Updated 29/12/2023

How to Check Your Printer Ink Levels

If your prints are faded or blotchy, it may be time to replace your ink cartridges. When ink levels are running low, it can dry out and clog the ink nozzle. This means your printer will try and produce more ink than it usually would, which could cause your printer to break down.

 

How to Check Printer Ink Levels on Windows

To check printer ink levels on Windows regardless of the brand, follow these steps below:

 

  1. Click the start menu and search for ‘Devices and Printers’ or ‘Printers & Scanners’ (Windows 10 and above).
  2. Select ‘devices and printers’ or ‘Printers & Scanners’ in the search bar. This will allow you to see the printers connected to the computer.
  3. Click the printer you want to check, and you’ll see the ink levels at the bottom of the devices and printers section. It will appear under the status area, which you can click for more information.

 

Check Printer Ink Levels on a Mac

To check printer ink levels on a mac computer is slightly different to Windows PC’s.

 

  1. Click the Apple logo at the top left of the screen and choose ‘System Preferences, or alternatively click the magnifying glass and search ‘Printers and scanners’.
  2. Select ‘printers and scanners’, then select your printer model.
  3. Click ‘Options and supplies’ and the supplies levels tab to check your printer ink levels.

 

How to Check Printer Ink Levels on IOS or Android Devices

Android and IOS devices such as phones or tablets are very different to computers and require specific printer manufacturer software to check printer ink levels.

For example, HP has a specific app called the ‘HP smart App’ which must be installed to check printer ink levels.

 

Popular printer brands and how to check ink levels

 

How to check printer ink levels on an Epson printer

These printers are equipped with a Status Monitor Utility that checks the Epson ink grade in your printer. You can access this from the printer driver, which can be reached by the start menu or home screen dashboard, depending on your device model. You’ll be able to see lots of potential error information from here like paper jams. However, if an ink cartridge installed in the printer is broken, the utility will not be able to calculate the correct ink breakdown.

 

How to check how much ink is left in a HP printer

  • If you have a Windows PC you’ll need to download and run a free tool called HP Print and Scan Doctor. This will automatically perform troubleshooting diagnostics to identify any problems you may have.
  • To check the ink levels of your HP printer, open the tool and click Printer/Supply Levels. This will bring up the estimated ink and toner levels.
  • For Windows 10, Android and iOS you’ll need to download HP Smart app. The HP ink levels will be displayed on the app’s home screen.
  • On a Mac, you can use system preferences > printers and scanners  > options and supplies to view the ink levels.
  • For instant ink machines, click the instant ink icon on your printer to display ink levels.

 

How to find out how much printer ink is in your Lexmark printer

With a Lexmark printer you’ll be able to access the ink levels from either your computer or the printer’s display screen. From your computer, you’ll need to download and open the Lexmark P910 Series Utility. Once open, click the cartridges tab to see the Lexmark ink status.

 

How do you check ink levels on a Canon printer?

  • Launch the Canon IJ Status Monitor.
  • Click on the maintenance tab which will take you to the view printer status screen.
  • You’ll be able to view the ink levels on the pop-up screen.
  •  If you need further information, click ‘ink detail’ and you’ll get a more detailed look into how much ink is left in your Canon printer.

 

How to check how much ink is left in a Brother printer

If you have a Brother printer, you can find the status monitor either from the printer’s LCD screen or from your PC’s control panel. On the printer, just click the ink or ink management key to find an option for ink volume. Access the ink status from a PC with the Status Monitor Utility. The quickest way to do this is to double-click the printer icon in the task tray on your desktop. This will bring up the ink’s colour levels. If you’re working from a mac, visit Macintosh and enter the following pathway: HD/Library/Printers/Brother/Utilities.  

 

Feeling confident when it comes to ensuring your printer is always ready to go? Check out our range of high-quality ink cartridges if things are looking a little low.