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If your printer displays an error message with the HP printer cartridge, the cartridge is not recognized correctly. Several solutions are available.
Incompatible HP printer cartridge: Fix error message
The error message “Incompatible HP printer cartridge” can appear for several reasons. This is even the case if you are using original HP cartridges.
- First: When purchasing printer cartridges, look for the HP+ compatible or Dynamic Security enabled labels. These are usually compatible with new HP printers, even if they are not original cartridges.
- In most cases, resetting the printer is sufficient to resolve the issue. Turn off the printer and disconnect the device from the power supply. Turn it back on after about 30 seconds and try printing again.
- If this does not help, clean the contacts on the cartridges. A microfiber cloth is best suited for this. You can clean them more thoroughly with distilled water and a cotton swab. You should also carefully clean the cartridge contacts in the printer.
- Check the printer cartridge number to see if the printer cartridge you are using is compatible with your country or region. To do this, open the printer cartridge door and check the number on the cartridge labels.
- Then visit the HP overview page with compatible printer cartridges for the US. Check the printer category and the cartridges listed below. If you live in the UK, you can change the language at the bottom under Country/Region.
- For some printer models, it may help to downgrade the firmware. This often allows you to bypass the lock on third-party cartridges and original cartridges that have been refilled independently.
- To do this, you must uninstall the current drivers via Device Manager and download older firmware from the Internet. Install this firmware and do not install any updates in the future.
- Note: If you experience repeated problems with new or replacement cartridges, contact HP Support or an authorized dealer. They can provide you with new replacement cartridges or similar goodwill offers.
HP: Workaround for incompatible printer cartridges
The following instructions do not work with all HP printers and cartridges. However, if cleaning did not help, you can try this trick when you receive an error message about the HP printer cartridge.
- Place the cartridge in front of you so that you can see the contacts and the label is upside down.
- You will now see six rows of gold contacts. Cover the top contact in the second row from the left with a piece of tape.
- Reinsert the cartridge and print a test page. Remove the cartridge, tape over the bottom contact in the third row from the left, and print another test page.
- Remove the cartridge from the printer and remove the two adhesive strips. You should now be able to print as usual.
- To ensure that your printer continues to print after restarting, stick the first adhesive strip back over the contact. The cartridge will not be recognized correctly, but you will still be able to print.
- Caution: Due to extensive improvements in HP’s analysis methods, this method only works on a few models.
