Reseat

• If you are having issues with a printer cartridge not releasing ink, try reseating the ink cartridge. To do this, open up your printer and remove the faulty ink cartridge. Make sure it is not blocked by dried-up ink. If it is not, replace the ink cartridge, making sure it is placed in the printer correctly. Run a test print and an alignment, according to the instructions in your manual.
  
  

Cleaning

• If you pull out the cartridge and find that it is clogged by ink, you can clean it up using a bit of alcohol and a syringe. Take the cartridge out of the computer, and using a syringe filled with rubbing alcohol, squirt a few drops into the area of the cartridge where the ink is released. Allow this to dry. You can also use a cotton ball to remove any excess alcohol. Replace your cartridge and print a test sheet.
  
  

Software

• Another way to get clogged ink cartridges to work is to run the cleaning software that came with the printer. Most modern printers have this function, and the instructions are usually found on the enclosed software CD or in the printer manual. This process only takes a few minutes and does not require you to take apart your printer. The only issue with this method is that to clean the cartridge, the printer forces ink through blocked passages to unclog them. This wastes ink and costs you money.