Printer says out of ink, but it isn’t?
A full cartridge can be reported as empty or not recognized when it is not seated, its tape is still on, its contacts are dirty, or it is the wrong or a non-genuine cartridge. Check them in that order.
Last updated: October 22, 2026
What does the printer say?
Step 1 of 2Likely cause
Likely cause: the cartridge is not seated, its tape is still on, its contacts are dirty, or it is the wrong model or not genuine.
- 1Remove any protective tape from the new cartridge, then reinstall it until it clicks into place.
- 2Check that the cartridge number matches your printer, and the country or region where you bought the printer.
- 3Clean the cartridge’s electrical contacts as your maker’s support page describes, then let them dry.
- 4If the message stays, try another new genuine cartridge or contact the maker.
Likely cause
Likely cause: the cartridge was not installed with the printer’s replacement procedure, or it is not fully seated.
- 1Start the cartridge replacement from the printer’s menu or button, so the printer expects the change.
- 2Reseat the cartridge firmly until it clicks.
- 3Check that it is a new cartridge. A used or refilled one can report the wrong level.
- 4Turn the printer off, wait, and turn it on again.
Likely cause
Likely cause: the printer counts ink use instead of measuring it, so its counter must be reset after you refill.
- 1Fill each tank you refilled to the upper line.
- 2Reset the ink level for those colors from the printer’s menu or utility, as the maker’s guide describes.
- 3Check the tanks by eye from now on, and do not print with ink below the lower line.
Likely cause
Likely cause: blocked nozzles. The ink is there but cannot reach the page.
- 1Print our nozzle check and look for gaps in each color band.
- 2If a band has gaps, run one print head cleaning, then print the nozzle check again.
- 3Follow your maker’s limit on repeated cleanings and how long to wait between them.
Most likely causes
The cartridge is not seated, or the tape is still on
HP, Epson and Brother all start here: remove the protective tape, then reinstall the cartridge until it clicks. Epson says an expended message after a change can mean the cartridge was not seated or not installed with the replacement procedure.
Dirty contacts or the wrong cartridge
HP’s steps include cleaning the cartridge contacts and checking the cartridge matches the printer’s model and country or region. Canon and Brother also report errors when the cartridge is not the right one for the printer.
A used, refilled or non-genuine cartridge
HP says levels can be wrong with used or refilled cartridges, and Canon says the same for used ones. Brother says non-genuine ink may not be detected, and HP printers can block cartridges with non-HP chips.
The level is only an estimate
HP and Epson say ink levels are estimated from usage, not measured. On ink tank printers the counter has to be reset after a refill.
What to try, in order
- 1Read the exact messageNote whether the printer says empty, expended, not recognized or incompatible, and any code. The fix depends on the message, and your maker’s support page lists most codes.
- 2Reseat the cartridgeUse the printer’s replacement procedure, remove any protective tape, and push the cartridge in until it clicks. Check the cartridge number matches your printer.
- 3Clean the contacts, then restartClean the cartridge contacts the way your maker describes, let them dry, and turn the printer off and on.
- 4Print a nozzle checkIf the message is gone but a color is missing or faint, print our nozzle check. Gaps mean blocked nozzles, not empty ink. See how to clean a print head.
Do not print with an ink tank below its lower line. Epson and Canon warn that it can damage the printer.
When to stop and replace
If a new, genuine cartridge of the right model is still not recognized after reseating and cleaning the contacts, stop and contact the printer maker. HP notes that a replacement cartridge may be free while it is under warranty.
Inkjet or laser?
Inkjet printers
Out of ink and cartridge errors are inkjet problems. Once the message is cleared, a nozzle check shows whether every color actually reaches the page. The inkjet printer test page lists the other sheets to print, in the order to try them.
Print a nozzle checkLaser printers
On a laser printer the equivalent is a toner message. Check that the toner cartridge is seated and any seal is removed, and see the maker’s support page for your model.
Laser printer test pageWhy a full cartridge can read as empty
Printers do not look inside a cartridge. HP and Epson both say the level is estimated from how much the printer has used, so it can be wrong. HP says it is less accurate with refilled, used or non-genuine cartridges, and Canon says a used cartridge can show the wrong level. See how to check printer ink levels for where each maker shows the estimate.
What each maker says to try
- HP: check the cartridge matches the printer’s model and region, remove the tape, reseat it, clean the contacts with distilled water and let them dry, then unplug the printer for 60 seconds. Some HP printers block cartridges with non-HP chips.
- Epson: start the replacement from the printer, remove only the yellow tape, and push each cartridge in until it clicks. Epson says only genuine cartridges are compatible. On EcoTank printers, fill to the top line and use Reset Ink Levels.
- Canon: for a cartridge error, remove and reinstall the cartridge, and replace it if the error stays. For MegaTank printers, fill to the upper line before resetting the ink count.
- Brother: reinstall the cartridge slowly and firmly, and check it is the right model and genuine. Brother says non-genuine ink may not be detected and incompatible supplies may not be covered by warranty.
If the message clears but a color is still missing, the cause is usually the print head, not the cartridge. Our black ink not printing page covers the black cartridge specifically.
Sources checked: HP cartridge errors and ink levels; Epson cartridge not recognized (XP-446), expended after replacing (XP-830) and EcoTank reset (ET-2760); Canon error 1403 (TS3500), error 1686 (MX490) and MegaTank refill (G4000); Brother cannot detect ink volume and cannot detect (MFC-J1010DW).
Good questions
Why does my printer say out of ink when the cartridge is full?
Can I keep printing when the printer says the ink is out?
I refilled my ink tank but the printer still says it is low. Why?
The ink is full but nothing prints in one color. What now?
Related problems
- Black ink not printingColor prints but black is missing, pale or tinted.
- Missing colorOne or more ink colors are not showing.
- Faded printText and images look pale or washed out.
More print problems
- Streaks or lines
- Banding
- Blank pages
- Misaligned print
- Smudges
- Wrong colors
- Prints too small
- Borderless not working
- Test page won’t print
- Test page prints, documents don’t
- HP printer not printing
- Epson printer not printing
- Brother printer not printing
- Canon printer not printing
- Non-genuine cartridge message
- Print spooler not running
- Printer is offline
- Print job stuck in queue
- Paper jam
- Two-sided printing not working
- Driver or connection issue