How to Block HP Printer Firmware Updates (Printer Settings and Router)

HP firmware updates can stop compatible and refilled cartridges from working, even ones that printed fine the day before. You can block HP printer firmware updates in two layers: turn off automatic updates in the printer itself, then, if you want a backstop, stop the printer from reaching HP’s servers through your router. Here is how to do both, which printers can’t be protected this way, and what you give up.

Why HP firmware updates block non-HP cartridges

HP calls this “dynamic security.” HP says it plainly in its own printer manuals.

From the HP LaserJet Pro MFP 4110 series user guide: the printer “is intended to work only with cartridges that have a new or reused HP chip.” It “uses dynamic security measures to block cartridges using a non-HP chip.” And “periodic firmware updates delivered over the internet will maintain the effectiveness of the dynamic security measures and block cartridges that previously worked.”

So the cartridge didn’t go bad. The printer got new rules overnight.

Two details in HP’s wording matter:

• Reused HP chips are allowed. HP says “a reused HP chip enables the use of reused, remanufactured, and refilled cartridges.” That’s why many remanufactured cartridges keep working after updates.
• You can usually choose. The same HP text says “most HP printers can be configured to receive updates either automatically or with a notification that allows you to choose whether to update or not.” The exception: printers enrolled in “certain HP programs such as Instant Ink or use other services that require automatic online firmware updates.”

Updates are not only about cartridges. HP’s text also says updates can “protect against security threats.” We cover that trade-off below.

Can you block firmware updates on your HP printer?

Check this first. Some HP printers can’t be protected this way.

1. 1Is your printer an HP LaserJet whose model name ends in “e” or “we” (for example M110we, M140we, M209dwe, M234dwe)?

   Yes

   It accepts only original HP cartridges. Blocking updates won’t change that. See why HP “e” LaserJets don’t accept aftermarket cartridges.

   No

   Go to question 2.

2. 2Did you turn on HP+ when you set up the printer?

   Yes

   HP+ requires internet and original HP ink for the life of the printer. See HP+ and “e” printers.

   No or not sure

   Go to question 3. If you’re not sure, check your HP account or the HP Smart app for the printer’s HP+ status.

3. 3Is the printer enrolled in HP Instant Ink right now?

   Yes

   HP says printers in programs such as Instant Ink may require automatic online firmware updates. Cancel Instant Ink first if you want to switch to cartridges you buy yourself.

   No

   You can block updates. Start with the printer settings.

How to turn off automatic updates on an HP printer

This is the main fix. It’s free and takes about two minutes. HP printers ship with automatic updates on. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8020 series user guide states “The default setting of Auto Update is On.”

1. OfficeJet Pro and most HP inkjets: use the touchscreen Free

   Open the Dashboard (swipe down from the top of the screen or touch the tab at the top), then go to:

   Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update the Printer > Printer Update Options

   HP’s OfficeJet Pro 8020 guide lists three choices: Install Automatically (Recommended), Alert When Available, and Do Not Check. Pick Do Not Check to stop updates, or Alert When Available if you want to decide each time. Some models word these as “Notify When Available” or “Do Not Check for Updates.”

2. LaserJet Pro with a touchscreen Free

   On models like the LaserJet Pro MFP M428 and M429, HP’s user guide uses a two-part menu:

   Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update the Printer > Manage Updates > Allow Updates
   Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update the Printer > Printer Update Options

   Set Allow Updates to No if you never want updates. If you leave updates allowed, change Printer Update Options away from “Install Automatically.” On some newer LaserJets the path starts from Menu or Settings instead of Setup. Check your user guide for the exact wording.

3. Do it again in the Embedded Web Server Free

   Print a network configuration page or check the printer’s screen for its IP address. Type that address into a browser on the same network. This opens the Embedded Web Server (EWS).

   Tools tab > Printer Updates > Firmware Updates

   That’s the path HP’s OfficeJet Pro 8020 guide gives. Choose the option that doesn’t install automatically. On LaserJets the update settings may sit under a General or System tab instead.

