Inkjet printers run on ink – and that ink will eventually run dry. We all know it, but sometimes we get caught out. If you’ve ever found yourself in this pinch, you’ll know what it might mean to be able to squeeze that last page or two out of your depleted cartridges.
In this article, we wanted to help you find your way around that dreaded low ink message – and give you a way to get that last little bit out of your printer when you find yourself in a pinch. Read on here to get our tips on forcing that last bit out of your printer.
Understanding printer cartridges
Colour printers tend to have four cartridges in them. Those cartridges in almost all cases will contain the colours cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. You’ll see these colours referred to as CMYK, the K standing for ‘Key’ (Black). This is important because getting the most out of your cartridges (and squeezing past the ‘Cannot Print’ message) means getting into your printer and removing one of these.
The process
Your printer should tell you which cartridge has run dry. If you’ve been printing bulk word documents, it will likely be your Key cartridge – and if it’s been photos or images, likely one of your colour cartridges has run dry.
But the process is the same. What you have to do is:
- Identify which cartridge is close to running out.
- Remove that cartridge and close your printer up.
- Power your printer down, and switch off the power.
- Wait for two minutes.
- Re-install the cartridge and attempt to print as normal.
This process isn’t guaranteed, your cartridge may simply be too dry and really truly might be done. But powering down your printer and introducing the cartridge ‘like new’ gives your printer a chance to ‘forget’ that it was empty. This might be just enough to squeeze that last couple pages out of a near depleted cartridge.
If that doesn’t work
If this process doesn’t work, then it might be time to let it go. It’s important to note that if you’ve run your inkjet printer cartridges to almost bone-dry, then you’re running the risk of damaging the printheads and causing much longer-term problems for your printer.
There’s nothing more frustrating than having your printer run out right when you need it – but sometimes we just get caught out and there isn’t much we can do about it. In the meantime, you’ll have to stock up on fresh cartridges here online with us at TonerCity!
Buy printer ink cartridges online with TonerCity!
TonerCity is where you’ll find great prices on ink and toner cartridges from all the leading brands. For those looking for an easy way to stock up, you’ll be glad to hear we do free shipping on orders over $50! Shop online and avoid running out of ink ever again!
For any questions or enquiries, don’t hesitate to get in touch at 1300 330 242 today!