How do I check ink levels on my HP printer?

One of the things our customers most frequently ask us about is how to check ink levels on their printer, more specifically their HP printer. Monitoring ink levels is an essential part of owning a printer, as it allows you to keep on top of your spending and also ensure that your machine is sufficiently stocked up at all times, particularly when processing larger print jobs. In this blog post, I’m going to outline how you can check ink levels on your HP printer quickly and easily. So, let’s get to it…

Checking Ink Levels

How you will be required to check the ink levels on your printer will vary depending on the model you own. With that said, as a rule of thumb, you should be able to print a supplies report from the device itself, using the menu on the device (providing it has this function). If the machine does not have a display, then you may be able to generate a report by pressing a combination of buttons on the machine. The necessary combination in which to perform this task should be detailed in the machine user guide.

Checking Ink Levels From Your Device Driver

You can also usually check the ink status of your machine through the device driver found in the printers/devices section of your PC/Mac. If your machine is connected on the network, you can also log into the web interface using its assigned IP address by inputting it into a web browser. The web interface should also display the supplies status, too.

From a Windows computer, the HP Smart App is the easiest way to check your Ink or toner levels on a HP printer.

1. Make sure your printer is turned ON.
2. Visit the Windows Store on your computer.
3. Install the HP Smart App and find your printer on the App.
4. Your ink or toner levels should now be displayed on the App home screen.

Checking Ink Levels On A mac

From a Mac computer, check the ink or toner level on an HP printer using the printer software.

1. Make sure your printer is turned ON.
2. Click the Apple icon and go to “System Preferences”.
3. Select “Printers and Scanners” option.
4. Then select “Print & Fax” or “Print & Scan”.
5. Find and select your printer from the list.
6. Click “Options & Supplies” then click the “Supplies” tab.
7. Your HP printer ink or toner level should now be displayed.

Checking Ink Levels From A Mobile

From Android or iOS App, check the ink or toner level on a HP printer using the HP Smart App.

1. Visit your Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
2. Search for the “HP Smart” App.
3. Install the App on your mobile device.
4. Find and add your printer to the “HP Smart” App.
5. Your ink or toner level should now be displayed on the home screen.

How To Check Ink Levels On A HP SmartTank

For HP refillable Ink Tank or Smart Tank printers, you can visually check the ink levels from the tank window. The tanks are either always located across the front left and right or on the side of the printer depending on your model.

1. Look for the minimum and maximum fill lines on the tanks.
2. If the remaining ink level is below the maximum but above the minimum fill line, there is no need to refill the ink tank.
3. If the remaining ink level is below the minimum fill line, you will need to refill the ink tank.
4. Also, ink levels below the minimum fill line can cause poor print quality so that will be an indication you need to fill the tanks.

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Happy printing!

The Printerbase Team