5+ Easy Steps to Use HP Printer Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button!!

All HP printer users know that HP inkjet printers cannot work when the ink level is low. On the other hand, HP ink cartridges are expensive so not all users can replace them immediately. Fortunately, you can try using the HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button to reset the ink level.

HP Printer’s Low-Ink Cartridge Issue and Other Inconveniences

HP is one of the best printer manufacturers. It has a wide array of high-quality printers that can deliver satisfying print quality and performance. However, HP and its products are not perfect.

Many HP printer users believe that HP ink cartridges run out of ink more quickly than ink cartridges from other labels. In addition, they believe that HP sells ink cartridges with low ink levels. Consequently, the cartridges frequently show a low-ink level warning, even after printer users have just replaced them.

Unfortunately, the conundrum of HP ink cartridges doesn’t stop there. HP printers are infamous for their inability to work with third-party ink cartridges. In addition, refilling HP ink cartridges often cause some issues.

What is Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button?

HP ink cartridges may post various issues or inconveniences for HP printer users. However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot outsmart HP printers. One of the ways to outsmart them is by using the ink cartridge reset button.

It is a tiny button attached to an ink cartridge. You can use this button to reset the cartridge’s ink level. Therefore, your ink cartridge will seem to have a full-ink level after you press this button.

When you install the cartridge back into the printer, the printer will detect it as a full-ink cartridge or a new cartridge. As a result, you don’t need to deal with low-ink warnings. Moreover, it will allow you to maximize the use of your ink cartridges.

However, not all HP cartridges have this secret button. Therefore, you must look for it first if you want to use the HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button. Moreover, HP doesn’t make it easy for its printer users to find this tiny button.

The Location of the HP Printer Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button

The position of an HP ink cartridge reset button depends on the ink cartridge series. HP has been known to place the ink cartridge reset button of different cartridges in different hidden locations. It is why people call it a secret reset button.

In some ink cartridge series, the secret button is on the back of the cartridge. Meanwhile, other ink cartridge series have it at the top of the cartridge. However, the reset button of many ink cartridges is usually near the chip or circuit button.

Therefore, the first place you must check when looking for the HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button is the area near the golden small dots. This button generally looks like a tiny hole. 

How to Use the HP Printer Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button

The HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button is easy to use. You only need to press this button to reset your ink cartridges’ ink levels. However, you cannot press it with your finger due to the size of this secret button.

Below are what you must do to reset the ink cartridge’s ink level using the secret reset button.

1. Prepare a Paper Clip

You need a specific tool to press the secret reset button on your ink cartridges. This tool is a paper clip.

Bend the end of your paper clip so a part of this tool is sticking out from the rest of the clip. It is best to bend the clip at the first curve. Therefore, you will have a longer tool to help you press the tiny hole of the reset button.

2. Take Out Your HP Printer’s Ink Cartridges

The next step after preparing the paper clip is taking out the ink cartridges. Open the cover of your HP printer and remove the cartridge or cartridges you want to reset. You must be careful in removing and handling the cartridges because they are fragile.

3. Find the Secret Reset Button

Finding the secret reset button is the hard part of resetting the ink level with this button. Since the location of the HP ink cartridge reset button depends on the model, you can Google it first to find it. In some models, you may need to open the cartridges to find the button.

4. Press the HP Printer Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button

Once you find the secret reset button, you must use the paper clip to press it. Press this button for about five seconds to make sure that the system resets the ink level to full.

5. Reinstall your HP Ink Cartridges

The next step after pressing the reset button is reinstalling the cartridges. You must make sure that you install them properly so that they will not cause another printing problem.

6. Check Ink Levels

To find out whether the reset button works or not, you must check your cartridges’ ink levels. You can check it via your PC or the printer itself.

How to Check Ink Levels via the Printer’s Control Panel

If your HP printer has a control panel, you can check the ink cartridge level by looking at the ink drop icon or the cartridge icon. Therefore, you don’t need to tap the menu and options on the control panel.

How to Check Ink Levels via Windows

You can check your cartridges’ ink levels via your Windows computer. The steps for checking the ink level are as follows.

• Find your printer’s name via Search Windows.
• Open HP Printer Assistant by clicking the name of your printer.
• Click Estimated Ink Levels.

The Pros and Cons of Using HP Printer Ink Cartridge Secret Reset Button

Resetting HP ink cartridges using the secret reset button seems more practical than other resetting methods. However, this resetting method has its pros and cons.

The Pros of Using the Ink Cartridge Reset Button

• The secret reset button is not complicated to use.
• Using the ink cartridge reset button will help you use the ink of your printer until the last drop. Therefore, you can postpone the purchase of your next ink cartridge.
• Since the reset button helps you prolong the use of your ink cartridge, it can reduce your carbon footprint.

The Cons of Using the Ink Cartridge Reset Button

• The secret reset button is not always easy to locate.
• Resetting the ink cartridge using its reset button can restore the printer to its factory default setting. Consequently, you must set up the printer again before using it.

Can I Refill my HP Ink Cartridges?

