, half alcohol mixture. Popped them right back and tried another purge sheet. So back in working order! Did a few more pages to force out my mixture from the heads. I can even clean and align it from the HP Smart App! Thank you very much for your reply, gave me confidence!

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @gabigrigore00,

That's fantastic to hear! 🎉 It sounds like you handled that with great care and determination, especially identifying the misaligned component and resolving it manually. Using a dampened watercolour sheet, a syringe cleaning method, and a bit of mechanical finesse is impressive troubleshooting, especially given how tricky printhead issues can be.
 

The fact that you're now able to clean and align through the HP Smart app again shows you've restored functionality properly. Well done!
 

If you notice any streaks or colour inconsistencies in the next few prints, feel free to run a few more cleaning cycles or alignment pages—but it sounds like you're in good shape now.
 

Glad I could help bolster your confidence. Don’t hesitate to reach out again if you ever run into another hiccup!
 

Happy printing! 🖨️✨

Take care and have a good day.

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, as it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

VikramTheGreat

HP Support