   Newer models lock EWS settings. HP’s LaserJet Pro 4110 guide says to “use a printer PIN or administrator password” and that the default PIN is on a label at the left side of the toner cartridge access area. On OfficeJet Pro 9010e series printers, the PIN label is inside the cartridge access door.

4. On newer LaserJets, check the cartridge policy too Free

   Some LaserJet Pro models have a setting called Authorized HP Cartridge Policy. When it’s on, the printer accepts only original HP cartridges, with or without an update. HP’s 4110 series guide puts it at Menu > Settings > Supplies on the control panel, or Supplies > Supply Settings in the EWS. Make sure it’s off.

HP Smart app and HP software on your computer

The printer menu isn’t the only way firmware arrives. HP software can also start an update.

• HP Smart (the HP app). HP support agents on HP’s own forum point users to the app’s Printer Settings > Advanced Settings to check for and install updates. Advanced Settings opens the same EWS pages as your browser. Don’t tap “Update” when the app offers one.
• HP Printer Update utility. HP’s LaserJet guides list this Windows utility as a way to update over USB or a network. Don’t run a firmware file you downloaded unless you intend to update.
• Pop-ups on Windows or Mac. If HP software says a printer update is ready, close it or choose “later.”

USB-only printers can still be updated this way, because the computer does the download. A router block won’t stop that.

How to block HP printer firmware updates at the router

A router block is a backstop in case a setting gets switched back on. Option 1 is simple and certain. Option 2 is precise but takes more work.

Option 1: Block the printer’s internet access

Most home routers can block one device from the internet under a menu like Parental Controls, Access Control, or Device Management. Pick the printer and block it. Free

The printer still prints from computers and phones on your home network. You lose features that need HP’s cloud, such as printing from away from home, HP ePrint email printing, and Instant Ink.

Option 2: Block only the update servers with Pi-hole or AdGuard Home

If you want to keep HP’s cloud features, you can block only the update traffic. The catch: you need to know which server names your printer uses.

Here’s how to find your printer’s own lookups. It works with Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, or a router that shows DNS logs per device.

1. Fix the printer’s addressReserve a fixed IP for the printer in your router’s DHCP settings so it’s easy to find in the logs.
2. Route its DNSMake sure the printer uses your Pi-hole or AdGuard Home for DNS, through the router or the printer’s own network settings.
3. Watch the logFilter the query log by the printer’s IP. Leave it a day or two, and run a manual “check for updates” once.
4. Block the update namesBlock the domains that appear when the update check runs. Leave print and scan traffic alone.
5. Test and re-checkPrint a test page. Run “check for updates” again. It should fail. Re-check the log every few months.

1. Pi-hole $

   Pi-hole runs on a small computer such as a Raspberry Pi. Its database records each requested domain and which client asked for it. Open the query log, look for entries from the printer’s IP, and note the HP names that show up during an update check. Block one from the web interface or with the command pihole deny example.hp-server-name, replacing the example with the real name from your log.

2. AdGuard Home $

   AdGuard Home also keeps a query log. Look for entries from the printer’s IP. Then add a custom filtering rule in this format to block a domain and all its subdomains:

   ||example.hp-server-name^

   Again, swap in the name from your own log.

3. Routers with DNS filtering Free

   Some routers can block a domain name for one device or for the whole network. Look for “domain filter,” “URL block,” or “content filter.” Menu names vary by brand.

The security trade-off: what you give up

Be honest with yourself about this part. Firmware updates don’t only block cartridges. They also fix security holes.

A real example: in 2021, F-Secure researchers reported flaws affecting at least 150 HP multifunction printer models, including one with a severity score of 9.3 out of 10 that could let an attacker run code on the printer. HP released firmware fixes on November 1, 2021 (BleepingComputer, November 2021). Printers that never updated stayed exposed.

