While HP Officejet printers are appreciated for their smooth functioning and effortless maintenance, however, sometimes, a user may catch up with one or the other problem while performing the setup or carrying out a task using HP OfficeJet printers. Well, most of these issues and errors are quite common and can be fixed easily with little know-how. One such error that is very common is the problem of missing or failed Printhead error. If you are also using an HP Officejet Printers and facing missing or failed printhead error on it, you can try fixing the error by following the workarounds provided below.
Guide to Fix HP Officejet Printers Missing or Failed Printhead Error
Before looking into the workarounds to fix the printer missing or failed error, it is suggested to know about the various printhead error messages that you may see and can easily fix by following the same steps.
Different Examples of Printhead Errors
- Printhead Failure
- Printhead Problem
- Incompatible Printhead
- Printhead Appears to be Damaged or Missing
- The Printhead is Missing, Not Properly Installed, or Not Detected.
- Problem with Printhead
- Missing or Failed Printhead
Now as you know about the different names for Printhead errors, you can consider the following workarounds to overcome the problem in your HP OfficeJet printer.
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Try Resetting your HP Printer
The first and best way to fix the failed or missing printhead error in your HP printer is to consider resetting the HP Printer. Below are the steps to reset your printer.
- To reset your HP printer, you will first need to turn off your printer if it is turned ON.
- Next, you will need to go to the backside of the printer and remove the power cord from your printer.
- Then, you will need to disconnect the cord attached to the wall and wait for a couple of minutes.
- After a few minutes, you will need to reconnect the power cable of the printer to the wall socket.
- Then, you will need to take the other side of the power cable and attach it to the back of the printer.
- Finally, turn your Printer ON and check if the Printhead error gets cleared. If this doesn’t help you fix the problem with your HP printer, move to the next method.
Try Reseating the Printhead of the Printer
Another ideal way that you can use to solve the missing or failed Printhead problem is by re-seating the Printhead of the Printer.
- To reseat the Printhead of the printer, you will first need to open the cartridge access door by pulling the slot located at the left of the printer.
- You will need to make sure that you pull the power cable from the back of the printer to unplug it. This is important as it will ensure that the carriage doesn’t move in any direction.
- Next, you will need to find and lift the latch up on the right of the carriage.
- Then, you will need to slightly pull the Printhead out of the carriage, However, make sure not to remove it completely from the carriage.
- After that, you will need to place the Printhead into its slot firmly so that it fits properly. Also, make sure to flick the carriage latch down before closing the cartridge access door.
- After following these steps, you can insert the power cable back into the printer and turn it ON.
If this method also doesn’t help you clear the Printhead error, you can try fixing the problem by cleaning the ink cartridge.
Clean the Ink Cartridge
In certain cases, cleaning the ink Cartridges may also help you resolve the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error. To clean the Ink Cartridge, you will need to follow these steps:
- Start by removing the cartridges from the Printhead.
- After removing the cartridges, you will need to gently wipe the copper contacts of the cartridges with a lint-free cloth and distilled water.
- Then, you will need to dry the cartridges with a dry cloth before you insert them back into the printer.
- After following these steps, you will need to check if the error is cleared or not. However, if the error persists, you can move to the next workaround.
Make Sure to Update your Printer Firmware
It is important to always make sure that your Printer is running with the latest HP firmware. This is important because most of the issues and errors occur because of an outdated firmware installed on the printer. To update your printer, you will need to follow these steps:
- On your web browser, you will need to open the Software and Driver Downloads page for HP printers.
- Next, you will need to click the Printers option, enter the required model number, and press the Submit
- Then, you will need to open the folder which comprises the downloaded firmware.
- After that, you will need to open the firmware file to install the latest firmware.
Make Sure to Replace Non-HP Cartridges
If none of the above resolutions help in fixing the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error, it is recommended to replace cartridges of your printer. This is important if you are using non-HP cartridges. Make sure that you replace the cartridges with the genuine HP cartridge pack.
So, these are the different workarounds that you can follow to fix the “Failed or Missing Printhead” error in your HP Officejet printer.
