What to Do If Your Printer Does Not Recognize Compatible Ink Cartridges

Buying ink cartridges for your printer can be an expensive and frustrating affair. Ink is very expensive these days, especially if you are buying the name brand products. Many printers seem to go through ink very quickly, so it can be very costly to constantly buy new ink. Luckily, there are compatible ink cartridges available for nearly every printer on the market today. Compatible ink cartridges are a much cheaper option that allow you to print the same product with the same quality.

 One of the biggest complaints about compatible ink cartridges is that they are sometimes not recognized by the printer. There is some speculation that printer companies are intentionally trying to make it more difficult for consumers to use the compatible ink cartridges. Compatible ink cartridges are becoming much more popular, and this is cutting into the profits of the big brands.

Compatible cartridges are designed to be just that: compatible with your name brand printer. However, many consumers have bought these compatible ink cartridges with the hopes of saving lots of money only to find that they don’t seem to work. Many consumers have noticed that when they first install their compatible cartridges, their printers will claim there is no ink or low ink.

 If you find that your new compatible ink cartridge doesn’t seem to be working, there are several steps you need to follow before you can print.

 1. Make sure it is compatible. Just because a cartridge looks like it fits, that doesn’t mean it is the right type of ink. There may be several different ink cartridges that will fit in your printer, but only one specific type will work. It’s important to make sure you have the right model number. A compatible ink cartridge should also list the printers it is made for. Make sure the information on the box matches your printer’s needs.

 2. Follow the instructions. Each ink cartridge and each printer comes with its own set of instructions. Make sure you do exactly what the instructions for that particular ink cartridge say. This might involve shaking the cartridge or how exactly it should be installed. If you make any mistakes in this process, the ink may not work.

 3. Make sure your printer is clean. The ink cartridge is recognized by the printer head, and if your printer head is dirty or clogged, it may not recognize the ink. A printer head may be more sensitive when it comes to a compatible cartridge, so you can’t assume that just because it was working before that it will work now. When you clean your printer head, make sure you follow the manufacturer’s directions for cleaning. This may involve using a special cleaning solution.

 4. Clean the ink cartridge. It is possible that the ink cartridge is blocked, so you will want to clean it to make sure the printer head can read it. One way to clean it is by using a q-tip or cotton ball to wipe any build up away. If this isn’t enough, you can try soaking the cartridge in warm water and then wiping it off carefully. You don’t want to leave any lint or dust behind or the printer may not read it.

 5. Check your printer for other errors. You want to make sure your printer is properly plugged in and that all connections are secure. If you have any doubts on what to do, take it to a repair shop. It’s important to note that using compatible ink cartridges does not void your warranty, even though some manufacturers threaten that it will. It is illegal to void a warranty because you have used compatible parts.

 6. Return the cartridge. If you don’t want to take your printer in for repairs, you can always try different ink. Since your ink cartridge is designed to be compatible, you should be able to return it if it doesn’t work. If you are worried about whether or not the printer works, you can try buying a brand name cartridge and testing it with that.

 Using compatible ink may be frustrating at times, but it is a cheap and high quality alternative to the rising cost of manufacturers ink.