LD Products FAQs

If you are looking to save money, LD brand compatible cartridges are a great cost effective solution. To figure out how much youll save, you can compare genuine brand cartridge cost versus the compatible cartridge cost, all you need to do is calculate the cost per page. The cost per page is one of the most important factors that contribute to the total cost of owning your printer. You will acquire an ongoing cost per page for as long as you own the printer, and the higher the cost, the more expensive the cost of operating your printer can be. Cost per page can vary widely depending on what cartridge your printer uses and the page yield that it offers.

To determine the cost per page of a cartridge, you divide the price of the cartridge by it's page yield.

For example, an originalHP63XLhigh yield black ink cartridge costs $33.99* and has a page yield of 480. After doing a little math, the cost is around 6 cents per page.

On the flipside, an LD brand compatible cartridge is significantly cheaper at $18.99, offering a comparable page yield. After doing the same math, the cost per page is just 3 cents cents per page!

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*Savings based on price comparison between compatible cartridge prices and printer brand (OEM) cartridge prices effective as of May 23, 2017 on. OEM names are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with, and do not endorse LD Products.

If you would like to leave a comment about our service, please visit our Contact Us page. You can reach our customer service team via email, phone, live chat, or write to us! We would love to hear from you!

Or, leave a review about your purchase on the related product page. Just click, "Write a Review!"

Then, fill out the review form replicated below.

My Printers makes it easy to add and save your most frequently used printers, all in one place! Start by logging into your account and clicking My Printers at the top of the website:

Then, add a new printer by selecting the printer brand, printer family and printer model number. Once you have made your selection, the printer will automatically be saved for future orders. Keeping track of multiple printer models can be daunting, especially if you order for multiple offices or family members. With My Printers, you can give each printer a nickname so you can easily remember all of them! The next time you are ready to order, click "My Printers" to access your unique list of favorite printers.

Yes! LD brand compatible cartridges offer a comparable print quality and page yield to the original brand. We professionally manufacture all of our cartridges using cutting-edge tech and high quality materials so you get consistent, smudge-free prints every time. All of our compatible cartridges are backed by a lifetime guarantee!

In this short video, we compare the print quality of an LD compatible black toner cartridge and an original HP black toner cartridge. Check out our LD cartridges in action!

Toner Cartridges:

Work in laser printers

Use a dry toner powder to produce a print

Use static electricity and heat to bond toner powder to the page

Commonly used by small-medium sized businesses and schools

Offers fast print speeds and high print volume

Ink Cartridges:

Work in inkjet printers

Use liquid ink to produce a print

Use a series of nozzles that spray tiny drops of ink to the page

Commonly used by home users, small businesses and photographers

Great at printing high quality color photos and handling a variety of paper types

The toner cartridge is the container that holds the toner powder, which creates text or images on the page. The drum unit is an electrically charged cylinder that transfers that toner to paper. A drum unit can be incorporated with the toner cartridge or sold separately as a single unit, depending on the consumable requirements of your printer.

Laser printers and their consumables vary across printer models. These subtle differences can be a bit confusing if you are not familiar with the consumables that are specific to your printer. All laser printers require a toner cartridge and a drum unit to produce a print. However, some printers only need you to replace the toner cartridge, and others require that you regularly replace both the toner cartridge and the drum unit. Most printers use toner cartridges with the drum unit built into the cartridge. If your printer uses a toner with an incorporated drum unit, there is no need to replace the drum separately, since it is already a part of the toner cartridge. Every time you buy a new toner, you are replacing the drum. Some printers, like most Brother laser printer models, for example, use a separate toner and drum unit. In this case, the drum unit is not built into the toner, and therefore, it must be replaced, typically after the use of 3-4 toners. Your printer should inform you when it's time to replace the drum, but you can usually tell your drum is on it's last legs if you start to see black spots or lines across the page. To determine whether your printer uses a toner cartridge with an incorporated drum unit, or if your printer sees the drum unit as a separate consumable, consult your printer user manual.

Toner cartridge with an incorporated drum:

Toner cartridge and drum unit as separate consumables:

Scrub your hands with soap and cold water for a few minutes, rinsing and repeating until the ink is gone. An abrasive soap may help if there is a lot of ink on your hands.

If a bit of ink ends up on some fabric, you will want to act quickly! Dab the affected area with a clean, damp paper towel until the ink stops coming off the paper towel. Let the stain air dry for a few minutes, then spray the stain with hair spray or dab it with alcohol to loosen the inks grip on the fabric. Dampen two paper towels and sandwich the affected area of fabric. Blot the backside of the stained fabric to transfer the stain to the paper towel. As you are pressing, be sure to keep using fresh parts of the paper towel to avoid re-applying the ink you have just removed from your shirt. Repeat this cycle a couple times until the ink is gone.

Yes, you do need all of the cartridges installed in your printer in order to print. The printer cannot function if it is missing a particular cartridge. If a cartridge is running low, you might be able to continue printing with the other cartridges for a period of time until it needs to be replaced, but this may vary depending on what printer model you own.

Gray ink cartridges, like the Canon CLI-226GY, are typically found in photo printers. Although your printer can produce gray with the black cartridge, the gray cartridge is able to produce more complex tonal qualities in black and white photographs. If your printer requires a gray cartridge, it must be installed to operate your printer.

