How to make printer cartridge recognized

 Almost all, if not all, late model printer cartridges have the print heads and contacts integrated in them.  So, if you replace an empty cartridge not only do you get a new fully inked one with a new set of contacts and print head. Unlike earlier models, the printer heads were part of the printer assembly and not in the cartridges themselves.  Once worn out, most of the time the print head could not be replaced.

With the printer cartridges now, especially those that can be or are being refilled, it is frequent that the printer would show an error  that the cartridge is not being recognized or improperly installed.  What actually happens is that the contacts are not clean or even smudged by ink.  The reason why the printer could not recognize it.


It would be good to try, as remedy, to clean the contacts at the cartridge with cotton by softly wiping it.  If the contacts seem dull or have a film over them, use a pencil eraser to clean the contacts much like erasing pencil writing.  It often works because contact surface is renewed and can be detected by the printer.  This will save a lot of money instead of buying a new printer cartridge.