Ink cartridges don't always give you a clear warning before they give up. Sometimes the signs are obvious; sometimes they creep up gradually. Knowing what to look for means you can act before a failing cartridge ruins an important print job — and avoid replacing cartridges unnecessarily when there's still usable ink left.
1. Prints Are Coming Out Faded, Streaky, or Patchy
This is the most reliable indicator that a cartridge is running low or partially blocked. If text that should be sharp and black is coming out grey, or if images have sections missing or lines running through them, the cartridge is the most likely cause.
Before replacing, it's worth running your printer's built-in cleaning cycle first — sometimes what looks like a failing cartridge is actually a partially clogged nozzle that can be cleared with a maintenance cycle. Check the ink levels afterwards and print a test page. If the output improves, you may have more life left in the cartridge. If it doesn't, replacement is the practical next step. Our guides for cleaning HP ink cartridges and cleaning Canon ink cartridges walk through the process.
2. Colours Look Wrong or Washed Out
Colour printing relies on combining cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in precise proportions. When one colour cartridge runs low, the balance is thrown off — you might notice a blue or green tint where there should be neutral tones, or images that look faded and flat rather than vibrant.
Most printers will tell you which specific colour is low if you check the ink levels in the printer software or app. Replacing only the depleted cartridge rather than all of them at once is usually the right move — and it's one of the advantages of printers that use individual colour cartridges rather than combined tri-colour ones.
3. Your Printer Is Showing a Low Ink or Replace Cartridge Warning
Most modern printers will alert you when ink levels drop below a certain threshold. A low ink warning is a prompt to order a replacement, not necessarily a signal to stop printing immediately — there's usually a meaningful amount of usable ink remaining when the warning first appears, and output quality may still be perfectly acceptable for a while.
A "replace cartridge" or "ink empty" message is more definitive, and many printers will refuse to print at that point to protect the print head. If you're seeing this message, replacement is overdue. For more on why these warnings sometimes appear earlier than expected, see our post on why printers say ink is low even when it isn't.
4. The Printer Stops Mid-Print or Refuses to Start
If a print job stops part way through, or if the printer accepts the job but doesn't begin printing, a depleted cartridge is one of the most common causes. Many printers are programmed to stop printing automatically when ink reaches a certain level, specifically to prevent the print head from running dry — which can cause permanent damage.
Check the ink levels first before assuming there's a more serious problem. If a cartridge is showing as empty or critically low, replacing it will often resolve the issue immediately.
5. Smudging, Blotches, or Inconsistent Ink Flow
If ink is smearing on the page, appearing in blotches, or laying down unevenly, this can indicate a cartridge that's running out or beginning to dry out. As ink levels get very low, the cartridge can struggle to maintain consistent flow to the nozzles, resulting in irregular output rather than clean, even coverage.
This can also be a sign of a partially dried or clogged nozzle — again, a cleaning cycle is worth trying first. But if cleaning doesn't resolve it and the cartridge is low, replacement is the straightforward solution.
Ready to Replace?
When it's time for a new cartridge, Crazy Kangaroo stocks genuine HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother ink cartridges with free UK delivery on every order. And when you're done with the old cartridge, don't bin it — every HP and Canon order includes a free prepaid recycling bag, or you can download a free Freepost recycling label at any time.