Inkjet printers use either dye-based or pigment-based ink to create a print. To figure out which type your printer uses, you will need to do a bit of research on the cartridge series that is compatible with your machine. You can find the ink type of your cartridges on the cartridge page of your printer manufacturer's website. Both cartridge types offer high quality text and color prints, but you may prefer one over the other, depending on your printing needs.

Why choose dye-based ink cartridges?

Most inkjet printers on the market traditionally include dye-based inks. They are more economical than pigment based ink cartridges and are appreciated for their ability to produce vibrant, true to life color prints and photos. Dye-based inks are not waterproof and can be susceptible to smudging, with many prints tending to fade after 25 years.

Why choose pigment-based ink cartridges?

Pigmented-based ink offers a crisper finish and a quicker dry-time than dye-based ink. It is valued by professional photographers and graphic designers for its ability to print archival quality images and text. Pigment ink tends to resist water and UV light better than dye-based ink, and is able to resist fading for up to 200 years. It is often more expensive, and lacks dye inks brightness and broad color range.

There are a few different ways you can verify which cartridges series will work with your printer.

Check the box your printer came in. Most printer boxes clearly display which cartridges are compatible with the printer right on the box.

Find your printer model on the manufacturers website. The appropriate cartridges should be listed on the printer page. Look for the cartridge part number on specifications table or under the supplies section of the printer page.

Find your printer model on LDProducts.com. A list of all of the compatible cartridges for your specific printer are included the printer page. For example, if you search for "Canon Pixma MX922" on our website and navigate to the Canon Pixma MX922 printer page, you will find a list of all of the available cartridges for that printer.

Check inside your printer for the cartridge part number. Many printers include the cartridge part number near the cartridge carrier (the space where you install the cartridges) for easy reference.

Consult your printers user guide. A user guide should be included with the printer. If you no longer have it, you can find a free downloadable version on the printer manufacturers website. For example, if you search for Canon Pixma MX922 user guide you can download the appropriate manual directly from Canons website.

Contact us! Wed be happy to help you find the correct cartridge for your printer.

Phone: 888.321.2552

Email

Live Chat

Our call center hours are Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. PST and Saturday, 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. PST.

The chip on a printer cartridge helps monitor the ink levels in your cartridge so the printer can notify you when a cartridge is running low. If you are getting an error message on your printer, it might be due to dust or fingerprint oil getting on the chip. Try wiping the chip gently with a lint-free cloth and installing the cartridge again.

Refill kits are a great, cost saving alternative to original brand cartridges but they can be a bit tricky to use if its your first time. The refill kit instructions included here are universal for a few different HP ink cartridges, including the HP 60, HP 61 and HP 901 standard yield and high yield cartridges. We recommend using a previously used original HP cartridge with our refill kits, as they will get you the best results.

This refill kit includes:

A set of cartridge labels which tells you where you need to insert the needle into the cartridge.

One 3ml Syringe

A Pair of Gloves

One Fixing Base

One Syringe Needle

Tissues

One Screw Plunger

One Screw Bracket

Instructions

Step 1:

Start by peeling back the original label of the cartridge so you have an idea of where to refill. If you peel back the original label, you will see a few different holes on the face of the cartridge. To refill the cartridge, make sure to insert the needle into the correct hole. A sticker is included with the kit that matches up with the proper refill hole. Make sure you choose the right sticker for your cartridge, as the placement of the needle and the amount of ink required for the cartridge is different for each series. Place the sticker on top of the cartridge where the label is fixed. When placed properly, the dot should line up directly above the refill hole. If the sticker is improperly placed, you will not be able to insert the needle into the cartridge.

Step 2:

Position the cartridge so that it is firmly secure in the back of the fixing base, with the nozzles facing straight down. Push the top of the cartridge down until it snaps into place.

Step 3:

Take the syringe, screw bracket and needle out of the package. Connect the syringe and screw bracket by twisting clockwise. Then, insert the needle into the top of the syringe and twist off the cap.

Step 4:

At this point, you will probably want to put on the gloves that are included in the kit, as this can get slightly messy. Lay out paper towels on your workspace and have a handful of them nearby too, just in case the cartridges leak a bit. Insert the needle into the cartridge using the template sticker as your guide. When you insert the needle, you will feel it pushing through the sponge inside the cartridge, so you will notice a little resistance but thats okay.

Step 5:

Gently turn the plunger clockwise and slowly dispense the ink. Make sure you are filling the cartridge to the appropriate capacity. The HP 61 cartridge should be filled to roughly 4 ml. You can measure the amount of ink by the scale on the side of the syringe. Once filled, carefully remove the syringe.

Step 6:

This next step is very important as it helps clear the nozzles so the cartridge can print. Using the small syringe with the plunger fully pushed in, insert the plunger into the fixing base and gently remove .5ml-1ml. For the HP 61 cartridge, we will be removing 1ml.

Step 7:

Remove the cartridge from the fixing base and wipe the outside with the tissue to remove any excess ink. Now that weve refilled the cartridge, install it into the printer and run a cleaning. Keep in mind that you will not be able to monitor the ink levels with a refilled cartridge, but you should get a comparable amount of prints to a new cartridge since you filled the cartridge to the same capacity.

Refill Tips:

Be sure to refill your cartridge before the ink is completely used. If your cartridge is completely empty when you attempt to refill, the nozzle may be damaged and the cartridge may be unusable.

Always refill cartridges with correct amount of ink. Print quality will be affected if there is not enough ink in the cartridge.

Remember to perform a printer cleaning before installing your refilled cartridge.

