A Canon printer that refuses to print despite showing full ink levels and displaying a P07 or 5B00 error is experiencing a specific problem that has nothing to do with the ink cartridges — and replacing cartridges will not fix it. Understanding the actual cause leads to a permanent resolution in under ten minutes without replacing any hardware or contacting Canon support.
The complete canon printer has ink but wont print guide covering P07 errors, ink absorber pad resets, chip recognition failures, and all other causes is available free at printersolved.com/canon-printer-has-ink-but-wont-print/
What the P07 and 5B00 Error Actually Means
The P07 or 5B00 error indicates that the printer’s internal ink absorber pad has reached its capacity limit. Every Canon inkjet printer contains one or more felt pads inside the machine that collect waste ink from cleaning cycles, print head initialization sequences, and normal ink purging operations that occur automatically during startup and shutdown. These pads are designed to last the expected lifespan of the printer under normal usage conditions but fill up prematurely when a large number of cleaning cycles have been run unnecessarily — particularly deep cleaning cycles, which push a significantly larger volume of ink into the pad than standard cleaning.
Canon’s firmware tracks absorber pad usage through an internal counter that increments with each cleaning cycle and initialization sequence. When this counter reaches a threshold the firmware considers the pad full, it locks the printer to prevent ink overflow from damaging the internal electronic components and circuit boards underneath. The lock is enforced at the firmware level — it cannot be bypassed by power cycling the printer, performing a factory reset, changing ink cartridges, or reinstalling the driver. The printer refuses all print jobs until the absorber counter is reset regardless of how much ink remains in the cartridges and regardless of how many times you restart the printer.
How to Fix the P07 and 5B00 Error
The fix is resetting the absorber counter using the Canon Service Tool. This utility is available as a free download for Windows and includes an absorber counter reset function specifically designed for this purpose. The process requires connecting the printer to the computer via USB cable rather than WiFi, opening the service tool, selecting the correct printer model from the tool’s supported list, and clicking the absorber pad reset button. The counter resets to zero, the firmware lifts the lock, and the printer resumes accepting print jobs immediately after the reset completes.
The reset does not physically clean or replace the absorber pad — it only resets the firmware counter tracking its estimated capacity. If the absorber pad is genuinely saturated rather than just at the firmware limit, the pad may require physical replacement eventually, though for most home users the counter reset is sufficient for continued use.
The Canon Service Tool version varies by printer model — search specifically for the version compatible with your exact model number. Using an incorrect version for your model may not show your printer in the supported list or may not perform the reset correctly.
After completing the reset, run a test print to confirm the printer has resumed normal operation. The P07 or 5B00 error indicator should clear immediately after the reset.
Preventing the Error From Recurring
The single most effective prevention measure is eliminating unnecessary cleaning cycles. Many users run cleaning cycles as a first response to any print quality issue without first checking whether a clog actually exists. Each standard cleaning cycle consumes ink and adds to the absorber pad counter. Each deep cleaning cycle consumes significantly more.
Before running any cleaning cycle, print a nozzle check pattern from the printer’s Maintenance menu. Examine each color row on the printed pattern. Only run a cleaning cycle if the nozzle check shows visible gaps or missing segments in one or more rows. If the nozzle check shows complete rows, no cleaning is needed regardless of perceived print quality issues — the cause is elsewhere.
Keeping the printer powered on rather than unplugging it when not in use also reduces absorber consumption. When a Canon printer is powered on normally it performs a brief initialization sequence. When it is plugged in after being unplugged it performs a more extensive initialization that uses more ink and contributes more to the absorber counter.
Other Causes of Canon Printer Full Ink But Won’t Print
Beyond the absorber error, several other causes produce the same symptom of full ink with no printing output.
The dual cartridge dependency requirement affects most Canon inkjet models. Both the black and color cartridges must be installed and above the empty threshold before the printer processes any print job — including documents that print entirely in black. When the color cartridge is completely depleted the printer locks all output regardless of how full the black cartridge is. The solution is replacing the depleted color cartridge even if you only need to print black documents. Check each cartridge individually by removing and shaking it gently — a depleted cartridge feels light and produces no liquid movement sound.
Chip recognition failure on refilled cartridges is another common cause. Canon cartridges contain a microchip that tracks ink usage by counting pages and cleaning cycles rather than directly measuring remaining ink. After the chip’s counter registers depletion it locks in that state even after the reservoir is physically refilled with fresh ink. The printer reads the chip status rather than the actual ink level and refuses to print. A chip resetter tool — a small electronic device available from third-party printer supply retailers for a few dollars — resets the chip counter back to a full state. After resetting the chip the printer recognizes the cartridge as new and full and resumes printing normally.
Driver color mode set to Color only is a frequently overlooked cause that produces blank output rather than any error message. Open Printer Preferences on your computer and find the Color Mode or Print Type setting. If it is set to Color only rather than Auto or Grayscale, the driver routes all print output through the cyan, magenta, and yellow channels and bypasses the dedicated black cartridge entirely. This produces completely blank black text output even when the black cartridge is completely full and functioning normally. Switch the setting to Auto or Grayscale and send a test print before attempting any other troubleshooting.
Protective orange tape remaining on a new cartridge is the most commonly missed cause on recently replaced cartridges. Every new Canon cartridge ships with a piece of orange tape covering the nozzle on the underside of the cartridge. If this tape was not removed during installation the printer goes through the full printing motion — the paper feeds, the carriage moves, the print head fires — and produces completely blank output regardless of ink level. Remove each cartridge and inspect the bottom carefully under good lighting for any remaining tape fragments before assuming a hardware problem.
For the complete canon printer ink full but not printing guide covering nozzle check procedures, print head assessment, model-specific absorber reset tool instructions, and ink absorber pad replacement guidance, visit PrinterSolved free at printersolved.com/canon-printer-has-ink-but-wont-print/ — no registration required.
Submit guest articles that reach decision-makers, influencers, and professionals. Yarabook offers a trusted platform for quality content, strong backlinks, and SEO-driven visibility. Pay. Publish. Promote.