Printer Screen Inactive - Please insert the cartridges

[Corskey]

Hello,

I am trying to replace new cartridges after a cartridge failure (??)

After a reset using Home-Dash-Home-Home and Dash-Home-Dash-Dash the printer had frozen with the message "Please insert the cartridges"

The dash controls do not work and the carousel  is locked in position (with no cartridges inserted.

Removing the power cord for 60 seconds doesn't change the status or release the printer.

Any help is welcome

[Corskey]

[zoey7886]

@Corskey, Welcome to the HP Support Community!  

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding Cartridge Installation Issues! 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.  

I can imagine how frustrating it must feel to stare at that “Please insert the cartridges” screen while the printer just sits frozen—it’s like it’s holding its breath and refusing to budge. Let’s try nudging it back to life:

Power reset with a twist: Unplug the power cord and also disconnect any USB/Ethernet cables. Wait at least 2–3 minutes (longer than the usual 60 seconds helps discharge it fully). Then plug the power back in directly to a wall outlet—not a surge protector.

Check for a hidden jam: Sometimes the locked carousel is the printer’s way of saying something’s blocking it. With the printer off, gently peek inside with a flashlight to make sure there’s no tiny bit of packing material, paper scrap, or even leftover tape from the old cartridge.

Try to wake the carriage: Once powered back on, if it’s still frozen, gently open and close the cartridge access door—sometimes this forces the printer to attempt a reset and unlock the mechanism.  

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[Corskey]

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately the ink carriage remains firmly locked in place in the park position. I followed all of your suggestions, even leaving the power cable unplugged overnight.

Paul

[zoey7886]

@Corskey, thanks for trying those steps and for being so patient with this stubborn printer.

If the carriage is still sitting there like it’s glued in place, let’s give it one more push:

Hard reset with door open – Power off the printer, unplug it, then gently open the cartridge access door. While keeping it open, plug the power cord back in and turn the printer on—sometimes this forces the carriage to attempt a move.

Manual nudge (with care) – With the printer unplugged, try sliding the carriage gently by hand to the center. If it doesn’t budge at all, don’t force it—just check if there’s any tiny bit of tape, foam, or debris holding it in park.

Re-seat cartridges (if possible) – If you can get the carriage to move even slightly, try inserting the cartridges back in firmly, making sure there’s no protective tape left on them.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[Corskey]

Hi Zoey7886

Hard reset with door open – Tried this a few times and the carriage remains in the home position..

Manual nudge (with care) – With both power on and power off the carriage remains firmly locked in the home position. There is no paper or debris to stop its movement.

Re-seat cartridges (if possible) – Not possible to do as carriage is in locked position.

It's not looking good????

Paul

[zoey7886]

@Corskey, hear you—when the carriage won’t budge at all, it really does feel like the printer has just dug in its heels. Thanks for patiently trying all those steps.

At this point, the lock is usually a deeper hardware/firmware freeze. Let’s try one last round of checks before we think about service:

Firmware refresh: If the printer can power on to any screen, try connecting it to your PC via USB and run the HP app to push the latest firmware. Sometimes a stuck carriage responds after a forced update.

Full power drain: Unplug the printer, then press and hold the power button for 30 seconds (with no power cord attached). This helps discharge every bit of residual charge that might be holding the lock in place.

Alternate outlet & cord: Just to rule it out—plug directly into a different wall socket with no surge protector or extension, and if you have a spare power cord, give that a try.

Hope this helps! 

Take care, and have an amazing day!  

Did we resolve the issue? If yes, Please consider marking this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" to give us a helpful vote - your feedback keeps us going!  

Regards, 

[Corskey]

Hi Zoey7886

I admire your tenacity, almost as strong as my own. However:

Firmware refresh: I have downloaded the latest HP Smart software and connected with (2 different) USB cables. The software doesn't recognise a printer and continues to look for a connected printer 🙁.

Full power drain: Tried this a few times now without success 🙁.

Alternate outlet & cord: No success here either with different power cords. The cord is plugged directly into the wall🙁.

I think that the printer has won this battle and it's time for a visit to the great printer place in the sky. It was a cheap purchase from a charity shop so no big loss and in any case the charity shop profited from the purchase.

Thanks for your perseverance.

[zoey7886]

@Corskey, We're here to help you tackle that printer screen inactive! Don't worry, we've got your back! 

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

To access your private message, just click the little blue envelope icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile, next to your profile name.  

We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Regards,