LD Products sells a number of refill kits for HP and Canon printers. Make sure you buy the correct kit for your printer. The kits are not interchangeable, if you have the wrong kit, youwon'tbe able to refill your cartridge. You can find a complete list of our kits in the description.

Most printers are compatible with standard yield and high yield cartridges. Some printers even accept extra high yield cartridges. Standard yield cartridges are filled with less ink, and therefore are less expensive than a high yield cartridge. Higher yield cartridges are filled with more ink, offering more prints at a generally better value.

Installing a high yield cartridge is no different from how you install a standard cartridge. Both will fit in the same cartridge slot in your printer. If your printer's user guide lists both a standard yield cartridge and a high yield cartridge as compatible with the machine, the high yield cartridge should fit, the only difference between the two cartridges is the amount of ink that is in the cartridge.

Have a question about your particular cartridge series? Drop us a line, we'd love to help!

There are three easy ways to reach us:

Phone: 888.321.2552

Email

Live Chat

Our call center hours are Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. PST and Saturday, 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. PST.

Ink cartridges can dry out if they are sitting idle in your printer for an extended period of time. The best way to prevent an ink cartridge from drying out is by running a small print job every week, this keeps your cartridge primed. Be sure to print something with all four cartridge colors (black, cyan, magenta and yellow) in order to keep all of the cartridges primed. If you haven't printed in a while, run the printhead cleaning function on the printer. This is another way to prime your cartridges, and will likely get them working again. You may need to run the printhead cleaning a couple of times to get the best results. Toner cartridges use a dry plastic toner powder to produce a print, so the do not dry out like an ink cartridge, but they can clump.

We welcome any business to partner with LD Products. We have multiple contract options available. LD Products Business Solutions Division is dedicated to delivering the easiest and most efficient office solutions for our corporate customers.

For more information, please contact us at 866-465-2583 or email at [email protected].

We welcome all government agencies to partner with LD Products. LD has been partnering with federal, state and local government agencies across the US since 1999. We have multiple contract options available in addition to our government priced online accounts. LD Products Government Programs Division is dedicated to delivering the easiest and most efficient office solutions for our government customers.

For more information, please visit our Government Programs Division Page.

If you try to print and your printer shows up as offline on your display, it means the printer cannot communicate with your computer or smartphone. There are a couple of ways you can try to resolve this error message.

First, check to make sure that your printer is plugged in to a working power source and that the printer is turned on. If you are using a USB cable to print from your computer, make sure that is plugged in as well.

If you are using a Wi-Fi connection to print, you may need to restart your wireless router. Wait for the router to reboot and then try restarting your computer to reestablish a connection with your computer.

A pending print job could also be the root of the problem. Clear or delete any pending documents from the print queue.

If your printer still doesnt come back online, you may need to reinstall the printer driver. You can find a free downloadable copy of your printer driver on the printer manufacturers website.

Brother Online Support Center

Phone Number: 1-800-276-8437

Canon Product Support

Phone Number: 1-800- 652-2666

Epson Printer Support

Phone Number: 1-800-922-8911

Hewlett Packard Customer Support

Phone Number: 1- 800-474-6836

Konica Minolta Support and Downloads

Phone Number: 1-800-456-5664

Lexmark Support

Phone Number: 1-800-539-6275

Okidata Support

Phone Number: 1-800-654-3282

Panasonic Support

Phone Number: 1-800-PANASYS

Ricoh Support and Downloads

Phone Number: 1-800-333-2679

Samsung Printer Support

Phone Number: 1-800-726-8721

Xerox Support and Drivers

Phone Number: 1-800-835-6100

You can send a message to customer service any time of the day through email. Customer service representatives should respond to your message by the following business day. Our call center and live chat is available to you 6 days a week, 6am-6pm PST, Monday-Friday and 7am-4pm PST on Saturdays. For all contact options, visit our Contact Us page here.

Despite many printer cartridges having a similar shape and size, cartridges are not interchangeable across printer manufacturers. Each printer cartridge is designed to work with a particular series of printers. If your printer manufacturer does not list the printer cartridge as compatible on their website, then it will not work in your printer. Before purchasing a new printer cartridge, double check with the manufacturer to ensure it is compatible with your machine. Cartridge colors are also not interchangeable. For example, if your printer uses black, cyan, magenta and yellow ink cartridges, you cannot swap between cartridge colors in your printer. A yellow cartridge will not work in the black cartridge slot, and vice versa.

Not sure if you have the right cartridge? Contact our customer service team and wed be happy to confirm your cartridge series for you.

There are three easy ways to reach us:

Phone: 888.321.2552

Email

Live Chat

Our call center hours are Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. PST and Saturday, 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. PST.

Knowing when it is time to replace your printer cartridge is important when you are in the middle of a time sensitive print job. To avoid a surprise trip to the office supply store, take these steps to ensure you have enough ink in your cartridge to complete your project. Even better, always keep a replacement set of printer cartridges on hand, just in case!

Check the printer cartridge levels on your printers display.

Depending on what printer you own, you can check your printer cartridge ink levels on your printers LCD display or on your computer. Consult your printer manual to determine the appropriate steps for your printer. Most ink cartridge level displays can be found under the maintenance section of your printer menu.

Run a print diagnostic test.

The print diagnostic test is a printed report that breaks down the health of each ink cartridge. The test prints a color sample of each cartridge and with that, you can tell which cartridge is performing poorly.

