Canon Printer Error E68 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Error E68 on a Canon printer is an ink cartridge communication error. The printer is having trouble reading the chip on one or more of the ink cartridges. This is commonly caused by dirty contacts, an incompatible cartridge, or a faulty cartridge chip.

Affected Models

Canon PIXMA MG3600 Series
Canon PIXMA MG5700 Series
Canon PIXMA TS5100 Series
Canon PIXMA TS6300 Series
Canon PIXMA TR4500 Series

Common Causes

The gold contacts on the ink cartridge or in the printer are dirty or have ink residue on them
A third-party or refilled cartridge has a chip that is not fully compatible with the printer
The ink cartridge was installed incorrectly and is not making full contact with the printer
The cartridge chip is damaged — a common issue with refilled cartridges
The printer's cartridge contacts have corrosion or physical damage

How to Fix It

Open the printer and remove all ink cartridges. Set them on a clean paper towel, chip side up.

Handle cartridges carefully — avoid touching the print head nozzles (the bottom of the cartridge) as skin oils can clog them.
Inspect the gold contacts on each cartridge chip. Clean them gently with a dry, lint-free cloth or a cotton swab lightly dampened with water.

Do not use alcohol directly on the chip contacts — it can damage the chip coating. Plain water or a very slightly damp cloth is sufficient.
Also clean the corresponding contacts inside the printer where the cartridge sits. Use a dry cotton swab to remove any ink or debris.

Be very gentle with the printer's internal contacts. They are small and delicate. Too much pressure can bend or break them.
Allow all contacts to dry completely (1 to 2 minutes), then reinstall all cartridges firmly until they click into place.

A cartridge that is not fully clicked in will not make reliable contact with the printer's electrical connectors.
If the error persists with a third-party cartridge, replace it with a genuine Canon cartridge. Third-party chips frequently cause E68.

Genuine Canon cartridges use chips that are guaranteed to be compatible with the printer's communication protocol.

When to Call a Professional

If cleaning the contacts and using genuine Canon cartridges does not fix E68, the printer's cartridge contact assembly may be damaged. This requires a repair technician to inspect and replace the contact assembly. For lower-cost printers, replacement is often more economical than repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Canon use chips on ink cartridges?

The chip on a Canon ink cartridge stores information about the cartridge — ink type, colour, capacity, and how much ink has been used. The printer reads this chip to track ink levels and ensure the right cartridge is installed. Chips also allow Canon to detect non-genuine cartridges, which is why third-party chips sometimes cause errors.

Can I use third-party cartridges in my Canon printer?

Technically yes — it is legal and you can save money. However, third-party cartridges are more likely to cause errors like E68 due to chip incompatibilities. If you use third-party cartridges and get repeated errors, switching back to genuine Canon cartridges is the fastest way to confirm whether the cartridge is at fault.

How do I know which cartridge is causing E68?

Try removing cartridges one at a time and powering the printer on after each removal. When the error stops appearing, the cartridge you just removed is likely the faulty one. Then focus your cleaning efforts on that specific cartridge and its corresponding printer contacts.