Your HP printer prints color, but black text comes out faded, streaky, or completely missing. Start with the printer’s own test page to find out where the problem is. Then follow the ink, cleaning, or software steps that match the result.
Start with a page printed by the printer itself
Load plain white paper.
On models that support an internal test page through the Information button, press it to print the report.
For a report with a black block to inspect, open the HP app.
Select your printer image.
Open Diagnostics or Tools.
Choose Print quality tools or Printer Reports.
Select Print quality report.
Inspect the black block. Missing ink, fading, or streaks point to the ink supply and printhead. A normal report points to the document, print settings, or software.
If black is still missing on the report, check the ink supply next. If the report prints correctly, skip to the print-settings section before replacing hardware.
Check how much black ink is left
Open the HP app on your computer or phone.
Read Estimated supply levels beside the printer image. The levels take several minutes to appear.
On a cartridge printer with an ink-level display, open the Ink drop icon, Cartridge icon, or Ink Levels menu instead.
Replace a depleted black cartridge when print quality is unacceptable.
On an HP Ink Tank or Smart Tank printer, look through the black tank window.
Refill a low tank using the instructions for your model below, keeping the ink between the minimum and maximum fill lines.
Treat cartridge indicators as estimates, and judge print quality from the page itself.
Run the built-in printhead cleaning
Use the cleaning tool when the quality report shows missing or streaky black.
- 1.Load plain white paper.
- 2.In the HP app, select your printer image, then Diagnostics or Tools > Print quality tools > Clean printhead. The alternative is View all print quality tools > OK > Clean Printhead.
- 3.Inspect the test page. Select Yes for further cleaning levels if black is still missing or streaky. Wait at least 30 minutes before repeating a complete cleaning cycle.
- 4.To clean from a DeskJet/ENVY 6100 or 6500 touchscreen instead, select Menu > Utilities > Tools > Troubleshooting > Cartridge Cleaning > Level 1. Inspect the report before selecting Level 2.
- 5.On an OfficeJet Pro 9110, 9120, or 9130, select Menu > Utilities > Tools > Troubleshooting > Print Quality > Printhead Cleaning > Continue. Start at level 1, inspect the test page, and use Clean Again for subsequent levels. Wait 30 minutes before repeating all three.
- 6.Use the HP app’s maintenance tools for these cleaning steps. Older instructions refer to HP Smart, HP Utility, or HP Print and Scan Doctor; HP retired Print and Scan Doctor on May 27, 2025. For software troubleshooting, use Diagnose & Fix, covered below.
A replacement cartridge can restore missing black
Replacing a depleted or faulty black cartridge restores its ink supply.
For DeskJet 2800, 4200, and 4900 printers, turn on the printer.
Open the cartridge access door.
Wait for the carriage to stop moving.
Press down on the black cartridge to release it.
Remove the cartridge.
Unpack a compatible replacement.
Remove its plastic shipping tape using the pull tab.
Insert the replacement at a slight upward angle until it snaps into place.
Close the access door.
Complete any alignment instructions displayed by the printer.
For other HP printers, follow your model’s installation instructions. Cartridge mechanisms differ.
If the problem began after installing or transporting cartridges, wait a few hours for automatic servicing.
Print again after that wait.
If your printer uses a refillable tank
A low black tank needs a refill. Match the procedure to your tank family before opening the bottle.
On Smart Tank 670, 720, 750, 790, 6000, 7000, 7300, and 7600 series printers, lift the ink access door.
Open the tank covers.
Open the black tank cap.
Open a compatible ink bottle.
Remove the bottle seal if present.
Fit the bottle over the matching tank nozzle.
Let it drain without squeezing it. Do not exceed the maximum fill line.
Remove the bottle.
Recap the bottle.
Close the tank cap.
Close the tank covers.
Close the ink access door.
Wait 30 seconds.
For Ink Tank 310/410 and Smart Tank 450 printers, open the tank lid.
Remove the black tank plug.
Unscrew the ink bottle cap.
Remove the bottle seal.
Replace the bottle cap.
Open the bottle cap’s lid.
Place the bottle on the tank spout.
Let ink drain to just below the maximum line without squeezing the bottle.
Remove the bottle.
Replace the tank plug firmly.
Close the tank lid.
When an empty color cartridge blocks black printing
A depleted color cartridge blocks black-only jobs on HP cartridge systems that require the depleted cartridge to be replaced.
If the printer displays Cartridges Depleted or Depleted cartridges must be replaced to resume printing, replace the indicated cartridge. Printers using HP 932/933, 950, 951–959, or 962–969 cartridges require this even for black-only jobs. HP provides no bypass for those cartridge systems.