Run a printhead cleaning, then try printing again.

If you havent printed in a while, your printer cartridges may just need to be primed. A printhead cleaning will usually do the trick. Check your printer manual for specific instructions on how to run the cleaning function on your machine. The cleaning process will take a couple of minutes. Once it is completed, print the diagnostic test again. If the test pattern is crisp, you are ready to print! If the quality is still poor, let the printer sit for about 10 minutes before running a second cleaning, this allows the ink to soak on the printhead.

Try another cartridge.

If the printhead cleaning did not work, it is likely time to replace your printer cartridge. Printer cartridges only have about a 2 year shelf life in their sealed package, and a far shorter lifespan if they are sitting idle in your printer. To get the most out of your printer cartridges, make sure you print regularly. We recommend printing at least once every couple of weeks to keep your cartridges in top condition.

Yes, toner cartridges and drum units for Brother printers are sold separately. Thetoner cartridgeis the container that holds the toner powder. Thedrum unitis an electrically charged cylinder that transfers that toner powder to paper to create text and images. The Brother toner cartridge fits into the drum unit and the two parts work together to produce a print. If your printer uses a TN660 toner cartridge, for example, it also uses the DR630 drum unit. Consult your printers user manual to find the appropriate products for your machine.

This is what a drum unit with a toner cartridge looks like:

This is what a drum unit looks like without the toner cartridge:

To see how a Brother toner cartridge fits into the drum unit, view our installation video here:

Drum units typically need to be replaced after the use of 3-4 toner cartridges. Your printer will inform you when it is time to replace your drum. To learn more about your toner cartridge and drum, read our article: the difference between a toner cartridge and a drum unit.

Duplex printing is a printing feature that lets you print on both sides of the page. If your printer offers automatic duplexing, you can print on both sides of the page without manually adjusting the paper feeder. To find out if your printer offers duplex printing, consult your user guide. Duplex printing is a cost effective printing option that instantly saves you on paper and a common feature in most all-in-one printers.

Sometimes it can be difficult to isolate which cartridge needs to be replaced. The easiest way check is to run a test print on your printer. Most printers have a test print or diagnostic print option built into their software. A test print prints out a diagnostic pattern of all of your cartridges. If one of the colors is smeared, the wrong color, or faded, you've likely located the problem cartridge.

To run a print test on your machine, consult your printer manual for specific instructions. Most print tests can be found under the maintenance or tools menu of your printer. Alternatively, you can also run a test print within Windows:

From Windows 10, go to Printers and Scanners.

Right click your printer and select manage.

Then select, print a test page.

Most printers require all of the cartridges installed in order to print. Even if you only want to print in black, a small amount of the color ink is still used to create a print. Why? The printhead inside the printer uses a bit of ink from all the cartridges every time you print. This keeps the printhead clear, reducing the chance of a clog or poor print results later down the road.

Page yield is the approximate number of pages that can be printed with a particular cartridge. Yield is uniformly determined across all printer cartridges by specifications laid out by the international standard for organization (ISO), an independent international body that develops industry standards for products. The ISO established page yield standards for the printing industry in the early 2000s as a way for consumers to reliably measure and compare cartridge page yield across printer manufacturers. With all major printer manufacturers held to the same testing and reliability standards, consumers can compare competing products and make an informed purchasing decision.

Cartridge page yield is based on 5% page coverage, an ISO standard wherein 5% of the page is imprinted with ink. For example, a short email is roughly 5% page coverage, so if your toner cartridge offers a yield of 1,000 pages, your cartridge can print approximately 1,000 short emails. Since everyones printing habits are different, the actual page yield can vary from user to user. Other factors, like the type of document you are printing and the print quality setting can affect the page yield. If you are printing a full page of text or color photos, your coverage will vary greatly and the cartridge page yield will be significantly less. ISO standards are similar to the miles per gallon (MPG) that is associated with your car. They are great for comparing the fuel efficiency across car models, but since driving habits are different from driver to driver, the actual mileage youll get from your car can differ considerably. The same thinking can be applied to cartridge page yield and your printer!

Set up cartridges are the starter cartridges that are included with a brand new printer and are used to set up the printer for the first time. Most set up cartridges include less ink or toner than any standard cartridge you would find online or in a store, so they will print less pages. If your printer comes with a set up cartridge, it will likely read "set up cartridge" or "starter cartridge" on the cartridge label. Page yield information for set up cartridges typically can be found on the printer manufacturers website.

Proper toner cartridge care is essential if you are looking to get the most out of your printer cartridges. Here are a few simple tips that will ensure you get the full life out of your toner:

Keep cartridges at room temperature, preferably in a dark space like a desk drawer or supply cabinet.

Do not remove the toner from its sealed packaging until you are ready for installation. Although the cartridge will not go bad if it is out of the box, it can be exposed to dust and other particles that could affect print quality.

Store your toner cartridges horizontally. Vertically stored toner cartridges will cause the toner powder to shift on the inside of the cartridge and can easily stick to the walls of the cartridge.

Many cartridges have a small gold contact chip on the back side of the toner. This chip is how the cartridge communicates with your printer and is very sensitive. Try to avoid touching this chip with your fingers, as it could cause a faulty connection with your printer. If you do accidentally touch the chip, you can gently wipe it with a lint-free cloth.

Gently shake the cartridge back and forth a few times over a trashcan before installing it into your printer. Occasionally some toner powder may escape from the cartridge during this process, so shaking over a trashcan is key. This will redistribute the toner powder that may have been stuck on the cartridge wall.

