Printer reports failure to detect all ink cartridges

Drucker meldet Fehler bei der Erkennung aller Tintenpatronen

Workflow for Activating Unrecognized Ink Cartridges on an Epson® Printer

In rare cases, a printer may suddenly stop recognizing all ink cartridges, regardless of whether they are original or third-party cartridges. Theoretically, when using third-party products, the issue could be caused by newly installed printer firmware. However, in our many years of experience, we have never encountered this situation.

A printer technician once shared a tip with us that we will describe here. This tip might help some users quickly resolve this issue on their own.

The Starting Situation

The printer is turned on and reports that all ink cartridges are unrecognized.
Press the cartridge button on the printer.

Depending on the printer model, the following may occur:

The cartridge carriage moves to the corresponding color marker to indicate which cartridge is causing the issue.
A red light illuminates to indicate the affected color channel.
The affected color channel is displayed on the printer screen.

Steps to Resolve the Issue

Press the cartridge button on the printer repeatedly until all color channels have been cycled through. The carriage will then move to the position where the ink cartridges can be removed.
Note: On some printer models, you need to press a button on the printer to confirm a cartridge, while on other models, the printer cover must be closed.
Remove all cartridges.
Disconnect the printer from the computer and the power outlet, then wait for 5-10 minutes to clear the volatile memory (RAM).
Turn the printer back on. The printer will indicate that no cartridges are recognized.
Press the cartridge button on the printer or open the device cover.
Insert the first cartridge from the right.
Press the cartridge button on the printer or close the device cover.
The printer should correctly recognize this cartridge.
Press the cartridge button on the printer or open the device cover.
Insert the next cartridge from the right.
Press the cartridge button on the printer or close the device cover.
The printer should correctly recognize this cartridge.
Repeat the steps for each remaining cartridge.

Once all cartridges are installed, the printer should accept all of them and be ready for printing.

Disclaimer
We hereby expressly state that the manipulation of ink cartridges and printers is done at your own risk, and we assume no liability for any damages or injuries resulting from the use of this guide. The instructions and suggestions provided above are meant as recommendations, and their use is entirely voluntary and at the discretion of the user. We accept no liability or guarantee for damages or consequential damages to printers, printer parts, tools, furniture, or products used from farbenwerk. There is always a risk of damage when working with printers or printer parts due to improper handling. We explicitly disclaim any responsibility for covering costs or compensating damages (e.g., printer downtime).