HP DeskJet 4152e After Canceling Instant Ink: Can You Refill Cartridges or Use Generic Ink?

Question

I have an HP DeskJet 4152e. When I first bought the printer, I enrolled in HP's ink program without realizing how much that decision could affect my cartridge choices later. I have since canceled the ink subscription, but it appears that I can now only buy genuine HP cartridges from a store. Generic cartridges and refilled cartridges do not seem to work.

Is there any legitimate way around this restriction so I can refill cartridges or use compatible third-party ink instead of continually purchasing new HP cartridges?

Answer

The most important thing to understand in your situation is that HP Instant Ink and HP+ are two different things. Canceling Instant Ink does not necessarily remove the restrictions associated with HP+.

First, What Happens When You Cancel HP Instant Ink?

HP Instant Ink is the subscription program in which HP sends cartridges based on your printing activity and charges according to the subscription plan.

Once the subscription is canceled and your final billing period ends, the Instant Ink cartridges are no longer intended to function. HP states that those subscription cartridges must be removed and replaced with regular retail cartridges after the service ends.

This sometimes surprises people because there may still be plenty of physical ink remaining inside the cartridge. Nevertheless, the cartridge is associated electronically with the Instant Ink service.

So, unfortunately, refilling an Instant Ink cartridge with additional ink does not convert it into a normal retail cartridge. The issue is not simply whether there is ink inside it. The printer also identifies the cartridge electronically.

For your HP DeskJet 4152e, the normal U.S. retail cartridges are HP 67 or HP 67XL, with separate black and tri-color cartridges. HP itself lists the HP 67 family as compatible with the DeskJet 4152e.

The Bigger Question: Did You Activate HP+?

This is where your situation becomes particularly important.

The HP DeskJet 4152e is an HP+ capable printer. During the original setup, owners could choose to activate HP+. HP's current documentation says that once HP+ is activated, it requires the use of Original HP ink for the lifetime of the printer. HP also states that HP+ remains associated with the printer even if the Instant Ink subscription is later canceled.

In other words:

Instant Ink can be canceled. HP+ activation is a different matter.

If you activated HP+ during your original setup, canceling Instant Ink does not convert the printer back into a standard unrestricted HP DeskJet 4152e.

That is probably the key issue behind what you are experiencing.

If HP+ Was Activated, Can You Use Generic or Refilled Cartridges?

Officially, HP says no.

HP's support information states that HP+ printers require Original HP cartridges and may reject cartridges that are altered, cloned, counterfeit, or refilled.

Therefore, if your 4152e was actually activated under HP+, I would not recommend spending money repeatedly trying different generic cartridges hoping that one particular brand will bypass the restriction.

You may occasionally find discussions online about compatible chips, older firmware, cartridge-chip transfers, or firmware manipulation. However, even when somebody reports temporary success, that does not mean the same procedure will work on another printer or continue working after another firmware update.

There is no normal menu option that simply says, "Disable HP+."

HP specifically describes HP+ as being embedded in the device after activation and requiring Original HP ink for the lifetime of the printer.

For that reason, I would be very cautious about websites or sellers promising a guaranteed HP+ removal, permanent cartridge reset, or simple firmware downgrade.

What If You Joined Instant Ink but Did NOT Activate HP+?

Then the situation can be different.

If the printer was only enrolled in Instant Ink and HP+ was never activated, canceling Instant Ink should not permanently force you to remain subscribed.

After the Instant Ink billing period ends, remove the subscription cartridges and install ordinary retail cartridges.

A standard HP printer can still have Dynamic Security, however.

Dynamic Security is HP's cartridge-authentication system. HP says the DeskJet 4152e uses this technology and that periodic firmware updates can affect whether cartridges using non-HP electronic circuitry are accepted.

This means there are really three separate issues that often get mixed together:

1. Instant Ink - the subscription.

2. HP+ - an optional system that, once activated, requires Original HP cartridges for that printer.

3. Dynamic Security - firmware and cartridge-chip authentication that can reject cartridges containing incompatible electronic circuitry.

Understanding which one you are dealing with is much more useful than simply trying cartridge after cartridge.

Can You Refill a Genuine HP 67 Cartridge?

Physically, ink cartridges can often be refilled. Electronically, things become more complicated.

The cartridge contains more than an ink reservoir. It also contains the printhead and electronic circuitry that communicates with the printer.

When a cartridge is refilled, several different outcomes are possible.

The printer might recognize it and continue printing. It might continue printing but show an inaccurate ink level. It might report that the cartridge is depleted. It might reject the cartridge because of its electronic status. Or, on an HP+ activated printer, it may reject the cartridge specifically because HP+ requires Original HP supplies.

Therefore, simply drilling a refill hole and adding ink does not automatically solve the electronic side of the problem.

This distinction is particularly important with HP cartridges because the printhead is built into the cartridge itself. A cartridge can be physically full of ink but electronically rejected, or it can be electronically accepted but have a damaged or clogged printhead.

