Buying a pre-owned HP OfficeJet 5258 All-in-One Printer is a solid option in terms of saving money while still getting a powerful, all-in-one printer right for your home or small office. One universal issue with used printers, though, is that they tend to be still associated with the old owner’s HP account and therefore enrolled in the HP Instant Ink subscription. This will block you from being able to register the printer under your own HP account, sign up for Instant Ink, or even properly use the printer. In this guide, we’re going to show you the steps to reset or remove the old owner’s Instant Ink and HP account information from a used HP OfficeJet 5258, so you can add your account and start using the printer.
Read: How To Add Paper to Instant Ink Subscription
Understanding the Problem:
Even when you purchase a used HP OfficeJet 5258, it could still be tied to the previous owner’s HP account. Instant Ink is HP’s subscription service that watches how much you print and automatically posts you replacement cartridges. For it to work, the printer must be connected to the web and associated with an HP account. If the previous owner has not deleted the printer from their account, you won’t be able to:
Error messages about the printer already being registered on another HP account.
- Can’t sign up for Instant Ink with my own account.
- 72 Cartridges were used beyond the limits of the subscription settings.
- Restricted access to some printer settings or functions.
To fix this, you will have to remove the printer from the previous owner’s account and reset it to its original state. This is a little bit of a mix between factory resets, network setup, and things related to accounts. Here, we’ll describe the complete process.
Instructions for ResStep-by-Step Guide to Resetting Your HP OfficeJet 5258etting Your HP OfficeJet 5258:
Step 1: Factory Reset the Printer:
When the printer is factory reset, a cold reset is performed, and the printer is set to its default state to clear all information from its memory, including account details, network information, and Instant Ink information. This is how you can do it in the HP OfficeJet 5258:
- Turn on the Printer: The printer should be on and ready cocks.
- Open the Control Panel: Click on the setup menu from the printer’s control Panel i.e the gear icon.
- Navigate to Printer Maintenance: Scroll down to Printer Maintenance or Tools and tap it.
- Choose to Restore Factory Defaults:
- Find an option called Restore Factory Defaults, Reset All Settings, or Factory Reset.
- Follow with “yes” and press Enter after that. The printer will now reset and clear all settings, including old HP account and Instant Ink subscription info.
- Validating the Reset: Once the printer is off and back on, validate the settings once again to make sure it no longer shows the previous owner’s Instant Ink status/account.
Note: If the standard reset option is not available due to admin lock or other variations, use a semi-full reset. It includes certain button combinations depending on the model. As there are no HP OfficeJet 5258 semi-full reset instructions and they are model-dependent, you should contact HP Support or visit the HP Support Community to avoid corrupting the device with improper steps.
Step 2: Remove the Printer from the Previous Owner’s HP Account:
After a factory reset, the printer might still show up in the previous owner’s HP account if he/she didn’t manually remove it. Best case, the last owner would log in to their HP account and remove the printer, but you might not have contact with them. Here’s what you can do:
1- Request the Old Owner to Uninstall the Printer:
- If you inform the seller, ask them to sign in to their HP account using hpinstantink.com or [hpconnected.com].
- They are supposed to go to the Printers tab, click on the OfficeJet 5258 , and then click on Remove Printer.
- If the printer is on Instant Ink, they might have to cancel the sub, or wait until the billing cycle ends (as some users report: The printer does not fully disable the ink plan, even if it is removed from your account, until and unless your billing cycle ends)
2- When You Can’t Reach the Old Owner:
- A factory reset with work, and you should be able to add the printer to your own hp account. If the printer is still listed as being registered to another account when you start to enroll in Instant Ink, go to Step 3, and then contact HP Support for help.
Step 3: Prepare the Printer with Your HP Account:
When you’ve reset your printer and it is no longer associated with the former owner, configure it with your HP account:
- Reconnect to Wi-Fi:
- On the printer control panel, navigate to Setup > Network > Wireless Setup Wizard.
- Follow the procedures to link your printer to a Wi-Fi network.
