Your HP DeskJet 4255e is running through its print motion, grabbing paper, and ejecting completely blank pages. Or maybe you're getting partial output where just the black or just the color shows up. The 4255e is a 2022 budget all-in-one that uses HP 67, 67XL, or 67XXL tri-color and black cartridges, and blank-page issues on this model almost always trace back to the cartridge itself rather than the printer's mechanics.
Start by checking your ink levels in the HP Smart app. Tap on your 4255e and look at the cartridge status. If the levels show there's ink but pages are still blank, the print head on the cartridge is likely clogged or wasn't seated properly. Run a print head cleaning cycle from HP Smart before you try anything else.
Run a Cleaning Cycle From HP Smart
Open HP Smart on your phone or computer and select your 4255e. Head to Printer Settings > Printer Toolbox > Clean Printheads. The cycle takes about 90 seconds and uses a small amount of ink.
After it finishes, print a test page. If the output is still blank, run a second cleaning cycle right away. Most light clogs clear within two cycles.
Wipe the Nozzles on the HP 67 Cartridge
If the cleaning cycle didn't do the trick, HP recommends a manual nozzle wipe as the next step. Open the cartridge access door and lift each HP 67 cartridge out. The nozzle plate is the small copper-colored strip on the bottom (that's different from the gold chip contacts on the side).
Dampen a lint-free cloth with distilled water and swipe across the nozzle plate exactly once in one direction. Don't scrub or rub in circles, and avoid touching the contacts. Reinstall the cartridge, close the door, and print a test page. If you see ink on the cloth, you cleared the clog.
Is the Protective Tape Still On?
This one is easy to miss with a new HP 67 cartridge. Pull the cartridge out and look at the bottom. If you see orange protective tape or clear plastic covering the nozzle plate, peel it off completely before reinstalling.
Reinstall the cartridge and press down firmly until you hear a click. Print a test page to confirm.
Reseat the Black and Tri-Color Cartridges
A cartridge that looks installed but isn't fully clicked in can cause blank pages. Open the cartridge door, press the release on each cartridge, and lift them out. Slide them back into their slots and press down firmly until they lock into place.
Both cartridges need to be fully seated for any printing to work, even if you're only printing black text. The printer checks for both before it starts a job.
Print a Self-Test Page to Isolate the Problem
The 4255e has a diagnostic self-test that bypasses your computer entirely. With the printer powered on, press and hold the Wireless and Information buttons together for three seconds, then release. The printer will print a status page showing ink levels, network info, and a test pattern.
If the self-test page is blank, the issue is on the printer side (clogged head or empty cartridge). If the self-test prints fine, the problem is in your computer's driver or software settings.
The HP+ and Instant Ink Catch
If you enrolled the 4255e in HP+ during setup, that printer is permanently locked to official HP cartridges for life. An active Instant Ink subscription also blocks third-party cartridges for its duration, but reverts once the subscription ends.
If you swapped to a non-HP cartridge and started getting blank pages, this is your culprit. Open HP Smart and check your printer's enrollment status. Switching back to genuine HP 67 cartridges will restore normal printing.
Clear Air Trapped in a Fresh Cartridge
Brand new HP 67 cartridges sometimes have air bubbles trapped between the ink reservoir and the print head. Print about five to ten pages of a low-priority document. The repeated print motion usually pulls the ink through and clears the bubbles.
If pages are still blank after ten prints and a cleaning cycle, the cartridge likely has a defect and needs to be returned.
Check the Paper Orientation
If you're using photo paper or letterhead, you might be printing on the wrong side. Plain copy paper is symmetric, so this isn't usually an issue. But specialty paper has a printable side that needs to face up in the input tray.
Pull the paper out, flip the stack, reload, and try again. It takes about ten seconds to rule out.
Swap in a New HP 67 Cartridge
If the self-test page from the printer is blank and the nozzle wipe made no difference, the cartridge has a manufacturing defect or a fully dried head that distilled water can't recover. The HP 67 series has the print head built directly into the cartridge, so a permanently clogged nozzle plate means the cartridge itself is the failed part.
Install a fresh HP 67, 67XL, or 67XXL cartridge. Run one cleaning cycle and print a test page. If output is clean, the old cartridge was the issue and can be returned within HP's warranty window.