An automatic document feeder is a printer function included in most multi-function machines that lets you easily copy, scan and fax stacks of pages without manually switching out each page. This is a super convenient feature if your office regularly makes a lot of copies, saving both time and potential frustration. Most automatic document feeders are capable of handling anywhere from 20-50 sheets at a time, depending on the printer model. Its important to note that automatic document feeders can only scan one side of the page. If you are looking to automatically scan both sides of the page, youll need to find a printer that includes a duplex automatic document feeder.

If you own a Canon inkjet printer, you may have noticed that their inks have either a PGI or CLI at the beginning of the cartridge name. Canon labels their ink cartridges in this way to reference the ink type inside a particular printer cartridge. PGI stands for pigment based ink. Pigment based ink is ideal for printing documents; providing, rich, dark text and sharp output. Pigment ink tends to resist water and UV light better than dye-based ink, and is able to resist fading for up to 200 years. Some popular Canon PGI printer cartridges include the PGI-220, PGI-225, PGI-270 and PGI-280.

CLI stands for ChromaLife, a term that Canon created for labeling its dye-based ink cartridges. Dye-based ink prints bright, vibrant colors that are perfect for photo printing. They are more economical than pigment based ink cartridges but can be susceptible to smudging, with many prints tending to fade after 25 years. A few common CLI printer cartridges include the CLI-221, CLI-226, CLI-271 and CLI-281.

Ghost printing happens when an image or text is repeated more than once on a printed page. This is often caused by an issue with your drum unit, which is the electrically charged cylinder that transfers toner powder on to the paper. Or, it could be an issue with the fuser, which is responsible for heating the toner powder onto page. There are a few troubleshooting techniques worth trying that should fix this:

Check your printers environment Keep your printer in a dry room as humidity can cause toner powder to clump, affecting your print quality.

Make sure you are using the right paper Inkjet and laser printers work best with specific types of paper. If the paper is too thick, glossy or not designed for laser printing, the toner powder may not be able to adhere to the page correctly.

Adjust the paper setting If you are using a specific type of paper, like laser printer paper, make sure that the paper setting matches the paper type. Usually a quick paper setting adjustment will clear up a ghosting issue right away.

Run a cleaning Most printers have a cleaning function built into the machine. Run this a couple of times to attempt to clear up the printing issue.

Inspect the drum Sometimes excess toner powder can stick to the drum. To clean it, gently wipe down the entire surface of the drum with a lint-free cloth. Then, slide the corona wire back and forth a few times.

If the drum unit does not appear to be the issue, you can try cleaning the fuser or you may even need to replace the fuser all together. Cleaning and replacement instructions for fusers vary across printer models, so you will need to consult your specific printer manual for step-by-step instructions. Often times the cleaning process can be as simple as wiping down the fuser with a lint free cloth.

A printhead alignment corrects the movement of the printhead so it matches the paper feed, fixing the alignment of any vertical lines and improving your overall print quality. If your prints are blurry, a printhead alignment will usually fix the issue and most printers are equipped with a built-in printer alignment feature in the tools or settings menu. The printer will prompt you to run the alignment feature if it detects an issue with print quality, or, you can also manually run the alignment as needed. To find the printer alignment feature on your machine, consult your printers user guide. After you have run the alignment, the printer will print a printhead alignment diagnostic page. If the test document looks straight and clear, you are ready to print. If the page looks blurry or faint, run the alignment again.

A printer test page or printer diagnostic page helps you diagnose print issues on your machine. Printing a test page is one way to determine if your printer is capable of printing. For example, lets say you send a print job from your computer to your printer but your printer doesnt print. Then, you print out a test page and it prints fine, you can assume that the issue is not the mechanics of the printer, but the connection between the printer and the computer. Test pages can also help you monitor print quality and printhead alignment by printing out blocks of text and color on to the page. If you notice any breaks in the print job or poor color quality, then some additional printer troubleshooting may be required. You can fix light or spotty prints with the cleaning feature that is included with your printer. If your print quality does not improve after one or two cleaning cycles, it may be time to replace your printer cartridges.

No, our printer cartridges will not work in printers that were purchased outside of the United States or Canada. All printers are designed to work within a specific region of the globe. For example, printers that are sold in North America only work with North American printer cartridges and printers that are sold in Europe only work with European printer cartridges. This is because the printer cartridges are chipped to only be compatible with a particular printer series. Even if the printer and the ink cartridges from two different countries look similar, they still will not work due to this chip. If you try to install a printer cartridge that is not compatible with your printer, you will get an error message on your machine and will not be able to print.

We break down five reasons why your printer cartridge may be running out of ink, and what you can do to prevent it...

Page Yield

Page yield determines the approximate number of prints you can get out of a given cartridge. You can find the page yield for your printer cartridges on the side of the cartridge box or the printer manufacturers website. Yield can be very different from cartridge to cartridge, which is important to keep in mind when you are shopping for a printer. If you recently purchased a new printer and you are not getting as many prints as your old printer, it is likely because the page yield of your new cartridges is considerably different. Even two printers with a comparable price point can have drastically different page yields. For example, the HP Officejet 8710 is $119.99* and is compatible with the HP 952 cartridge series. The high yield black cartridge prints 2,000 pages and the color cartridges print 1,600 pages. A similar model, the Canon PIXMA TS8220, is just a few more dollars at $126.77 and uses the PGI-280/CLI-281 ink cartridges. The high yield PGI-280XL cartridge only prints 400 pages and the CLI-281XL color cartridges print 515 pages. As you can see, page yield has a major effect on your printing efficiency, making it a very important printing factor.

