So you have a printer that you’ve been enjoying for a while now. You’ve been hitting the print button on your computer, and magically things on the screen appear crisply smooth on paper.
One day, however, after downing your usual dose of coffee, you go over to print something on paper and discover your printer won’t print.
Confused, you go onto the internet and decide to search for “my printer won’t print.” or something similar.
After a plethora of solutions, you narrow things down to the ink. Shocked, you wonder why you had not even thought of that. Now, “how to change my printer ink.” is the next thing you search for.
If you were lucky enough to find this page, you would be glad you did. We will help you understand why your printer even needs ink, what type of printer you might be using, and how to replace the ink cartridge.
Why Ink?
Just as you need ink for your pen to work, the computer needs ink to work. You may think you never have to replace the ink on your monitor, so why?
Well, your computer screen reuses what might be called its ink repeatedly to paint images for you to see. At some point, you will deplete that ink bank, and you will need to refill it.
You can’t just go to an electronic store to have the ink poured back into some tank. Instead, you have to replace the cartridge. The way the printer is designed, merely refilling the ink tank like you would your car, is not feasible. Firstly, you have to find out the type of printer you are using.
What Kind Of Printer Am I Using?
If you are sure you need to replace your printer’s ink cartridge, then you are most likely using an inkjet printer.
This is because this printer type often uses ink cartridges to print. Suppose you also feel the time it took to change the ink to the time you bought the printer is too short, then yes. In that case, you are using an inkjet printer because they are notorious for running out of ink pretty quickly.
However, do not hate on them, they are the best at printing out hi-res images, and they need a lot of ink for that.
Changing The Ink Cartridge
Even though printers are mostly either inkjets or laserjets (there are other types such as thermal printers), different manufacturers have different ways of making their printers.
Hence, changing your printer’s ink cartridge would feel slightly different on different devices.
However, you can follow some generic steps to replace an empty ink cartridge.
To begin changing the ink cartridge, follow these steps:
- Please write down the brand of printer you have and its model number too. These two details are essential when you go to a store to get a replacement cartridge for your printer.
The model number is sometimes difficult to find, but you can check the user manual for it. If you can’t find it there, look at the cartridge inside the printer for it. The last resort is to go to the electronic shop with your printer. - Modern printers usually come with indicators that can tell you the exact ink level of your printer’s cartridge. Turning on the printer also helps ensure that the print carriage is working as it should. If you are on a windows computer, you can also check the ink level on your system.
- Once you’ve ensured that the print carriage is working and your printer’s ink cartridge needs to be replaced, pop open your printer’s hood and take out the cartridge. Printer models are different even if they are of the same brand.
Some have their lids on the top; others have theirs on the side of the printer. Once the lid is open, the print carriage should slide out on its own, and on others, you need a button to move it out. - Please make a note of the cartridge manufacturer, its model number, and color. There should be a label with that information on it or inscribed on its edges.
Ensure you do not take out the cartridge unless you are ready to put in a new one to avoid drying out the nozzle that supplies the ink. - After purchasing new cartridges with the information you wrote down earlier, you can replace the empty one.
Before installing the new cartridge, you should shake it. Doing so ensures the first print you do with it comes out great. - Remove the new cartridge’s protective stripe, take out the old cartridge from the printer, and fix the new one in its place. Close up everything you opened to access the cartridge and make a test print.
Conclusion
Replacing your cartridge the first time is not as daunting as the task appears. You should be back to printing in no time with this guide.
Hey, it’s James here. I’m the founder and editor here at RiverstoneNet.com. I’m a network engineer during the day and a blogger at night. Let me know if I can help you with choosing a new modem/router or troubleshooting your Internet connection.