Checking and refilling the ink cartridge on your printer on a regular basis is important. Ink is a necessary part of your printer, and if it does not get checked on a routine interval, the ink can dry out and block the ink nozzles.
In such cases, the printer starts producing more ink than usual, and it can eventually harm the printer. It is important for a printer user to know how to check ink levels in the printer and how to refill it.
In this article, we will explain how to check the ink levels of a printer from different operating systems and on different printer brands.
How to Check the Ink Levels on Different Systems?
If your printer is also producing blurry or faded prints, it might be time you check your printer’s ink levels. Because the steps for checking ink levels in printers may vary on different operating systems, we will give a brief on different systems one by one. So, let’s get started.
Check the Ink Levels on Windows 10
To check printer ink levels, make sure that your printer is connected to your system. Then, follow the steps.
- On your Windows 10, click on the Windows icon or press the Windows button on your keyboard.
- Search for Control Panel, and press Enter.
- On the Control Panel, select View Devices and Printers under Hardware and Sound.
- Now, click on your Printer device.
From there, you can check your printer’s ink levels and other information.
Check the Ink Levels on Windows 8
Follow the steps for checking printer ink levels on Windows 8, before that, make sure your printer device is connected to your system.
- Press the Windows+W keys together.
- Type Device in the search bar.
- Select Device and Printer.
- Click on your printer device.
This will open the page of your printer device’s related information.
Check the Ink Levels on Windows 7
Though the technical updates and security support for Windows 7 have ended in 2020, in case you’re still using it, check your printer’s ink levels by following the steps below.
- Click on Start.
- Search for Devices and Printers.
- Click on the Printer.
- Under the Status area, ink levels are given at the bottom of the window.
You can find some additional information about your printer on the same page.
Check the Ink Levels on macOS
To know the ink or toner levels of your printer in a macOS, follow the steps.
- Click on the Apple icon.
- Go to System Settings.
- Select printers and scanners.
- Select your printer.
- Click on Options & Supplies.
- At the top of the screen, click on Supply Levels.
- You can see the ink or toner levels of your printer on this
Check the Ink Levels on Android and iOS
If you own an HP printer, this guide will help you determining the ink or toner levels of your printer.
- Go to 123.hp.com on your Android or iPhone browser.
- Click on Install HP Smart.
- Click on the Install option.
From here, you can launch the app on your phone, set up your printer to the app, and keep checking ink levels on HP printer.
Check the Ink Levels on Linux
“How to check printer ink levels on Linux” is quite complicated, but we have a solution for this too. Follow the steps and learn.
- Open the Application menu.
- Search Synaptic.
- Select Synaptic Package Manager.
- Enter the Password.
- Search Ink/Toner.
- Select both Ink and Libink level.
- Click Apply.
- Open the Linux Mint Application Menu.
- Search Terminal.
- Start the Terminal.
- Type “cd /usr/bin/” and enter.
- Then, type “ink -p usb” and enter.
With the help of Synaptic package manager, Linux users can easily find out the ink levels of their printer.
How to Check the Ink Levels of Different Printers Brands?
Almost every wired or wireless printer today has a feature where you can find the ink or toner levels from the interface; though you can also convert your wired printer into wireless, not every printer has the same features and interface. So, let’s check out some popular printers and see how to check their ink levels.
Check the Ink Levels on an HP Printer
To check HP printer ink levels, you’ll need to go to the Control Panel of your printer; depending on the model of the HP printer you have, there will be an ink drop icon, a cartridge icon, an Ink Levels menu, or a Toner Level indicator.
In case you are unable to check printer ink levels at HP, you can opt for their Android and iOS-supported apps or use Windows or macOS to connect the printer and check the ink levels.
Check the Ink Levels on a Brother Printer
Brother printers are by far the printers in terms of clear displays and notifications; when your printer’s toner or ink gets low, these printers pop up notifications to inform you. However, if you are still confused about notifications, you can manually check your printer’s ink level.
- Press the Left or Right Arrow key until the Ink Management is shown.
- Select OK.
- Press Up or Down until you reach Ink Volume.
You can now see the cartridge appearing on your screen. Press Exit or Stop to go back.
Check the Ink Levels on Epson Printer
Before checking the ink or toner levels of the Epson printer, make sure no ink cartridge is damaged or broken, in this case, the Epson printer will not show the exact calculation of ink levels.
For Windows, on the maintenance tab, click on Epson Status Monitor 3.
And for macOS,
- Go to the Apple menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Go to Printer and Scanners.
- Select your Printer.
- Click on Options & Supplies.
- Click on Utility.
- Select Open Printer Utility.
- Click on EPSON Status Monitor.
This way, you can check the ink or toner levels of your Epson printer.
Check the Ink Levels on Canon Printer
To check the ink levels of your Canon printer, you can use either Windows OS or macOS.
For Windows, you’ll need to,
- Go to the Control Panel and click on the Printer Properties dialogue box.
- Click on the View Printer Status on the maintenance sheet.
- Canon Status monitor will open, and you can check the ink levels, the current status of the printer, maintenance cartridge information, etc., from it.
And if you are a Mac user, you can check your Canon printer’s ink levels from the Library under the Printers folder.
Check the Ink Levels on Lexmark Printer
Lexmark printer’s ink levels can be checked through the Windows/Mac PC or from the printer itself. To check ink levels in the printer through the PC,
- Go to the Lexmark P910 Series Utility folder.
- On the Cartridges tab, check the ink levels.
Or you can install the application software of Lexmark, and find the printer-related information. And if you want to find ink levels from the printer:
- Press the Menu button on your printer.
- Scroll down to Ink levels.
- Press the Select button.
You can use the Lexmark application software on your macOS as well.
Check the Ink Levels on Dell Printer
You can check your Dell printer’s ink levels on both Windows and Mac PC. For Windows,
- Go to Control Panel.
- Click on View devices and printers under Hardware and Sound.
- Select Printing Preferences.
- Click on Estimate Ink Levels.
For macOS,
- Open System Preferences.
- Choose your Printer.
- Click on Supply Levels.
This will help you find out your Dell printer’s ink/toner levels.
Check the Ink Levels on Panasonic Printer
Panasonic’s printers have a feature where they notify the user if the ink levels are low. It will display the message saying “Toner Low” or “Replace Toner Cartridge”.
Or you can check the ink levels from Windows and Mac’s settings folders.
Check the Ink Levels on Kodak Printer
Checking ink/toner levels on a Kodak printer is the easiest.
- Go to your printer’s Dashboard.
- Press the Home button for a few seconds.
- Click on the Right Arrow that will appear.\
You can now check your printer’s ink/toner level from the page.
If you are using a new smart model of a printer, they most probably come with notifying and other features for ink levels. However, connecting the printer to your devices and checking the related information about your printer always works.
In case you have any doubts or queries like the printer won’t print black, about your printer, you can read their manual or go to your printer’s website.
FAQs
Ans: Though different printers can have different ways to locate the ink levels, many new models of printers have an ink drop or cartridge icon, while other older models may need you to locate the Menu or Settings buttons or go to the System Data or System Status page.
Ans: If your printer’s ink has dried out and has clogged the system, you’ll need to take out the cartridge of the printer, put it in lukewarm water, and leave it for a good 10–15 minutes. Make sure to dry the cartridge properly before putting it in the printer.
Ans: You can reset the ink levels by powering off the printer, unplugging it from the socket, waiting for 1–2 minutes, and plugging it in again. This will reset the data of the printer and will show the accurate levels.
Sources:-
Checking the Ink Status, By Canon