- Sign Up / Log In with HP:
- Visit hpconnected.com or get the HP Smart app for your PC or mobile device.
- Log in with your HP account, or create one if you don’t have one.
- Add the Printer:
- From the HP Smart app or HP Connected, click Add Printer.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to find and add the OfficeJet 5258. You may be prompted for your printer’s serial number or a claim code; you will find the serial number on a sticker on your printer, and you can print the claim code by selecting “Print” on the printer’s Reports menu under Web Services.
- Sign up for Instant Ink (Optional)
- If you’d like to sign up for Instant Ink, visit hpinstantink. com and sign in.
- Follow the steps to register the printer and select a plan. You might be asked to demonstrate ownership with the printer’s serial or model number.
Step 4: Disable Web Services (Optional for Non-Instant Ink Users):
Finally, if you have no intention of using Instant Ink and wish to stop this printer from checking the status of Instant Ink cartridges, you can turn off HP Web Services and ePrint:
- Access Web Services Settings:
- From the printer control panel, navigate to Setup > Web Services Setup or Network Setup.
- Choose Turn Off, Turn Off, or Disable Web Services.
- Reconfirm Disable: Follow the instructions on the printer screen to reconfirm disabling Web Services. This is blocking the printer from reaching the HP servers for Instant Ink status lookup.
- Use Normal Cartridges: Once web services have been turned off, the printer can use regular HP cartridges (as HP 63 or 63XL) instead of HP Instant Ink cartridges. Note: Without an active subscription, the Instant Ink cartridges will not work.
Step 5: Troubleshoot Persistent Issues:
If you’ve run into problems such as the printer thinking it’s still registered, or locked cartridges for any reason, then some extra steps need to be taken.
- Check for Cartridge Errors: If the printer shows a message Cartridge cannot be used until enrolled in HP Instant Ink, you are using an incompatible cartridge; try installing a standard HP cartridge. Instant Ink cartridges are for the original printer & cannot be used in an alternate machine or as a single-use/cartridge in your printer.
- Contact HP Support: After performing a factory reset, the printer might still be associated with another account; contact HP Support at support.hp.com or the HP Support Forums. Give them the serial number of the printer and tell them you bought it used. HP might need to physically delete the printer from the previous owner’s account or offer some reset instructions.
- Update Firmware: Download the latest firmware from HP’s website, then update the printer’s firmware with the HP Smart app periodically to ensure that you can experience all features of your printer, including printing.
Important Notes and Tips:
- Proof of Ownership: If you sign up a used printer, ownership may be requested by HP, which can be a serial number or a copy of the receipt. By being prepared with this data, you will not have any delays.
- Instant Ink Cartridge Restrictions: Instant Ink cartridges may not be included if using the printer purchase model; see Instant Ink terms: An enrollment card may only be used once. If the old owner left Instant Ink cartridges, they are likely not to be used unless they enroll in Instant Ink with the same printer.
- No Unauthorized Hacks: There are instructions is Internet sources about “hacking” Instant Ink by finding a way to reset the network BEFORE the paid subscription ends, so you can use any “leftover” cartridges. This is against HP’s TOS and can mess up the printer. But don’t do that, buy stock cartridges or sign up for Instant Ink the right way.
- HP Smart App: The HP Smart app is required for full functionality. Expect to download the app and stay connected to the internet to use certain capabilities.
Conclusion:
Clearing the Previous Owner’s HP Instant Ink and HP Account Information in a Used HP OfficeJet 5258 is Easy With the Correct Steps. But if you factory reset it, have it removed from the old account, and set it up again in your own HP account, you will be able to completely claim it and make it work the way you meant. No matter if you sign up for Instant Ink or use regular cartridges, these tactics will help you navigate the most common issues with thrifted printers. HP Support is also a useful guide for resolving any problems and preparing your printer for use.
Now, your OfficeJet 5258 has been reset and linked to your account, so you get to use your new printer with its printing, scanning, and copying functions. Happy printing!