Do I need an HP account or HP+ for the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e?

The 9015e is an HP+ printer, but HP says you can skip HP+ during setup. If you turn HP+ on, it needs an HP account, an internet connection and Original HP ink for the life of the printer. It cannot be switched off later. Instant Ink is optional. HP says joining Instant Ink means the printer must accept automatic online firmware updates.

HP · Inkjet · HP 962 / 962XL

Does third-party ink still work in the HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e?

Blocked after firmware 2606/2607

Third-party HP 962 cartridges with non-HP chips are blocked once the printer takes HP's recent firmware. Cartridges that reuse a genuine HP chip are the one route HP itself says is allowed.

Third-party status: Blocked after firmware 2606/2607
Account required: Only with HP+
Cartridges: HP 962 / 962XL
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026

Also applies to: OfficeJet Pro 9010, 9010e, 9015, 9016, 9018, 9018e, 9020, 9020e, 9025, 9025e (same HP 962 family)

Third-party and remanufactured cartridges

Int'l ITC, a remanufacturers' trade group, lists the 9015e's whole 962 family among printers hit by its March 2026 firmware updates 2606 and 2607, which stopped remanufactured cartridges from working.^[1]^[2]
HP's own policy: cartridges using a non-HP chip may work for a while, then stop after a firmware update. Cartridges that reuse an original HP chip are not affected.^[3]
Owners reported blocks before 2026 too. A 9010e owner says firmware 1N005.2450B.00, installed automatically in December 2024, rejected third-party cartridges even though HP+ was never turned on.^[4]
Some owners say genuine HP 962 cartridges were also flagged as 'non-HP' right after an update. HP support's advice was to reset, reseat and clean contacts.^[5]^[6]

HP account, HP+ and Instant Ink

The 9015e is an HP+ printer, but HP says you can skip HP+ during setup.^[7]
If you turn HP+ on, it needs an HP account, an internet connection and Original HP ink for the life of the printer. It cannot be switched off later.^[7]
Instant Ink is optional. HP says joining Instant Ink means the printer must accept automatic online firmware updates.^[7]^[3]

Firmware that blocked cartridges

HP firmware 2606 and 2607: March 2026

Firmware 2606 and 2607 (March 2026): Int'l ITC lists the 9010 to 9025e models. Our sources do not say which of the two numbers went to the 9015e.^[1]
1N005.2450B.00 (December 2024, one owner's report on a 9010e). A June 2025 Reddit comment names MANHTNPP1N005.2512A.00 as the then-current 9015e firmware.^[4]^[8]

To see your version, print a printer status report or open the printer's web page. Compare it with the firmware list.

Workarounds that sources back up

Use cartridges that reuse an original HP chip (some remanufactured cartridges do). HP says these are not affected by dynamic security.^[3] Ask the seller if the chip is a reused HP chip before you buy.
Turn off automatic firmware updates so a working setup is not changed. HP says lockout changes arrive through online firmware updates, and points to the user guide for the setting.^[3]^[4] This protects cartridges that work now. It does not undo a block that already happened. Instant Ink needs updates left on.

What does not reliably work

Rolling back firmware: HP says it does not support downgrades on the 9015e, and Reddit owners report they could not find an older file that worked.^[6]^[9]^[10]
Factory resets and power cycles clear false errors on genuine cartridges at best. No source shows them unlocking non-HP chips.^[5]

What to buy instead

Genuine HP 962 / 962XL. Always accepted by the printer. Compare prices across stores before you buy. Shop
Remanufactured 962 with a reused HP chip. The one non-HP option HP says it allows. Check the listing says the chip is reused HP. Shop

These are plain store links. We earn nothing from them today. Disclosure.

What we could not verify

Which of 2606 or 2607 is the 9015e's update. The owner brief said 2607; our sources name both numbers together.
The exact on-printer menu path to turn off updates on the 9015e (we found HP's general instruction, not a verified 9015e path).
Seller claims that 'upgraded chip' cartridges work on current firmware.

Know something we missed? Dated sources beat opinions. Corrections go on the page with a date.

Sources

Int'l ITC: HP's Ongoing Lockout Campaign Continues (published Mar 31, 2026)
The Recycler: I-ITC renews criticism of HP after firmware updates disable cartridges (published Apr 2, 2026)
HP: Dynamic Security Enabled Printers (PDF) (read Oct 21, 2026)
HP Support Community: Third-Party Cartridges Blocked by HP 9010e Firmware (read Oct 21, 2026)
HP Support Community: After firmware update, 9015e says HP 962XL is non-HP (read Oct 21, 2026)
HP Support Community: HP firmware update blocks HP cartridge (read Oct 21, 2026)
HP: Frequently Asked Questions about HP+ Printers (read Oct 21, 2026)
r/techsupport: HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e Firmware Rollback (published May 16, 2023)
r/printers: Need HP OfficeJet Pro 9015 rollback firmware (published May 31, 2025)
r/printers: Giving up on downgrading firmware of HP OfficeJet 9010 (published Aug 15, 2025)