If you block updates, lower the risk in other ways:

• Keep the printer off the open internet. Never forward router ports to it. Option 1 above, blocking its internet access, does the most here.
• Set an EWS password or keep the PIN. Don’t leave admin settings open on the network.
• Turn off features you don’t use, such as HP ePrint email printing or Wi-Fi Direct.
• Check now and then. If HP publishes a security bulletin for your model, weigh it. In a busy office with many users, a security fix may matter more than cartridge savings.

A home printer with no remote access is a lower risk than a shared office printer. Choose with that in mind.

HP+ printers and HP “e/we” LaserJets: why blocking isn’t an option

HP+ is a setup option on many HP printers whose model names end in “e.” HP’s FAQ says “HP+ requires an HP account, Internet connection, and use of Original HP Ink for the lifetime of the printer,” and “once activated, HP+ is embedded in the device.”

HP’s OfficeJet Pro 9010e series guide adds that HP+ printers are cloud-connected devices that only work properly when they stay connected to the internet, and that HP+ firmware updates come through that connection. So you can’t cut the connection to stop updates. The printer will stop working properly instead.

What this means for you:

• Already activated HP+? Plan on original HP cartridges for that printer. Our HP+ setup warning explains what happens and why we recommend skipping it.
• Setting up a new “e” inkjet? Skip HP+ and the Instant Ink trial on the setup screens if you want to use compatible cartridges.
• HP LaserJet ending in “e” or “we”? These accept only original HP toner. Read HP “e” printers don’t accept aftermarket cartridges.

What to do if an update already blocked your cartridges

If the printer suddenly shows a cartridge error right after an update, and the same cartridges worked before, work through these steps.

1. Turn off updates now Free

   Do this before you install anything new, so the next cartridge isn’t blocked by a second update. Use the printer settings above.

2. Rule out a simple fault Free

   Not every cartridge error is firmware. Reseat the cartridge, check the chip contacts, and power-cycle the printer. Our HP cartridge problem guide walks through it. Any cartridge, original or compatible, can occasionally be defective.

3. Contact us before you buy again Free

   If you bought the cartridges from Swift Ink, contact our support team with your printer model and the exact error. You can also call (866) 461-3801 or email sales@swiftink.com. For return and exchange terms, see our returns and exchanges policy.

4. Switch to firmware-safe cartridges $

   Many remanufactured cartridges reuse original HP chips, which HP’s own text says are allowed. See our list of firmware-safe HP ink cartridges.

Cheat sheet: blocking HP firmware updates

Frequently asked questions

Can I stop my HP printer from updating firmware?

Usually, yes. HP says most of its printers can be set to notify you instead of updating automatically. Use Printer Update Options on the control panel or the Embedded Web Server. HP+ printers, Instant Ink printers, and “e/we” LaserJets are the exceptions.

Can I roll back HP printer firmware after an update?

Don’t count on it. HP’s consumer support documents explain how to update, not how to go back, and some LaserJet models block remote downgrades. The practical fix is to turn off updates and use cartridges that work with the current firmware, such as firmware-safe HP ink cartridges.

Which HP servers should I block on my router?

We don’t publish a list, because HP doesn’t, and the lists circulating online aren’t verified. Watch your own printer’s DNS lookups in Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, or your router log during an update check, then block those names. Or block the printer’s internet access entirely.

Will my HP printer still work without internet?

A standard HP printer that isn’t on HP+ or Instant Ink still prints and scans over your home network or USB without internet. HP+ printers need an ongoing internet connection to work properly.

Is it safe to block printer firmware updates?

It’s a trade-off. HP says updates can protect against security threats, and real printer flaws have been fixed by firmware. If you block updates, keep the printer off the open internet, set an EWS password, and check HP’s security bulletins for your model from time to time.

Does the same advice apply to Epson printers?

The idea is the same, but the menus and risks differ. See our guide to blocking Epson firmware updates.