Lexmark 88.xx - cartridge low or nearly empty
The printer is reporting the toner level in one of its cartridges, with the digits after 88 indicating how far through it is. Lower numbers are early warnings and higher ones mean the cartridge is close to the end of its life. Printing usually continues until the cartridge is genuinely exhausted, so this is a notice rather than a fault.
What causes it
- The cartridge is genuinely running low on toner
- A refilled cartridge reports the chip's original level rather than the actual toner
- Heavy coverage printing has consumed toner faster than expected
- The cartridge chip is reporting incorrectly after a refill
- The printer has been configured to warn earlier than the default
How to fix it, in order
Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.
Check the actual supply level
Open the printer's web page by typing its IP address into a browser and look at the supplies or status page, or use the panel's Reports › Device Statistics. This shows the estimated remaining life for each cartridge so you know whether to act now or later.
Redistribute toner to extend the cartridge
Remove the cartridge, hold it level and rock it gently side to side several times, then refit it. This spreads the remaining toner across the roller and often buys a few hundred more pages when print starts fading.
Order the correct replacement
Find the exact cartridge part number on the label inside the front door or on the current cartridge, and check whether your model uses standard or high-yield versions. Lexmark also sells return-program and regular cartridges, which are not interchangeable in every case.
Fit the new cartridge properly
Remove all packing material, hold the cartridge level, rock it gently to distribute toner, then slide it in until it clicks. Close the door fully. The printer clears the 88 message automatically once the new chip is read.
Adjust the warning threshold if it appears too early
On the printer's web page under Settings › Device › Notifications, or the equivalent supplies section, you can change when low-supply warnings appear. Setting a later threshold stops premature nagging while still giving you time to order.
Check print quality rather than the level alone
If pages still look clean and solid, keep printing. Lexmark's estimates are conservative and cartridges frequently continue for a considerable number of pages after the first warning.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Printers that show this code
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep printing with an 88 message?
Yes, usually for a good while. Print quality is the real indicator, and pages that still look solid mean the cartridge has life left.
Why does a refilled cartridge always say low?
The chip was not reset, so it still reports the level from the end of its previous life. Only a reset or replacement chip fixes that.
What do the digits after 88 mean?
They indicate how far through the cartridge is and which supply is affected. Higher values are closer to empty.
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