Infrequent Printer Use

A seldom-used printer can quickly dry out your ink cartridges. Running a printer cleaning will often get your cartridges going again, but if you repeatedly leave your cartridges sitting idle in your machine, you will eventually need to get a new set of ink. We recommend removing the ink cartridges from your printer if youdon'tplan to use the printer for an extended period of time. Reapply the protective tape and cartridge clip that came with the cartridges and place them in an airtight plastic tub. Keep a damp paper towel in the tub with the cartridge and store it in a cool dark place. Alternatively, you could invest in a laser printer or ink tank printer if you are tired of dealing with dried out printer cartridges. Laser printers use toner cartridges, whichwon'tdry out like an ink cartridge since the toner is made of a dry, powdery material. Ink tank printers like the Epson Ecotank or Canon Megatank rely on a refillable tank system and ink bottles to print, preserving the ink in a sealed tank until it is ready to be used. These are both solid printing options and worth looking into if you are considering a new printer and only print occasionally.

Type of Documents Printed

The type of documents you print can also influence your cartridge life. If you print in mostly black, your black cartridge will run out faster than the color cartridges. However, some printers will pull a bit of ink from the color cartridges when you are printing solely in black, just to keep them primed for future use. Color photos can also deplete your cartridges relatively quickly. Understanding your cartridges page yield can give you a better estimate of just how many prints you can expect to get out of a cartridge. Page yield is based on 5% page coverage, or pages in which 5% of page is covered with ink. This is roughly the same as printing out a short email or paragraph. If you are printing something that uses more ink, like a photo or business proposal, your page coverage will be much larger and your page yield will drop considerably. Since everyone has different printing needs, the actual number of prints you get from a cartridge changes from user to user.

Constant Printer Cleanings

If you run a cleaning on your machine regularly, you may notice your cartridge ink levels slowly depleting. This is because the printer uses a small amount of ink every time you clean it, priming the cartridges for your next print in the process. Printer cleanings are a great way to help fix print quality, but ifyou'verun a couple of cleanings without any improvement, it may be time to invest in a printer cartridge.

Inefficient Printer Settings

To get the most from your printer cartridges, you will want to make sure you are using the right printer setting for your print job. If you are printing strictly text, print in gray scale, the setting that only draws ink from your black printer cartridge. If you are printing out less important documents like a quick email or directions, print in draft mode, an economical printer setting that uses less ink to print out documents. For optimal color photos, switch your printer to the photo setting. Additional settings may be available depending on what printer you own.

If a new printer comes out that uses a new cartridge series, compatible versions of those cartridges are usually not immediately available on our website. If the compatible cartridge is remanufactured, there has to be a surplus of recycled OEM cartridges available to be sourced and refurbished for remanufacturing. If the cartridge is a new-build compatible, the cartridge and cartridge technology has to be developed and manufactured by our supplier before they become available to our customers. Both of these developments take time and it sometimes can be months before a compatible version is available for newer model printers. We recommend checking our website every few weeks for availability. If a cartridge is listed as "Coming Soon" on our site, you can sign up to be notified the moment they are sale on the cartridge product page.

If you are having trouble getting your cartridge to read properly or are having connectivity issues with your printer, sometimes a hard reset will resolve the problem. To do this, power down the printer and then unplug the power cord from the wall. Wait for a minute, then plug the printer back in and power it back up. Wait for the cartridges to center, and then try printing again. If your issue persists, you can also try resetting the printer to the default or factory settings. Most printers include an option to restore the printer to it's default settings in the Tools menu of the display. Consult your printers user guide for specific instructions for your machine.

You may be able to print when one printer cartridge is empty by adjusting your printer settings, but it depends on the leniency of your printer. It can be incredibly frustrating when your printer prevents you from printing black text just because one of your color cartridges is empty. Unfortunately, many new printers are designed to block you from printing if a cartridge is out of ink, forcing you to buy more ink at the least convenient time. However, there are some printer settings that may let you print for a short period before you put an order in for that new cartridge. If you are looking to print black text, try changing your printer settings to grayscale or black only. Grayscale often uses some combination of both the black and color inks to produce black text, but the color ink usage is nominal and you might be able to coerce a few more prints despite the empty cartridge message. If you are out of black ink and only want to print with the color cartridges, see if your printer has a color only setting. Not all printer models will have this option in their settings menu, but it is worth a look. If all else fails, youll need to replace that empty cartridge to continue printing.

Printing in draft or economy mode uses less ink and is a great way to preserve your cartridge life and prolong cartridge replacement. If you are printing out a document like an email where print qualityisn'tan important factor, switch your printer to this setting! You can also tell your printer to print just in black by adjusting your printer settings to grayscale or black ink only. Grayscale often uses some combination of both the black and color inks to produce black text in order to keep all of the cartridges primed, but the amount of color that gets used is nominal.

How to adjust your printer settings in Windows:

Pull up the printer menu, or hit Control + P on your keyboard

Select printer properties

The location of draft mode economy mode and grayscale varies depending on your printer. You may need to click around the printer settings menu to find it but it is typically located under the Quality or Color Options submenu. To start using it, just select your preferred mode, hit OK and start printing.

