How to change an expired toner cartridge
On the face of things, changing an expired toner cartridge seems easy enough. If you've never done it before, though, you may be confused about how to proceed. It's a lot better to get specific instructions for changing an expired or empty toner cartridge than it is to make guesses or assumptions. Without following the right procedure, you could damage the cartridge or the printer. You could also install the cartridge incorrectly, which could have a negative impact on the quality of your printed copies. Learn the basics of changing an expired toner cartridge below.
Remove the Expired Cartridge
You can't install a new toner cartridge without removing the old one first. Before you even do that, you should make sure to stock up on toner cartridges to ensure that you have what you need when the time comes. Nothing is worse than having to wait around for a new toner cartridge to arrive.
Removing an empty or expired toner cartridge is generally quite easy. Most cartridges have handles for easy removal. Simply grab the small handles on the cartridge and pull it gently away from the printer. If this doesn't seem to work, or if you're unable to access the cartridges easily, consult the owner's manual for your printer. Additional steps may be required.
Have a sheet of paper, a newspaper or a paper towel ready before you remove the old cartridge. Just because its level of ink or toner is low enough to require changing doesn't mean it's completely empty. Small amounts of ink or toner could still be present. Without having something to place the cartridge on, you could make a mess that won't be very easy to clean.
Prepare the New Cartridge
Preparing the new cartridge is fairly intuitive. The first step is to open the box. The cartridge will be sealed in a bag. Some bags have notches for easy opening. If yours doesn't, use a pair of scissors to get it open quickly. Be careful. If the cartridge is defective, there may be loose ink or toner in the bag. Contact the supplier or manufacturer for a refund or replacement.
Once the toner cartridge has been removed from the bag, there are a few more things to do. You need to remove the shipping tape from the cartridge. The tape is usually a prominent color so that it's easy to distinguish. Without the tape in place, toner or ink would spill out of the cartridge while it's in transit. Gently shake the cartridge to ensure that the toner is distributed evenly.
Install the New Cartridge
The new cartridge should be ready for installation. The position of the old cartridge should still be fresh in your memory, so simply slide the new one into the printer in the same way. Make sure that it snaps securely into place. A loose cartridge can wreak all kinds of havoc inside a printer.
Close the printer and print a test page. If the printer doesn't seem to recognize the new cartridge, you should do a cold start to reset its memory. Remove the new cartridge from the printer. Turn off the printer, unplug it and let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Plug it back in and turn it back on. By doing this, you should have successfully reset the printer's memory. When you go to install the cartridge again, it should work.
If you continue to have problems with installing the toner cartridge, contact the supplier or manufacturer. Additional help may be needed, and a technician may need to work on your printer. In most cases, though, the process should go off without a hitch.