Once your HP ink cartridges truly run out of ink, the secret reset button cannot help you much. The HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button may be able to reset your cartridge’s ink level. However, it cannot refill your ink.

Therefore, you must refill your HP ink cartridges if you want to proceed with your print jobs. After refilling the cartridges, don’t forget to press the secret reset button. As a result, the printer will detect them as new cartridges with full ink levels.

However, can HP printer users refill their ink cartridges? Yes, they can. However, you must understand the advantages and disadvantages of refilling HP ink cartridges beforehand.

The Advantages of Refilling HP Ink Cartridges

Refilling your HP ink cartridges will give you the following advantages.

• Lower Printing Cost

Refilling HP ink cartridges is more affordable than purchasing new HP ink cartridges. Using a refilled cartridge can cut your printing cost by up to 50%. Therefore, it is no wonder that HP printer users who want to save money tend to prefer refilling their ink cartridges.

• Environmentally Friendly

Ink cartridges are made of plastic that takes years to decompose. Therefore, if you choose to get a new cartridge every time your cartridge runs out of ink, the amount of landfill waste will increase rapidly.

However, you can increase your ink cartridges’ age of use if you refill your old HP ink cartridge several times before buying the new one. Therefore, you can slow down the growth of landfill waste.

• Always Available

Sometimes, printer users have difficulty finding compatible replacement ink cartridges. It usually happens when compatible replacement cartridges are out of stock or no longer available. 

Due to this difficulty, HP printer users must refill their ink cartridges if they want to use their printer. By refilling the cartridges, they can meet their printing needs immediately.

The Disadvantages of Refilling HP Ink Cartridges

However, refilling HP ink cartridges also has some drawbacks.

• Low Print Quality

The main drawback of refilling ink cartridges is low print quality. Refill ink products generally offer lower print quality than genuine ink cartridges do. This print quality is only suitable for personal printing purposes or quick reads.

It is not suitable for business purposes. In addition, photos produced by this refill ink are not as vivid and sharp as those produced by genuine ink cartridges.

• Cartridge Damage

Refilling ink cartridges too often will increase the risk of cartridge damage. This damage can be very inconvenient if it happens in the middle of printing documents or images.

The risk of cartridge damage will not decrease even if you only use compatible refill ink. In addition, this risk will increase even more after you refill your ink cartridges more than five times.

• Printer Damage

Refilling ink cartridges will also increase the risk of printer damage. Refill ink will clog the printhead. Consequently, your printer cannot work properly if its printhead is clogged by dry ink.

• Messy Process

Another drawback of refilling ink cartridges is that the process is messy. If you are not careful in doing it, you will get ink stains on your hands, clothes, and furniture.

How do I Reset my HP Ink Cartridge Using a Chip Resetter

As it is said before, finding the HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button is not easy. However, you can overcome this difficulty by using a chip resetter. 

What is a Chip Resetter? 

A chip resetter is a small tool that connects to the ink cartridge chip and its electronic setting, telling the printer that the cartridge is full and ready to print. This tool is small. Moreover, it comes with small pins and an internal battery.

A chip resetter is easy and quick to use. It takes only a few seconds for the chip resetter to reset the ink cartridge to its full-ink setting.

When to Use a Chip Resetter

You can use a chip resetter when your printer sends the low-ink warning. With this chip resetter, you don’t need to spend too much time locating the HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button.

You will also need to use this chip resetter after refilling your ink cartridge. However, you must make sure that the chip resetter is compatible with your HP ink cartridge before using it. If you cannot find the compatible one, you can purchase an HP ink cartridge chip.

How to Use a Chip Resetter

Below are what you must do to reset your ink cartridges using a chip resetter.

• Open your HP printer.
• Take out your ink cartridges from your printer.
• Refill the ink cartridges.
• Hold each ink cartridge to the chip resetter for six seconds.
• Install ink cartridges into the printer.

Other Tricks to Outsmart HP Ink Cartridges

If you cannot find the cartridge reset button and don’t have a chip resetter, you can use other tricks to deal with the low-ink-level warning.

1. On and Off Trick

• Take out the ink cartridges.
• Turn the printer off.
• Wait for several minutes.
• Turn the printer on.
• Turn the printer off again and repeat the steps above 4 times.
• Reinstall the ink cartridges into the printer.

2. Use Old Ink Cartridges to Override the Printer’s Memory

• Take out the ink cartridges.
• Install old ink cartridges into the printer.
• Wait for 10 minutes.
• Take out the old ink cartridges.
• Install the first ink cartridges back into the printer.

3. Disable Cartridge Protection

• Go to the Control Panel.
• Find your printer.
• Right-click the printer.
• Choose Printer Properties.
• Choose Disable HP Cartridge Protection. You may also need to uncheck the Automatically Update Printer.
• Click Save.

if the above methods still didn't work, you need to hard reset your hp printer.

The HP printer ink cartridge secret reset button is a tiny and hidden button on an ink cartridge. By pressing this button, you can reset your cartridge’s low-ink level status to full ink level. You can use this button when your ink cartridges give you a low-ink level warning or after refilling ink cartridges.

Please also check our other post if your hp ink cartridge is not recognized after your replace it.