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How to Stop HP Firmware Updates From Blocking Your Ink

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If you've bought an HP printer in the last few years, you may have run into this: you install a compatible ink cartridge, and suddenly your printer won't print. It shows an error like "cartridge problem" or "non-HP cartridge installed." The culprit is almost always a firmware update that HP pushed automatically — often overnight, without asking. Here's exactly what's happening and how to stop it.

How HP Firmware Updates Block Compatible Ink

HP periodically releases firmware updates that add new cartridge authentication checks. When the printer downloads and installs one of these updates automatically, it can suddenly reject cartridges that worked fine the day before. The update doesn't improve print quality or fix bugs — its primary purpose is to enforce HP's ink DRM. This has affected HP 63, 67, 902, 910, 952, and 962 series cartridges most frequently.

The good news: there are four reliable ways to keep using compatible ink on HP printers.

Step 1: Disable Automatic Firmware Updates (Do This First)

The most important step. If you stop the printer from auto-updating, it can't lock out your cartridges.

From the Printer Control Panel

  1. Press the Setup icon (wrench/gear) on your printer's touchscreen
  2. Go to Printer Maintenance or Tools
  3. Select Update the Printer
  4. Choose Printer Update Options
  5. Set to Do Not Check or Install Updates: No

From the Embedded Web Server (EWS)

  1. Find your printer's IP address (Settings → Wireless → Wi-Fi Direct or print a network config page)
  2. Type that IP address into your browser's address bar
  3. Navigate to Tools → Product Updates
  4. Uncheck Automatically check for updates and click Apply

From the HP Smart App

  1. Open HP Smart and select your printer
  2. Go to Printer Settings → Advanced Settings
  3. Find the firmware update option and disable automatic updates

Step 2: Roll Back a Firmware Update That Already Blocked Your Ink

If a firmware update has already run and locked out your cartridges, you may be able to roll back to an older version. HP occasionally makes previous firmware available through its support site. Go to HP's support site, search for your exact printer model, go to the Software and Drivers page, and look for firmware downloads with earlier dates. Download and install the older version, then immediately disable auto-updates using Step 1 above.

Note: HP has made rollback harder over time on some newer models. If rollback isn't available, proceed to Steps 3 and 4.

Step 3: Try a Cartridge Reset

Sometimes removing and reseating the cartridge multiple times, or using the printer's "ignore" or "continue" option on the ink warning screen, can bypass the block temporarily. This is less reliable than Steps 1-2, but worth trying:

  1. Remove the compatible cartridge
  2. Reinsert it firmly until it clicks
  3. If the printer shows a warning screen, look for an OK, Continue, or Ignore option and press it
  4. Try printing a test page

Step 4: Use Updated-Chip Compatible Cartridges

The most reliable long-term solution is to use compatible cartridges with updated chips. Reputable compatible cartridge suppliers — including Castle Ink — update chip versions to stay ahead of HP firmware blocks. When you buy compatible HP cartridges from us, we track which firmware versions are currently being blocked and stock cartridges with the latest chip firmware accordingly.

The HP cartridge series most frequently affected by firmware blocks:

The Safest HP Printers for Compatible Ink

If you're shopping for a new HP printer and want to use compatible ink, here are the models we consider the safest bets — and what to watch for:

Tired of the firmware cat-and-mouse game? See our guide to best printers that don't lock you into OEM ink — which puts Brother and Canon models at the top precisely because they don't play these games. You can also use our guide to which printers work best with compatible ink to find a worry-free replacement.

Why Does HP Do This?

Printer ink is one of the most profitable businesses in consumer electronics. HP makes thin margins on the hardware and relies on cartridge sales for the majority of its profits. Compatible cartridges — like the ones we sell at Castle Ink — cost 50-70% less than OEM versions and still deliver the same page yield and print quality. HP's firmware updates are a business decision, not a technical one.

The best response is to know your options. Use our Printer Ink Cost Calculator to see exactly how much you'd save with compatible ink over 1 year — and whether it's worth switching printers entirely to one that won't fight you.

Browse HP-compatible cartridges at Castle Ink: HP ink cartridges — compatible alternatives.

Written and reviewed by — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer & imaging supplies industry.

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