Canon Printer Error E13 — Ink Level Cannot Be Detected

Canon error E13 means the printer cannot detect ink levels in one or more cartridges, which occurs after using non-genuine cartridges or resetting ink counters. This guide covers everything you need to know about this topic, including common causes, step-by-step solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Here are the key things to understand: E13 appears when Canon's ink level monitoring cannot read the cartridge status. Different from E04 (not recognized): E13 means the cartridge is recognized but ink level cannot be determined. Occurs commonly with refilled cartridges where the ink level chip was not reset. Canon allows bypassing this warning to continue printing without ink level monitoring. Printing with unknown ink levels risks running completely dry, which can damage the printhead. Understanding these fundamentals will help you diagnose and resolve this issue more effectively.

The most common reasons this occurs include: Refilled cartridge without ink level chip reset. Third-party cartridge with incompatible ink level reporting. Cartridge chip memory full or corrupted. Ink level reset after genuine cartridge was partially used. Printer firmware update changing ink level communication protocol. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward finding the right solution.

To resolve this, follow these recommended steps: Press and hold the printer's Stop/Reset button for 5+ seconds to bypass the warning and continue printing. If using refilled cartridges: get a chip resetter compatible with your Canon cartridge model. Replace with genuine Canon cartridges for accurate ink level monitoring. Check Canon's ink level bypass procedure specific to your printer model. Monitor print quality manually — stop printing if you see fading or streaking. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider consulting additional resources or a qualified professional.

This article is part of our Printer Error Codes collection on Error Codes Wiki. We provide comprehensive, up-to-date information to help you find solutions quickly.