How Can You Determine Whether HP+ Is the Actual Problem?

Pay close attention to the exact message displayed in the HP app or on the computer.

For example, if the printer specifically reports that Original HP cartridges are required, or displays a Cartridges Rejected message associated with HP+, that is a strong indication that HP+ restrictions are involved. HP's own support documentation associates "Cartridges Rejected" on HP+ printers with the requirement for Original HP cartridges.

If it instead says something such as:

• incompatible cartridge,

• cartridge problem,

• cartridge not recognized,

• damaged cartridge,

• depleted cartridge,

then the problem could also involve the cartridge's electrical contacts, chip/circuitry, firmware compatibility, or an actual defective cartridge.

There was no numerical HP error code included in your question, so in this case the exact wording of the cartridge error message is more useful diagnostically than an error-code number.

Don't Confuse the Instant Ink Cartridge With a Normal HP 67 Cartridge

This is another very common misunderstanding.

An Instant Ink cartridge may physically fit the printer exactly like an HP 67 cartridge, but it is not treated the same electronically once the subscription ends.

If you canceled Instant Ink and the old subscription cartridge stopped functioning, that behavior by itself does not necessarily mean that your printer can never again operate without Instant Ink.

It means that you need to install regular cartridges.

The crucial second question is whether the printer was also activated with HP+.

If HP+ was not activated, your options may be broader.

If HP+ was activated, HP's documented policy is considerably more restrictive.

Would Downgrading the Firmware Fix It?

I would not count on firmware downgrading as a dependable solution.

Some older HP printers have had situations where people used earlier firmware to regain compatibility with certain third-party cartridges. However, this should not be confused with removing HP+.

HP+ is an account/device activation state, not simply one firmware version that can reliably be erased by installing older printer software.

There are also risks involved with unofficial firmware procedures. A failed firmware installation can leave you with a printer that will not initialize properly at all.

Therefore, I would not recommend experimenting with firmware unless you understand exactly what firmware is installed, what you're trying to accomplish, and how that particular printer behaves.

What Would I Do With This HP 4152e?

I would first determine whether HP+ was activated.

If it was not activated, I would remove the old Instant Ink cartridges after cancellation takes effect and test the printer with a known-good standard HP 67 or HP 67XL cartridge. Once you know the printer works normally with standard retail cartridges, you have established an important baseline.

From there, you can research remanufactured or refill approaches, understanding that Dynamic Security and cartridge electronics can affect compatibility.

If HP+ was activated, however, I would assume that Original HP cartridge enforcement is permanent unless HP itself changes the status or policy. HP's own FAQ says that once HP+ is activated, the use of Original HP ink is required for the lifetime of that printer.

In that circumstance, I would compare the continuing cost of genuine HP 67/67XL cartridges with the cost of replacing the printer.

If cartridge freedom is an important priority for your next printer, investigate that question before activating any optional cloud printing, subscription, or cartridge-management program during setup.

Also investigate the replacement printer's cartridge authentication and firmware policies before purchasing it. The presence or absence of an ink subscription does not necessarily tell you whether a printer restricts third-party cartridges.

One Important Lesson for Future Printer Purchases

When setting up a new printer, read every enrollment screen carefully.

"Free ink," "included ink," "smart printing," and "ink subscription" offers may involve different terms. With the HP DeskJet 4152e specifically, HP+ and Instant Ink were offered together in ways that made the distinction easy to overlook.

HP's current documentation confirms that Instant Ink can be canceled, while HP+-once activated-carries an Original HP ink requirement for the lifetime of the printer.

That distinction is extremely important when deciding whether refilling cartridges or using aftermarket supplies will be part of your long-term printing strategy.

Addressing printer problems can be complicated because many diagnoses and repairs ultimately require hands-on testing. For that reason, we're not able to provide individualized remote troubleshooting, repair instructions, or ongoing printer-repair support. We do offer in-person evaluation and repair through our BCH Technologies printer repair service [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Because demand is high, our facility operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before we're able to accommodate a printer drop-off. Our service options cover either complete printers or certain individual components, with instructions provided for how to proceed. We also recognize that professional repair may not always be the most economical solution, so we strongly encourage self-help research when appropriate. A good starting point is YouTube, including the BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. On our channel homepage, use the search icon near the "About" section to search for the exact printer model, error message, cartridge problem, or repair topic. I receive dozens of questions asking whether we have a video about a particular subject, and after creating videos for more than nine years, it is difficult to remember every video we have published. YouTube's channel search is therefore usually the fastest way to locate relevant material, and YouTube may also recommend useful videos from other creators.

Thank you again for reaching out to us and for supporting BCH Technologies. We appreciate you taking the time to explain what happened with your HP DeskJet 4152e, and I hope the distinction between Instant Ink, HP+, and Dynamic Security makes the situation much clearer and helps you decide what makes the most sense for this printer going forward.