How to Replace an Empty Ink Cartridge in the HP ENVY 5540 All-in-One series Printer – an Illustrated Tutorial in 11 Steps

Make sure you purchase the right ink cartridges for your specific printer and printer region (or have your old ones refilled). Cartridges are not compatible between different brands, and often not within the same brand. HP often designs its inkjet hardware to use country-specific consumables. When you unbox a new HP inkjet printer and set it up, you install a set of ink tanks that ship with the printer. As you turn on the device and get ready to use it, an initialization sequence localizes it to the country associated with the ink cartridges you installed. HP recommends that you use original HP ink cartridges. XL (Extra Large) cartridges cost more but do provide better value in the long run. They will be able to print at least double the pages of a regular cartridge. Our advice is that if you print often, go with XL. However, ink can dry up. So if you are not a frequent printer, go with the regular cartridges. You’ll usually install both the black and tri-color cartridges in the HP ENVY, but you can also leave one ink cartridge carriage empty (single-cartridge mode). During single-cartridge mode, the printer can copy documents, copy photos, and print jobs from the computer.

Which ink cartridges do I need for my HP ENVY 5540 All-in-One series Printer?

For your US, European and UK HP ENVY 5540 All-in-One series Printer you need HP 62 Black AND HP 62 Tri-Color cartridges OR HP 62XL Black AND HP 62XL Tri-Color cartridges. There are also Combo Packs (2 cartridges in one pack) available, like the HP 62XL/62 High Yield Black and Standard Tricolor Ink Cartridges Combo Pack. Check the price of HP 62 cartridges at Amazon.com .

Try Amazon's ink selector tool to find compatible ink cartridges for your printer.

Replace the ink cartridges

1. Before you install the ink cartridges, load the paper tray with plain white paper.
2. Check that power is on.
3. Open the ink cartridge access door by placing two fingers under one or both of the small handles on the sides of the ink cartridge access door, and then lift up. ‘The ink cartridge access door is open. Close the door to continue.’ displays on the printer control panel.
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4. Lightly press down on the low or empty ink cartridge to release it. Pull it toward you out of its slot, and set it aside for recycling.
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5. Remove the new ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to touch only the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
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6. Remove the protective tape from the ink cartridge.
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! Do not touch the copper-colored electrical contacts or the ink nozzles !
do not touch contacts

7. Slide the new ink cartridge into the empty slot, and then gently push up on the ink cartridge until it snaps into place. Repeat these steps to replace the other ink cartridge, if necessary.
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8. Close the ink cartridge access door and Touch OK.
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9. Wait for the printer to calibrate and align the ink cartridges. An alignment page prints.

If the alignment page does not print, print an alignment page through the printer control panel:
a. Make sure to load the input tray with plain, white paper.
b. On the printer control panel, swipe the display to the left, and then touch Setup. The Setup menu displays.
c. Touch Tools, and then touch Align Printer.
An alignment page prints.

10. Place the alignment page with the print side down on the scanner glass. Position it according to the engraved guides around the glass.
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11. Close the scanner lid, and then touch OK. The printer aligns the ink cartridges.