Stuck and set up mode

[fishinguy007]

my HP Office pro inkjet printer 6968 and set up mode and won’t come out of it. I’m not sure why I’ve tried to power off a bunch of times, but it doesn’t work for some reason. It’s just frozen in this set up mode

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @fishinguy007 

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

I’m sorry you’re facing this situation where your OfficeJet Pro 6968 is stuck in setup mode—it’s understandably frustrating when powering off doesn’t help. You’ve already tried restarting several times, so let’s go step by step to help the printer move past this frozen state.

 

Step 1: Perform a full power reset

• With the printer turned on, disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer.
• Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Wait at least 60 seconds.
• Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet directly (avoid surge protectors).
• Reconnect the cord to the printer and power it on.

 

Step 2: Check the control panel

• If the printer still shows setup mode, press the “Back” or “Home” button repeatedly to see if it exits.
• If unresponsive, continue to the next step.

 

Step 3: Reseat ink cartridges

• Open the ink cartridge access door.
• Remove each cartridge and then firmly reseat them.
• Close the door and check if the printer resumes normal operation.

 

Step 4: Reset network settings

Sometimes setup mode is tied to network initialization.

• On the printer’s control panel, press Wireless > Settings > Restore Network Defaults.
• Reconnect the printer to your Wi-Fi using the HP App.

 

Step 5: Update firmware

• On your computer, open the HP App.
• Select your printer, go to “Advanced Settings.”
• Check for firmware updates and install if available.

Here’s a helpful guide from HP on updating printer firmware:
HP Printers - Updating or Upgrading Printer Firmware

 

Step 6: Run HP Hardware Diagnostics

• Restart the printer and press the power button until it cycles.
• If it responds, run a test print from the HP App to confirm functionality.

By reseating cartridges, resetting the network, and refreshing firmware, we’re giving the printer a clean start. The solid power reset is often the key to breaking out of setup mode.

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

[fishinguy007]

Well I hate to tell you that none of that stuff actually works and it’s a bit BS because the printer is an immaculate condition and it’s just not supported by the network anymore so this is how you guys make money and force people to buy a new printers it’s a bit of **bleep**.  I am not happy with the product or the service or the help that I got from it because I could’ve got that information off of YouTube and in fact I did and it didn’t work either. I’m quite disgusted that I cannot get my printer. That’s basically brand new condition to work. The software won’t download nor does Trick back, dating it through the back button doesn’t work either

[Hawks_Eye]

Hello @fishinguy007 

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.

We sincerely thank you for your patience and co-operation during this troubleshooting process.

If after following these steps you still face issues, consider reaching out to our customer support over the phone for further assistance. 

This might require one-on-one interaction via remote assistance to fix the issue. 

I'm sending you a private message to guide you on the next steps.

To access it, click the private message icon in the upper-right corner of your HP Support Community profile, next to your name.

If this resolves your issue, kindly mark this post as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" if it was helpful.

Take care and have a great day!

Regards,

Hawks_Eye