Warrentee has expired & HP have locked my printer. How do I unlock without buying a support plan

[Maxiebean]

i have the following message on my printer

"A problem has occurred with your HP printer and you will be unable to print very soon unless the issue is resolved. To learn more open the HP Smart app or visit www.hpsmart.com and sign in".

I did sign in & find that the warrantee has expired. I don't wish to pay for a service plan but want to use my printer. How can I unlock the printer?

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Maxiebean,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

I understand your frustration with the lock message on your HP printer. To clarify: your printer should still be usable even after the warranty has expired. HP does not disable or lock printers due to expired warranty.

The message you’re seeing usually appears if:

The printer is still enrolled in the HP Instant Ink program (subscription service), or

There is a firmware/HP Smart app notification about account setup or cartridge authentication.

Check Instant Ink enrollment

Sign in at HP Smart / Instant Ink.

If the printer is enrolled but the subscription is inactive (expired payment or canceled), the cartridges provided under Instant Ink will stop working.

To continue printing, install regular HP cartridges (non-Instant Ink) for your model.

Update Firmware

Go to HP Support → enter your printer model → download and install the latest firmware. This clears certain lock messages.

Remove/Re-add Printer in HP Smart

Open HP Smart app → remove the printer → re-add it using Wi-Fi setup.

Factory Reset (if message persists)

On the printer’s control panel, go to Setup > Printer Maintenance > Restore (or look for Restore Factory Defaults).

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,