Canon Printer Ink Not Recognized — How to Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

When a Canon printer does not recognize an ink cartridge, it usually means the cartridge's chip contacts are dirty, the cartridge is not fully seated, or a compatible cartridge has an unrecognized chip. Cleaning the contacts and firmly reinstalling the cartridge fixes most cases. For third-party cartridges, pressing OK to dismiss the warning and continue printing is usually safe.

Affected Models

Canon PIXMA MG2522
Canon PIXMA MG3620
Canon PIXMA TS202
Canon PIXMA TR4520
Canon PIXMA MG5720
Canon PIXMA TS8020

Common Causes

Ink or dust has accumulated on the copper chip contacts on the bottom of the cartridge
The contact pins inside the printer carriage are dirty or bent
The cartridge was not pushed down fully and is not making electrical contact
A compatible or third-party cartridge has a chip that the printer firmware does not recognise
A recent Canon firmware update changed the chip verification protocol and blocked older compatible cartridges
The orange protective tape was left on the cartridge nozzle area, covering the chip

How to Fix It

Remove the cartridge that is not being recognized. Check that the orange protective tape on the nozzle area has been fully removed.

The tape sometimes partially covers the chip contacts — even a small overlap causes detection failures.
Use a dry lint-free cloth to gently wipe the copper contacts on the bottom of the cartridge.

Do not use wet cloths, alcohol, or abrasive materials on the contacts.
Inside the printer, use a dry cotton swab to clean the contact pins in the cartridge slot.

Check that no pins are bent. Bent pins will not make contact even with a clean cartridge.
Reinstall the cartridge and push it down firmly until you feel and hear a click.

A partially installed cartridge will show as unrecognized. The click confirms it is locked in.
If using a compatible or third-party cartridge, press OK to dismiss the ink warning and continue printing.

Canon firmware sometimes warns about non-genuine cartridges but still allows printing. This does not damage the printer.

When to Call a Professional

If genuine Canon cartridges are not being recognized after thorough contact cleaning, the carriage contact pins may be bent or broken. A Canon technician can inspect and replace the contact assembly. This is a minor repair costing $30 to $60 at most service centers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Canon genuine cartridges always be recognized?

Genuine Canon cartridges are designed to be recognised by Canon printers, but dirty contacts can still cause failures. A quick contact clean usually resolves it immediately.

A firmware update broke recognition of my compatible cartridges — what can I do?

Canon firmware updates sometimes add stricter cartridge verification. Switch to genuine Canon cartridges, or check if the compatible cartridge manufacturer has released an updated chip version. In some cases, rolling back firmware (via service mode) is possible but complex.

Can I use only one colour cartridge and leave the other slot empty?

No — Canon printers require all cartridge slots to be filled with installed cartridges. An empty slot triggers an ink-not-recognized error and blocks printing. If you do not use a colour, install a cartridge but print sparingly to preserve it.