HP will disable your printer if you try to use ink cartridges from cheaper rivals

Running out of computer ink is up there with stepping on a rogue LEGO piece or stubbing your toe on something.

For whatever reason, it's just annoying.

However, if you own an HP printer it's going to be far more annoying.

According to The Telegraph, the company has released a new 'firmware' update that will prevent you from using anything other than HP ink.

If you try to be sneaky and use something that might be a bit cheaper then your device will be disabled.

It can sometimes be as much as half the cost of the HP ink you're meant to use, so this could be a humungous pain for those with a printer.

HP ink cartridges are fitted with a specific chip that the printer will register when it's inserted.

"Dynamic security equipped printers are intended to work only with cartridges that have new or reused HP chips or electronic circuitry," the company explained.

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"The printers use the dynamic security measures to block cartridges using non-HP chips or modified or non-HP electronic circuitry."

Printers used to display a warning about using 'third-party' cartridges, however now the device will simply refuse to print.

HP does this because it believes 'third-party cartridges that use non-HP chips or circuitry can pose risks to the hardware performance, print quality, and security'.

According to The Mirror, they've put this new update in because they also want 'to maintain the integrity of our printing systems, and protect our intellectual property'.

There is a tiny workaround on this sad, little update.

A spokesperson for HP told The Telegraph that some third-party cartridges 'reuse the HP chip or electronic circuitry and those that do will function as normal'.

Well, you have to take the small wins when you can.

If you don't want to fiddle with that, HP does off an ink subscription service that should save you loads compared to buying cartridges the traditional way.

The Mirror says says you can pay just 99p to print 10 pages per month. There's another option where it costs £4.49 per month for 100 pages.