What to do if your Epson printer does not recognise your compatible refillable cartridge at first?
Updated: Aug 10
Most of the time when you put a non-OEM refillable cartridge into an Epson printer, you'll get a warning message on the printer's LCD, telling you that does not recognise the cartridge you have just put in.
If the printer still doesn't accept the cartridges, this is easily managed.
- Wipe the cartridge's chip with a lint free cloth and alcohol, gently so as not to damage it (as its surface is quite sensitive)
- Check the contacts in the printer's cartridge carriage (the assembly that holds the cartridges and moves back and forth to transfer ink onto the film). Ensure they are clean (from dust or spilt ink) by wiping with a lint free cloth and alcohol, gently so as not to damage it. fiqure1.
Note: You need to use a lint-free cloth when dealing with any inkjet printer
- Check the cartridge is in the correct slot (by following the coloured label guide in the carriage).
- Do not leave the printer without cartridges inside as the ink may dry inside the printhead, causing problems.
- Check that the plastic at the bottom of the cartridge is pierced properly when you install the cartridge (fiqure2). Push down firmly on the cartridge to make sure it is clicked into place.
- If your printer is still not recognising the new cartridge, take it out and then turn off the printer. Wait for 10-15 minutes. Turn on the printer. Put the cartridge back in.
- If it is still not recognising it, take it out and disconnect the power lead for one hour or more. Reconnect the power lead and power on the printer. Then put the cartridge back in
- If this (above) doesn't work (which is rare), perform a full uninstall and reinstall of the printer driver. Use the latest driver from the driver & software section of the Epson website.
Note: Do not update the printer driver unless necessary. Driver updates may cause recognition problems for compatible cartridges.
- If all of the previous did not work, the problem could be the refillable cartridge. Try to install a new one. (If this new one worked it means the problem is the cartridge itself).
Finally, if you have tried all of the above and even trying new cartridges doesn't work, this indicates that the issue is with the printer.