How to adjust your printer settings on a Mac:

Pull up the printer menu, or hit "Command ()-P" on your keyboard

Select your printer

Select "show details" to change your printer settings to black and white and start printing

Toner cartridges can be cheaper to operate than some ink cartridges in the long run, but it all depends on the cost effectiveness of the cartridge series and your printing habits. Many everyday printer users end up buying an inkjet printer over a laser printer because inkjets often have a much cheaper sticker price. However, when you compare the overall operating costs of an inkjet printer and a laser printer, a number of laser printers (and their toner cartridges) can actually end up saving you more money in the long term thanks to a lower cost per page. Cost per page is determined by the printer cartridgespage yieldandthe cost of a particular printer cartridge. Since toner cartridges are commonly used by busy businesses that print regularly, they have a much higher page yield, which gives you more prints per cartridge. Inkjets on the other hand have a lower page yield because of their smaller size and limited capacity, which leads to more frequent cartridge replacements throughout the life of your printer.

Lets demonstrate by comparing operating costs of a popular inkjet printer and laser printer. The HP Deskjet 2655 All-in-One inkjet printer is just $49.99* and uses the HP 65 black and tri-color ink cartridge series. The black cartridge prints 100 pages for $14.99 and the HP 65 tri-color cartridge prints up to 120 pages for $15.99. To calculate the cost per page of the black cartridge, just divide the page yield by the cartridge price:

$14.99 / 100 = 14.9 cents

To get the cost per page of the color cartridge, youll need to add the black and color cost per page together.

14.9 cents + (15.99 / 120) = 28.9 cents

The HP LaserJet Pro M180nw All-in-One laser printer we are comparing costs five times as much as the HP Deskjet at $299.99. Cartridge costs are pricier too but the operating cost is low. This printer uses the HP 204A black, cyan, magenta and yellow toner cartridges. The black cartridge costs $50.99 and prints 1,100 pages while each color cartridge costs $56.99 and prints 900 pages apiece. Lets do the same math for these cartridges to examine the printers cost per page:

Again, we will divide the page yield by the cartridge price for the black cartridge:

$50.99 / 1,100 = 4.6 cents per page

And we will add the black and color cost per page together to calculate the operating costs of the color cartridges:

($50.99 / 1,100) + (($56.99 / 900) x 3) = 23.5 cents per page

As you can see, the toner cartridges are actually more efficient to operate when you break down the overall cost per page. Not only do you get more prints per cartridge but you get a better printing value too! That $50.00 price tag for a toner cartridge may look a little unnerving at first, but if you wanted to print the same number of pages with the inkjet, youd be spending around $165 on 11 HP 65 black ink cartridges, so there is a big savings there as well! Bottom line, compare the cost per page across printer models to figure out if the laser printer you are considering is more cost effective than an inkjet printer. If you print a lot, it may make sense to pay more upfront the laser printer because your printing costs are far more efficient long term. Keep in mind, cartridge costs and cartridge page yields vary greatly from printer to printer! Now that you know how to calculate cost per page you can make an educated decision the next time you are shopping for a new machine.

You can save even more printing with LD brand compatible cartridges too. Available at a fraction of the price of the original, you get the same number of prints and the same great print quality at an unbelievable value!

*Savings based on price comparison between remanufactured/compatible cartridge prices on www.LDProducts.com and OEM cartridge and printer prices from Amazon and Staples. All prices effective as of December 28, 2018. OEM names are registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with, and do not endorse LD Products.

Installing paper for the first time in a printer can be a bit confusing if youaren'tfamiliar with the machine. Paper is housed in the printers paper tray, and most trays can be found along the bottom of the printer. There is usually a small notch on the face of the tray that pulls out so you can insert the paper. Within the paper tray, you will notice a guide that can be adjusted to fit your preferred paper length. 8.5 x 11 is the standard adjustment size but most printers can adjust to smaller sizes like 4x 6 and 5x 7 for printing photos. Youll also want to keep the printer's paper capacity in mind. Every printer has a recommended paper capacity. For example, the HP ENVY Photo 6255 we feature below has a capacity of 125 pages. An overstuffed paper tray can lead to unwanted paper jams! Once you have adjusted the guide to the appropriate length, all you need to do is load your stack of paper into the paper tray, close up the tray and start printing. We recommend checking your printers user guide if you are having trouble locating the exact placement of the paper tray, or if you are unsure about the paper capacity.

Cartridges are designed to work in a specific series of printer models and if the wrong cartridge is installed in the machine, you risk potential damage to the cartridge and the printer. A number of cartridges have similar sounding names, making it easy to accidentally buy and install the wrong product for your printer. It doesnt help that many cartridges look similar too! Even though cartridges appear similar, unfortunately, they are not interchangeable. The HP 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 series for example, all have a similar cartridge design but work in different printers. Remove their cartridge labels and it is hard to tell them apart! If you install an HP 65 in a printer that uses HP 64s, the printer will not operate. Bottom line, you need to be vigilant about what you buy before placing an order for a new set of ink. If youaren'tfamiliar with the printer, double check the cartridge compatibility on the manufacturers website, or check out the specs on LDProducts.com. When you install a cartridge, make sure it is installed in the corresponding color slot inside the printer. If you accidentally install the black cartridge in the color slot, youll likely get a cartridge error on your printer display informing you of the mistake. Since most printer cartridges are outfitted with a unique chip that helps keep track of ink levels, the printer is able to tell that the wrong cartridge is installed and itwon'tprint if the cartridges are mixed up.

