The printhead is a printer hardware component that is responsible for transferring ink onto the pages. Printheads are a vital component. They contain nozzles and electrical circuits. They usually have direct access to the ink source. In inkjet printers, the printheads are within the ink cartridge. The printhead must be loose or there is a faulty placement of the cartridge, due to which you may face the error “HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead”. You can follow the troubleshooting steps below to get the solution and continue with the printing in a reliable way.

Why Does My HP Officejet Pro 8610 Printer Says ‘Missing or Failed Printhead’ Error

We are explaining all the possible underlying causes of this error. The causes are sometimes easy to detect while in some cases you might have to ask for technical help from experts

• • Printer Failure –

The error might have cropped up due to a failed printer. This error is mostly easy to fix. Mere resetting the cartridge or printhead will help you get rid of the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error. But if the error persists even after resetting these components there is a strong possibility that the printer has failed.

• • Missing Or Impaired Printhead –

The printhead in cartridge might be missing, or it might be damaged. Check to see if there is any visible dent or scratch on the printhead. It is necessary that the printhead is handled and stored with utmost care. Minor scratches can also lead to its failure.

• • Cartridge Might Be Running Out Of Ink

Your printer might be low on ink. This trivial yet important point is often ignored by the users. If you are facing the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ it could be due to ink insufficiency. Although the printer is programmed to warn you beforehand of the ink shortage, there still are times when the printer could not read the actual issue and simply shows the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error.

• • Outdated Firmware –

Outdated firmware on the printer can lead to the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error. If the firmware on your printer is old, the printer would not be competent enough of reading the tasks. This will ultimately lead to the failed or missing Printhead error. Always updating the firmware will help you keep the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error at bay.

Fix HP Officejet Pro 8610 Printhead Appears to Be Missing

Firmware is software that helps printers run. If there is an ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error, it is advised that you update the printer firmware.

• • Open the Software and Driver Downloads Page for HP printers in a browser.

• • On the current page, go to ‘Printer’, you will be asked to type in the model number of your printer. Enter the printer model number in the field and hit ‘Submit’.

• • The printer’s software page will appear. Expand the firmware category on the page.

• • From the list, download the apt firmware and save it to a folder on your computer.

• • Next, go to the folder, open the firmware file, and install the latest firmware thereof.

Using older version of the firmware often causes the printer to fail in reading the tasks assigned to it, therefore, keep a regular check on these firmware updates.

Troubleshooting ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing or Failed Printhead’

To fix the missing printhead issue in your printer, you can try performing various steps. Each step has its own advantage as you may never know which works for your device effectively. There are various steps involving reset of printer, clean the ink cartridge, replacing non HP cartridge, and much more.

Reset HP Officejet Pro Printhead

• • Before you proceed, turn off the printer. This will ensure that the printer or the cartridge therein does not move.

• • Open the cartridge access door. To do that, you will have to pull the slot at the side of the printer.

• • Then lift the carriage latch and pull out the printhead. Make sure not to fully remove the component. Partly removing the printhead from the carriage will help fix it in its exact spot.

• • Place the printhead back in its place and ensure that it is fully seated. Loose printhead will again lead to the same error.

• • And before you close the cartridge access door, make certain that you have flicked down the carriage latch.

• • Finally, insert the power cable into the power switch and turn on the printer.

These steps will help you fix the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error. If it does not, we have few other solutions too.

Clean The Ink Cartridge

If the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing or Failed Printhead’ error has arisen due to a soiled ink cartridge, the issue can be resolved by cleaning it. if the ink cartridge is soiled there is a strong possibility that the HP printer cannot detect the cartridge and therefore the printhead is also inaccessible.

• • Remove the ink cartridges from the printer. First, dust it off with dry cloth. Then wipe the copper contacts on the cartridge and the rest of it with distilled water and cloth or cotton balls.

• • Let the ink cartridge dry off. One it is dry, put it back in and settle the ink cartridge in the printer.

Replace the Non-HP Cartridges

The firmware installed in the printer makes it compatible with only HP cartridges. Therefore, if you are using ink cartridges other than that of HP, your HP printer is susceptible to the ‘HP Officejet Pro 8610 Missing Or Failed Printhead’ error. To get rid of this error, replace the old ink cartridge with HP ink cartridge. In addition to this, also be careful that the HP cartridge you are going to acquire is genuine on. Also, check How To Override HP Ink Cartridge Error as this can be helpful. If nothing works contact HP Printer Setup or hp support for help.