Printer won't recognize third-party ink

Hey everyone.

I’ve run into a bit of a headache here, so I'm hoping someone in this group can point me in the right direction. I picked up an HP LaserJet Pro about two or three weeks ago. The black ink cartridge that came in the box already ran out on me, so I went ahead and grabbed a replacement—it's an Epson one, not an original HP cartridge. But here’s the kicker: as soon as I pop that new cartridge in, the printer acts like it’s not even there. It just insists the black ink is empty. And get this—it’s doing the exact same thing with the color cartridge too, even though that one is genuine HP! It’s totally bizarre because when I put the empty black cartridge back in, everything looks fine again... it correctly shows the black is empty and the colors are full. I'm stumped. Is there some weird setting in the printer menu I need to toggle to make it accept third-party cartridges, or am I just...

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Andrew Roberts3 said:Hey everyone.

I'm running into a bit of a headache and hoping someone here can help me out. I picked up an HP LaserJet Pro about two or three weeks ago. The black ink that came with the printer already ran out, so I grabbed some third-party stuff (Epson, not original HP ink). But here's the thing: when I slot the cartridge in, the printer won't recognize it—it just acts like there's no ink at all. Even weirder, it’s doing the same thing with my color cartridge, even though that one is original HP. If I put the empty black cartridge back in, everything looks fine again (it shows black is empty and color is full). I'm totally lost. Is there some setting in the printer menu to make it accept non-brand cartridges, or...

Thanks in advance for any help.

No clue.

Just toss it in the trash and grab an Epson + Canon setup instead. It actually works.

rustysurfer79 said:I haven't got a clue

The consensus seems to be just toss the thing in the trash and pick up an Epson + Canon instead. Honestly, that’s the only way to go if you actually want stuff to work.

Did you actually bother checking his settings to see if you added a new ink type?🤷

Kyle Davis6 said:Did you happen to include a new tint in his options? 🤷

I've been messing around with HP printers for way too long to not see all the little tricks their engineers try to pull on us.

Look, if you want some actual advice, just stay far away from those cheap, bottom-of-the-barrel printers while you still can. Seriously. Your time is way too valuable to waste on junk, and honestly, you might as well save that extra cash for something better while you’ve still got it in your pocket.

rustysurfer79 said:I’ve been messing around with HP printers for way too long now to not see all the little traps their engineers try to set for us.

That’s why, if you want my two cents, just stay far away from those cheap, low-end models before they get you; your time isn't free, and you might as well keep whatever cash you have left in your pocket.

Laser printers are the only way to go! 😁

Kyle Davis6 said:Laser printers just rule! 😁

You really think engineers are out there dreaming up laser printers? Nah. They build the gear, while the economists cook up some nonsense that you eventually end up swallowing whole.

rustysurfer79 said:You really think engineers just sit around dreaming up laser printers out of thin air? Nah, the tech guys actually build stuff that works, while the economists are the ones cooking up all these nonsense schemes that eventually end up being shoved down your throat in a fancy presentation.

I don't know about you, but inkjet printers just don't cut it for me. 🙂

Kyle Davis6 said:I can't get behind inkjet printers, at least not personally! 🙂

Spot on. Anything under $267 is basically just buy it and toss it. Those engineers make their money back on the ink prices. And when it comes to $333, they’ve already recouped the R&D through the initial sticker price of the printer, so there isn't even as much pressure to squeeze you on the ink.

Kyle Davis6 said:Laser printers just don't stand a chance! 😁

You've got a point. It's only an option if someone is dead set on color printing but can't swing a color laser from those overpriced brands... $333...what he's actually left with.

I’m one of those unfortunate souls currently prepping to ditch my monochrome laser for an inkjet. My old mono laser has officially kicked the bucket... Maybe the smartest move is just keeping a single laser for black and white alongside a color inkjet.

George Morgan67 said:Fair point. I guess if someone is dead set on getting color prints but can't swing the massive price tag for a color laser from those "overpriced" big-name brands like $333, they don't have much of an alternative.

I’m actually one of those unlucky souls currently looking to ditch my monochrome laser and make the jump over to inkjet. My old B&W laser basically just retired to a farm upstate. Honestly, the smartest move might be playing both sides—keeping a trusty monochrome laser for the heavy lifting while having a color inkjet sitting there for the occasional creative project.

I'm totally on board with that setup, mostly because color lasers are still way too expensive for most people. For what it's worth, that's exactly how I run my home office! 😉

Kyle Davis6 said:I’m all for that setup since color lasers are still way too pricey, unfortunately. I actually run that exact combo myself! 😉

That sounds awesome!!! If I end up pulling the trigger on that same setup—and I'm about to grab a multi-function inkjet now—could you tell me, based on your own experience or maybe what your family uses, which mono laser printer is actually decent? I need something that isn't overpriced and stays pretty compact. Not so tiny that you have to feed it paper one sheet at a time, and ideally with a battery so I can move it around with my laptop... I don't need "ultra-portable," just something that doesn't hog all my desk space.

