Problem: Printing blank pages / Fading on print / Incorrect colours being produced
Printouts are coming out very faded or blank, or with the incorrect colours.
Resolution
In the unlikely event that your cartridge is not printing to your satisfaction, there may be a blockage on the print nozzles caused either by dried ink particles or an air lock.
This problem can easily be remedied by carrying out a simple manual cleaning procedure:
- Take a cotton bud and dampen with some warm water, then gently wipe around the area of the print head at the base of the cartridge.
- Dab the print head onto a clean absorbent paper kitchen towel until the ink begins to filter through. The following colours should be visible on the kitchen towel:
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- For the black cartridge - a full black oval shape
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- For the colour cartridge - 3 distinct oval or round shapes should be seen coloured cyan, magenta and yellow
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- Take a clean, dry paper towel and gently wipe the copper contact points at the back of the cartridge and the contacts inside the printer cartridge carrier.
Problem: "Cartridge does not communicate with printer", "Remove and reinstall cartridge" and "Cartridge not connecting with the printer"
The compatible cartridge has been installed correctly but the printer reports any of the above messages. This could be caused because the printer does not recognise the cartridge chip.
Resolution 1: Reset the printer
- Remove the affected cartridge/cartridges from the printer.
- Turn the printer off and wait for 2 minutes.
- Turn your printer back on and wait for a further 2 minutes.
- Once the printer warns that certain cartridge/cartridges are missing, re-install them one at a time
Resolution 2: Clean the cartridge chip
- Remove the affected cartridge from the printer.
- Clean the cartridge chip with a lint-free wipe to remove any dust or dirt particles.
- Reinstall the cartridge in the printer.
Problem: Cartridge not recognised
After installing the cartridge the printer is showing the cartridge as not installed correctly.
Resolution 1: How to clean the cartridge chip
Before installation, please follow these instructions on how to clean the cartridge chip
1. Remove the packaging from the new cartridge.
2. Using a dry lint free cloth, clean the gold contacts on the back of the cartridge.
3. Install the new cartridge into your printer.
4. Wait until the printer has recognised the cartridge before use.
This process helps to remove any dirt or residue ink on the chip which can cause recognition issues.
Resolution 2
- Remove the cartridge, and wipe the gold coloured electrical contacts with a tissue, before reinstalling the cartridge
- If this doesn't work then repeat the process 2-3 times
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This image shows the front of the cartridge, the product code and colour can be found on the label.
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The back of the cartridge can be seen in this image, the blue tape must be removed before installation.
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This image shows the left side of the cartridge, the paper covering the chip must also be removed before installing.
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The right side of the cartridge can be seen in this image, the batch code can be found on the smaller label.
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This image shows the top of the cartridge, this is the chip, do not remove this.
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Printers that use HP 303 / 303XL cartridges
To see a full list of products that work in your printer, click on the model name below:
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