A "cartridge not recognised", "cartridge missing" or "incompatible cartridge" error is nearly always down to one of a handful of causes, and most of them take under a minute to fix. The usual culprits, in order of likelihood: leftover protective tape, a chip contact that isn't making a connection, a cartridge that just needs reseating, or a firmware setting on the printer. Genuine incompatibility is far down the list.
Work through the steps below in order. They start with the quick, high-probability fixes so you're not dismantling anything before you need to.
Step 1: Check the protective tape and clips are fully removed
New cartridges — compatible or original — ship with a strip of tape, and often a small vent tab or clip, protecting the ink and the contacts. If any of it is left on, the printer can't read the cartridge.
Take the cartridge back out and look carefully. There's usually a coloured pull-tab, but the important bit is the clear tape or plastic film covering the copper contacts or the print head. Even a small remaining piece over the contacts will cause a "not recognised" error. Peel it all away, and don't touch the contacts or nozzles with your fingers as you do.
This one step resolves a large share of "not recognised" problems on brand-new cartridges.
Step 2: Remove and reseat the cartridge
Contacts sometimes just don't line up on the first push. Take the cartridge out and refit it firmly until it clicks properly into place. It sounds too simple to matter, but a cartridge that's a millimetre shy of fully seated won't connect.
While it's out, check nothing is obstructing the carriage or the slot.
Step 3: Inspect and clean the chip contacts
Compatible cartridges carry a small chip — the gold or copper contact pad — that tells the printer what's fitted and how full it is. If that pad is dirty, smudged with ink, or has a fingerprint on it, the printer may not read it.
Wipe the contacts gently with a dry, lint-free cloth, or a slightly damp one followed by drying. Do the same to the matching contacts inside the printer's carriage if you can reach them safely. Let everything dry fully before refitting. Avoid kitchen roll or tissue, which leaves fibres behind.
Step 4: Restart the printer properly
Printers hold a cartridge status in memory, and sometimes that status gets stuck. A full restart forces a fresh read.
Turn the printer off at the button, then switch it off at the mains and leave it for a minute. Power it back on and let it run its start-up cycle. This clears a surprising number of phantom errors, particularly ones that appeared right after fitting a new cartridge.
Step 5: Check whether it's actually a different cartridge causing the error
If you've just changed one cartridge but the error doesn't name a specific colour, another cartridge in the machine may be the real problem. Printers often flag a general "cartridge" error when any one of them can't be read.
Reseat and check the others too, especially any that are low or that you've changed recently.
Step 6: The firmware factor (and why this matters for compatibles)
This is the step that catches people out, because the cartridge itself is fine.
Printer manufacturers push out firmware updates, and some of these updates change how the printer treats non-original cartridges — a compatible that worked perfectly can suddenly show as "not recognised" after an automatic update. HP, Epson and Canon have all done this at various points.
If your compatible cartridge worked until recently and nothing else has changed, firmware is the likely cause. A few practical points:
Check the printer's settings menu for automatic firmware updates and consider turning them off, so a future update doesn't undo a working setup.
Some newer chips are more robust against this than older ones, which is why buying from a supplier who keeps their compatible range current matters.
If you're choosing new cartridges, our up-to-date compatible Epson ink cartridges, Canon printer ink and HP compatible cartridges are supplied with current chips designed to be recognised by recent printer models.
I'll be covering the firmware issue in full in a dedicated guide, as it deserves proper explanation on its own.
Step 7: A note on Epson and refilled cartridges
If the cartridge showing the error is one you've refilled yourself rather than a new one, the cause is usually different. Many Epson cartridges need a chip resetter to reprogram the ink-level chip after refilling — without it, the printer keeps reading the old "empty" status. This doesn't apply to EcoTank tank-based printers, which track ink differently. Our Epson refill kits page explains which cartridges need a resetter.
Quick diagnostic order
Remove all protective tape, film and clips — check the contacts especially.
Reseat the cartridge firmly until it clicks.
Clean the chip contacts with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Restart the printer, off at the mains for a minute.
Check the other cartridges aren't the real cause.
Consider firmware if a previously-working compatible suddenly fails.
If refilled, check whether it needs a chip reset.
Common mistakes to avoid
Touching the chip contacts or print head with bare fingers — skin oil stops the read.
Assuming a compatible cartridge is faulty before cleaning the contacts and restarting.
Leaving automatic firmware updates on after fixing a firmware-related rejection.
Using tissue or kitchen roll on the contacts and leaving fibres behind.
When the cartridge genuinely won't work
If you've worked through all of the above and a single cartridge still won't read while others are fine, that specific cartridge may be faulty — it happens occasionally with any brand. A reputable supplier will replace it. All GO Inkjet compatible cartridges are covered by a 12-month guarantee, so if one's genuinely not reading after these checks, get in touch with your order details and we'll sort a replacement.