Hey there. I’m dealing with basically the exact same headache as the OP. I’ve got an Epson Stylus that works like a charm with these off-brand inks I picked up for about $3.00/each back when I bought them two years ago. So, thinking everything would be smooth sailing, I went out and grabbed an Epson Stylus for my sister last month. Now, full disclosure, I’m definitely not some tech guru who knows the ins and outs of every printer model on the market or all their little quirks. Because of that, I was super polite to the guy at the big-box store—he was actually really sweet and helpful—and I just asked him for recommendations. He walked me through everything, showed me what they had in stock, and I ended up walking away with that 130 model. He even offered me some compatible ink right then and there, so I figured, why not? It’s only $6.25, right? Well, fast forward to today, and my mom calls me in a total panic. Apparently, neither my old spare inks nor the brand-new ones she just bought will work. She even called over a repairman—who happens to be a family friend—and he started rambling about searching for some kind of "chip" or "code." I know, it sounds ridiculous, but neither my mom nor I have any clue what that actually means in plain English.

Does anyone actually know what's going on here? Thanks in advance

Karen Carter80 said:Hey everyone. I’m running into basically the same issue as the OP. I have an Epson Stylus that works perfectly with these third-party inks I bought for about $3.00 per color back in 2022. So, a month ago, I picked up an Epson Stylus for my sister, thinking it wouldn't be any trouble since mine works fine. Full disclosure: I don't really know much about printers—you know, all the specs and pros and cons. I just asked the guy at the store (who was super nice and helpful) to walk me through it, and he pointed me toward this model. He offered some compatible ink right then and there, so I figured, why not? It's only $6.25. Well, my mom just called me panicking. Neither my old ink nor the new stuff she just bought will work. Apparently, the repair guy (a family friend) mentioned something about needing a specific "chip" or "code"—it sounds silly, but neither my mom nor I actually know what that means.

Anyone know anything about this? Thanks in advance

We all know how it goes

Original cartridges don't have batteries built in. But all those third-party ones? They do. Most retailers push these replacements because they don't bother telling you that those tiny batteries die off after sitting in a warehouse for six months. Then they act clueless when things go wrong, selling them to even more unsuspecting people.

So, when you see those same branded cartridges at a shopping mall in Washington, D.C., priced at only $0.33 each, don't be shocked when a bunch of people end up back here asking the exact same question.

So, I've got this HP Deskjet sitting there—it had been powered down for a few months, you know how it is when things just sit idle—and I finally went ahead and put some fresh ink in it. But now that I've actually switched it on, it’s being a bit stubborn about pulling in paper, and to top it all off, I'm getting this message saying the print cartridge is faulty or isn't installed properly. I guess I'm a little stuck here... does anyone have any ideas on what I should try doing? Thanks!

The ink ended up stuck inside it too, I guess

neontrucker23 said:there's still ink stuck inside it too

Honestly, just grab a new cartridge. Or even better, get one specifically made for refilling along with a bottle of ink. It's way easier.

Like in this situation here

Hey there! I'm looking to pick up some printer ink but man, those original cartridges are absolute highway robbery... I'm trying to figure out if going with a generic brand is actually worth the hassle or if I'll just end up with a headache. Any tips? My setup is an HP Deskjet. Thanks!

coastalcobra12 said:Hey there! I need to pick up some printer ink but the original stuff is insanely pricey. I'm not sure if going with third-party ink is actually worth the hassle. Any advice? My printer is an HP Deskjet. Thanks!

HP wins every time
The importer wins
The freight forwarder wins
The shopping mall wins
The federal budget wins

So just think about who actually benefits when you feed all those people. It’s way too easy for them to make a killing just by filling one single cartridge like yours.

Recommendation: replacement toners and inks

My HP OfficeJet Pro won't recognize third-party ink cartridges
Hey everyone...
Last year, I picked up an HP OfficeJet Pro. At first, I stuck strictly to the official brand-name inks, following the manual to a T, and everything was perfect—scanning, printing, you name it, it looked great.
Then, when I was at the store, the clerk gave me the old sales pitch about how much better and cheaper the generic brands were. Being a bit naive, I thought, "Why not?" and grabbed three black cartridges and one full color set just to have them on hand.
Everything worked fine until I actually ran out of black ink. I was all set to swap in my spare generic cartridge, thinking I was being smart, but the printer rejected it immediately. Now it’s throwing an error message saying I need to replace the entire set of colors. I called the manufacturer of the refill brand, and they basically told me, "Look, buddy, I've sold hundreds of these; you just need to swap out the other generics too." So I did, and still... nothing. It just won't work.
Has anyone else dealt with this headache? Is there any way to actually get these third-party inks to work? I've reached out to a few retailers, and they all claim there's a 90% chance it'll work
but that unlucky 10%... well, that's where I am right now.
It looks like I fell right into that 10% bracket.
If anyone has some advice or a workaround, I'm all ears.
My little piece of wisdom for the group: if you don't know the ins and outs of what you're buying, just ask the guys on the forum first.
Best regards,
lampaš