Why is my Epson printer not printing after changing cartridges?

5 min readMar 25, 2022

Epson printers are thought to be among the top printers available. This is probably because the printers are fairly simple to use and extremely efficient in normal usage. It generally works well however, there are times when it encounters problems, including it is the case that an Epson printer isn’t printing in black. Therefore, we’re

Reasons

There are many reasons behind this problem, but some of the most important causes of this problem are as follows:
The Head of the printer is having issues
The issue with paper printing
Issues with printer drivers
Improper source data
Issues with the ink cartridge

We will show the possible solutions to the issues one at a time in depth. These methods will aid in resolving this issue.

Troubleshooting strategies

First, you have to use some troubleshooting strategies to figure out the reason your Epson printer not printing after changing ink and then to fix the issue. There are a few straightforward steps to help you follow to help troubleshoot the printer:

Switch off the Epson printer, and then disconnect the cable that connects the device and computer. Make sure to disconnect all the USB cables.
Check the paper that is available in the printer.
After some time, connect all interfaces and USB cables. Press your power button to power on your printer.
After turning on your printer open the printer’s settings and click print a test page to run a test on the printer.
A dialog box is likely to be displayed to set the paper size in the dialog box, and other appropriate settings, and then press the button to print test pages.
If the issue persists and the printer continues to be unable to print black, you must check the levels of ink on your printer to figure out the volume of ink contained inside your cartridges. Alternatively, take the steps listed below one at a time to fix the issue.

Solutions

Issues with the cartridge for ink

In the beginning, we must examine the amount of ink that is available in the different cartridges. There is a possibility that your cartridges’ ink is not functioning properly. To check this, take the following steps:

Start the printer, and take out ink cartridges
Find out if you have ink cartridges that are depleted or nearing the end of their life Fill them with ink by replacing them with brand new ink cartridges.
Be cautious when placing cartridges of ink into their slots and ensure the cartridges are placed in the slot that it is assigned to.
When you install a new cartridge ensure that the tape on the ventis is removed properly.
Make sure you check for any clogging that is occurring between the cartridge vents since they tend to get trapped through the ink. It can be easily removed with a pin or any other sharp object.
If your printer is not able to recognize ink cartridges, there could be a possibility that the printer worked using an older cartridge, then you need to use an alternative ink cartridge and then check

NOTE: if the old ink cartridge is capable of delivering any output, then there is some issue with your new cartridge. If it is not, the printhead is defective.

Print head with an issue

If there’s no problem with the cartridge ink and nevertheless, the Epson printer isn’t printing black, there’s a higher chance it is because the printer head has become blocked and requires cleaning. To clean your print head first, you must know if the print head on the printer is equipped with an automatic cleaning function or it doesn’t. Once you have identified the feature, you can perform one of the following steps:

If your printer does not have an automatic cleaning feature, then take it from its printer and wash it thoroughly.
Use the automatic cleaning feature when the print head is not able to be removed and clean it manually.
NOTE: you might need to use this feature between two and three times because a one-time operation is not enough to ensure adequate cleaning of the print head.

Driver related issues with printers

Printer drivers are accountable for the operation that your printer. If your Epson printer isn’t printing black, there could be a chance that the printer drivers aren’t installed, are outdated, or are not working properly. To determine this, or to update or install the new driver for your printer, you should comply with the following steps:

Check your computer’s settings and type in the device manager using the search bar.
In the device’s manager, locate the device’s name and click it.
Follow the steps in the dialog box which appears, and then click the scan now to search for the latest drivers.
Allow driver installation/ update to be completed.

If the driver is installed successfully there is a possibility that the issue has been resolved. If the issue persists, try the rest of the solutions listed.

Improper source data

If you’re trying to print a file you downloaded via the internet or an unknown source, then you must ensure that the file is intended specifically for printing inkjet. If the file was not specifically designed for printing inkjet, then you should get in touch with the creator of the file, or use another type of printer like laser printers. It is possible to search for the version which supports printing with inkjet.

The issue with printing on paper

If you’re not able to solve one of the issues listed above and are still unable to print black, and your printer can handle both types of black cartridges, including dye-based cartridges and pigment cartridges You will need to alter your paper’s settings. The paper type you choose from the options for papers determines the kind of black ink the printer will employ. It usually includes the following two kinds of papers:

Matte paper for pigment black printing
Glossy paper for dye printing

Conclusive

In the above review, we can see that there’s a particular scenario in which Epson printers cannot print black. This is because of the use of unidentified sources of data or a malfunction in the printer head or ink cartridge or head, etc. It is imperative to resolve these issues to prevent any risk. These issues can be addressed by using a method of checking and maintaining the hardware components. However, if the issue is still there then you need to replace the printer or you may also call the customer service centre to request a refund.
We hope that this article can assist you in solving this issue. If you have any ideas or concerns about this issue, let us know via the comment section.