On supported two-cartridge printers, remove the empty black cartridge to print temporarily with the remaining tri-color cartridge.
Select OK if Single-cartridge mode appears. The tri-color cartridge produces lighter black; use this temporary option only while its print quality remains acceptable.
On OfficeJet Pro 8120/8130 printers, leave the very low or empty cartridge installed. Their limited backup mode temporarily produces composite black from color ink when black is depleted.
Replace the depleted cartridge when the backup output becomes unacceptable.
Adjust settings when the test page looks normal
A good internal report points to the document, paper, or print settings.
Print a simple document from another application, such as TextEdit on a Mac. If it prints correctly, focus on the original application or file.
On Windows, open the file’s Print dialog.
Select Printer Properties or More settings.
Under Paper/Quality, match the paper type.
For OfficeJet Pro 8120/8130 drivers offering these settings, choose Best, Professional, or Maximum dpi.
In those Windows drivers, open Color > Print in Grayscale.
Try Off or High quality grayscale.
Select OK.
Then select Print. High-quality grayscale still uses black ink; changing ink mode cannot make an empty or clogged black cartridge print.
On a Mac, open File > Print.
Select the printer.
Review Print in Color or Black & White and Presets.
Match the paper in Media & Quality.
Set Quality or Print Quality to Normal or Best.
If black looks faded or smears, try clean, flat paper suitable for inkjets.
Follow your printer’s loading instructions for the printable side.
If documents never reach the printer
When the internal report prints correctly but computer jobs fail, open the HP app and select your printer > Diagnose & Fix. Alternative paths are Printers > Diagnose & Fix or Diagnostics > Diagnose and Fix. Select Start, keep the app open, and follow the results.
On Windows 11, open Microsoft’s printer troubleshooting page. Select Run the troubleshooter in Get Help. Complete the automated diagnostics.
On a Mac, open Print Centre from the Dock. Select Resume for a paused printer, Delete Job for a blocking job, or Resume Job for an individually paused job.
If the printer also reports errors, turn it off using Power; disconnect its cord if it will not turn off. Unplug it from the power source and wait 60 seconds. Reconnect the cord directly to a wall outlet and the printer, then turn it on.
Get model-specific help if black is still missing
If black is absent after cleaning and replacing or refilling the ink supply, open the HP app.
Select your printer.
Choose Get help > Start Virtual Assistant.
Describe the missing-black problem.
Follow the guidance for your model.
Check a faulty cartridge’s printed Warranty Ends date before asking HP support about replacement eligibility.
For an Instant Ink cartridge, use a reserve cartridge if you have one.
Otherwise, open HP’s Instant Ink support page and select Contact us or the Virtual Assistant to request help with a failed or missing replacement.
Some printers have replaceable printheads. For supported OfficeJet Pro 9010/9020 models, HP specifies assembly 3JB16A through the HP Parts Store after repeated cleaning fails.
Obtain the replacement printhead before removing cartridges.
Install it using the supplied instructions.
If model-specific maintenance and replacement still fail, request printer repair or replacement. Keep a printed sample showing the missing black for support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access printer maintenance without the HP app?
Yes, on HP printers with an Embedded Web Server. Connect your device and printer to the same network. Find the printer’s IP address in Wireless Summary, Network Settings, or its information report. Enter that address directly in a browser. Enter the printer-label PIN if requested, then open the maintenance tools available for your model.
Will aligning the printhead fix missing black ink?
Alignment corrects misaligned lines and alignment errors; it does not clear a blocked nozzle. For alignment problems on supported printers, load plain white paper and open the HP app > printer image > Diagnostics or Tools > Print quality tools > Align printheads. Complete the printed scanning instructions or the requested Alignment pattern choices, then select Done.
Should I clean cartridge contacts when black ink stops printing?
Contact cleaning addresses cartridge-recognition errors, not routine nozzle cleaning. On supported two-cartridge printers, open the access door and wait for the carriage. Remove the cartridge indicated by the error, remove any protective tape, and reinstall it. If the error persists, wipe its copper contacts and the carriage contacts with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water. Let them dry for 10 minutes, reinstall the cartridge, and close the door.
How do I restore printing after an Instant Ink payment suspension?
Sign in to your Instant Ink account. Open Account > Billing or Shipping & Billing > Manage your payment method, then update your payment details. HP retries the charge; printing takes up to 24 hours to resume. A payment suspension blocks printing generally, rather than causing a missing black block on a printed page.