HP Print Heads

Role of HP printheads

The printhead is one of the components of an inkjet printer, and some devices may even have two printheads instead of one. The printhead is a functional part of a printer manufactured by Hewlett Packard which is located under the printer cover and is responsible for spraying ink on paper through hundreds of fine nozzles on its surface.

Irrespective of whether you use a genuine or compatible inkjet cartridge, the printhead can accumulate dried ink over time and when the nozzles get clogged, the prints appear faded or have streaks and smears on them.

Common HP printhead issues

HP printheads are designed to function seamlessly with the other components inside the inkjet printer to provide vivid prints. But when there is any issue with a printhead, it can display one of the following messages:

• Incompatible Printhead
• Missing or Failed Printhead
• Printhead Appears to be Missing or Damaged
• Printhead Failure
• Printhead is Missing, Not Detected, or Not Properly Installed
• Printhead Missing Printhead Missing or Damaged
• Printhead Problem

When you encounter one of these messages/notifications on your printer display screen, it is time to replace the printhead. Left unaddressed, this issue can affect the printer, so it is important to change the printhead soon after the printer alerts about it.

Printhead cleaning before replacement

Sometimes, cleaning the printhead can resolve the issue. Try running two to three cycles of automatic printhead cleaning that would be available under ‘Printer Maintenance’. If that does not solve the problem, use a damp towel to dab the printhead and let it dry completely before reinstalling it. If both these methods fail to improve print quality, it is time to buy HP printheads for your compatible printer models.

Shop for genuine replacement HP 11 and HP 72 printheads for select HP Business Inkjet, HP Officejet and HP DesignJet printers. We deliver HP printheads and other printing accessories to your doorstep anywhere in Australia, including Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are HP printheads?

HP printheads are the components that house the ink cartridge units. They are responsible for spraying ink on the paper corresponding to the text or image through fine nozzles.

2. How long do HP printheads typically last?

Printheads have an ‘install by’ date and a ‘Warranty Ends’ date printed on the label in the printhead. As long as it is within the warranty period, the printhead is good to install and use and can last until or even beyond the warranty end date depending on print volume and usage.

3. How do I know when it’s time to replace my HP printhead?

Printheads are prone to wear with use and the smart chip fixed in the printhead will alert the user when it is time to replace it. Another indication that a printhead requires cleaning or replacement is poor print quality.