Knowing your printer model name and serial number will help you buy the correct cartridges the next time they need to be replaced. Since every printer works with a specific cartridge series, you need to make sure you buy the appropriate printer cartridges for your machine. If you accidentally buy the wrong cartridges for your printer, youwon'tbe able to print! In this example, we will show you how to locate the printer model name and serial number of the Epson WorkForce Pro WF-3730.

The easiest way to find your printer model is by looking at the front of your printer. Depending on what printer you own, the model name could be on the corners or the center of the front-facing cover. If it is on the front of the machine, it is usually close to the control panel. The printer model number could also be located on the top of the machine in the corners or center. Here, we find the printer model name on the right front side of the printer to the right of the control panel.

You can also find the printer model name on the set up / installation manual or installation CD included with your printer.

Another way to figure out what printer you own is by looking for the printer serial number, which is unique to your specific printer. The serial number is on the sticker that is usually located on the back or the bottom of the printer. This number is important if your printer maufacturer needs further information on your printer. The sticker below was on the back of Epson WF-3730.

You might also find the serial number on the inside of the printer too! When you lift open the cartridge door of the Epson WF-3730 to access the cartridges, the serial number is located on the left side of the machine near the cartridge access area.

You can only install two black ink cartridges if your printer uses two different types of black ink. If you are trying to install a black ink cartridge in a color cartridge slot, your printer will not function and you could potentially cause damage to the machine.

Some photo inkjet printers require two black ink cartridges to print text and more defined shades of black in your photos. With these printers, like the Canon PIXMA TS5020, you need to install two different black ink cartridges. For example, the TS5020 uses the PGI-270 black ink cartridge to print text and the CLI-271 black ink cartridge to enhance the black in your photos. Printers that work with two different black cartridges will have designated cartridge slots for each cartridge. Make sure that you are installing the correct cartridge number in the appropriate cartridge slot!

A noise inside your printer is usually the result of a carriage jam or paper jam. The carriage keeps your cartridges secure inside your printer and it should move freely inside the machine to produce a print. If it not functioning properly it could be locked and make a clicking sound. To resolve this, gently try to manually move the carriage to center to get the carriage to move freely again. If you are not able to get the carriage to move, consult your printer manufacturer for further support as printer model specific troubleshooting may be required. If you suspect that the clicking noise could be due to a paper jam, inspect the paper feeder for any paper obstructions. If you do find paper stuck inside the printer, gently pull it out of the printer to remove it.

If you are using a new printer for the first time, you may not be familiar with what sort of cartridges work with the printer. Every printer prints with a specific printer cartridge series. Printer cartridge series are identified by the printer brand name, followed by a cartridge number. For example, the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 uses the HP 902 ink cartridge series.

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1. The easiest way to figure out what cartridges work with your printer is by opening up the printer to see what cartridges are currently inside the machine.

2. If there are no cartridges inside the printer, you can search for the printer model on the manufacturers website. A list of compatible cartridges should be included on the manufacturer page of your printer.

3. You can also confirm the cartridge series by referencing the printers user guide that is included with the machine.

If you are not sure what your printer model is, we show you how to find it .

If you accidentally sent an unwanted document to your print queue, you can easily prevent it from printing by cancelling the print job.

How to cancel a print job in Windows 10:

Click the "start" button and navigate to the "Control Panel"

From the control panel, select Devices and Printers

Search for your printer model in the Devices and Printers window

Right click the printer image and scroll to select See whats printing

Select the printer name under the See whats printing menu. A second window will pop up with your print queue.

Right click the document name you want to cancel and select Cancel. This will cancel the print job for that particular document!

If you are looking to print without the worry of a spotty wireless signal, a reliable USB cable is the best way to go. A USB cable connects your printer to your computer, so you have a direct connection every time you print. The majority of printers are compatible with aUSB 2.0 A/B cable. The "A" side of the cable plugs into the USB port on your computer and the "B" side plugs into the back of the printer. This is a standard cable that is widely available and it can also be used to connect some mice and cameras to your computer too! Don't be surprised if your new printer doesn't come with a USB cable. Unfortunately, most printers don't these days since printer manufacturers would rather have you print wirelessly.

Luckily, LD Products sells a printer USB cable at a great price! Pick one up for your printer today!

A single color printer cartridge just contains one specific ink color, like a cyan, magenta or yellow ink cartridge. Printers that use single color cartridges are often better at producing photos than tri-color cartridges since all three individual cartridges work together to create a print. They are also can be more cost-effective when it comes to replacement! You can replace each individual cartridge as needed, so if you are low on yellow, you just need to replace the yellow cartridge. Printers that use individual ink cartridges typically work with printers that have the printhead built into the machine. If you print frequently, this may need to be replaced eventually, so its worth keeping in mind when considering the total operating cost of your printer. The HP 902 series and Epson 702 series are two individual ink cartridge examples.

A tri-color printer cartridge contain all three colors (cyan, magenta and yellow) in the same cartridge. Tri-color cartridges have an integrated printhead built into the cartridge, so every time you replace the cartridge you are replacing the printhead. They are usually a bit cheaper than individual ink cartridges but will need to be replaced immediately if one particular color is running low, which can be inconvenient if you print a lot. HP and Canon are the two most common printer manufacturers that offer tri-color cartridges, like the HP 64XL series or Canon CLI-246XL series.