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Printer ink — let the printer finish priming before you power off

Printer ink

After installing new printer ink, let the printer finish its priming cycle before you turn it off or print, so air does not get into the ink lines.

inkjet printer with covers removed showing ink cartridges
Photo: Snewkirk7953 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Right after new printer ink goes in, many inkjets run a priming cycle — humming, clicking, and moving the carriage. Leave it alone until it goes quiet.

Wait out the printer ink priming cycle

  1. Close the cover after the cartridge clicks in and do not open it again during the noise.
  2. Wait until the printer is quiet and the display or lights show ready — often a few minutes.
  3. Do not unplug it, press power, or start a print while it primes.
  4. Then print one test page before judging color.

Honest stop: if the printer hums for a very long time or shows an error, check the manual — another clean will not fix a stuck carriage.

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