What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 1050 Use?

by Lauren Elward Last Updated: October 16, 2026

Quick answer: The HP DeskJet 1050 all-in-one (J410 series) uses two HP 61 cartridges: one black and one tri-color. The high-yield HP 61XL versions fit too, and so do HP's newer 61 part numbers, C0PA4AN and C0PA5AN. Castle Ink stocks remanufactured 61XL Black, 61XL Tri-color and a 61XL combo pack.

It takes the same ink as the DeskJet 1051, 1056 and 2050. Watch the region: HP lists HP 301 for the same series in Western Europe, HP 122 in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, and HP 802 in China and India. The UK 1050A takes HP 301. None of them fit a U.S. printer.

CastleScore · October 2026

74/100 — Recommended

HP DeskJet 1050

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	—	No retailer rating with enough reviews to use.
Expert reviews (18%)	83	Trusted Reviews: 8.25/10 average across its four category scores (no overall score shown)
Cost per page (24%)	77	About 6.5¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 61XL (430 / 300 pages).
Reliability (13%)	82	Most-reported problems: 'incompatible' or 'incorrect cartridge' errors after installing a new cartridge; blinking cartridge lights; carriage stalls and paper not feeding
Features (12%)	45	Print, copy, scan over USB. No Wi-Fi, no display, no document feeder, no auto two-sided printing, no fax.
Value (5%)	76	Running cost and owner satisfaction

Limited data: We could not find enough owner ratings for this printer, so that weight is spread across the other pillars.

Discontinued. HP sold the DeskJet 1050 (J410 series) from about 2010, and its HP store page now shows supplies only. HP 61 cartridges are still sold, including HP's newer part numbers.

CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 16, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

The cartridges, pictured

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

What Ink Cartridges Does the HP DeskJet 1050 Take?

Cartridge	HP part no.	Approx. yield	Castle Ink option
HP 61 Black	CH561WN	~170 pages	—
HP 61 Tri-color	CH562WN	~150 pages	—
HP 61XL Black	CH563WN	~430 pages	Remanufactured 61XL Black
HP 61XL Tri-color	CH564WN	~300 pages	Remanufactured 61XL Tri-color
HP 61XL Black (new)	C0PA4AN	~360 pages	—
HP 61 Tri-color (new)	C0PA5AN	~200 pages	—

HP now sells newer HP 61 cartridges next to the classic ones. The new 61XL black, C0PA4AN, is rated at about 360 pages, fewer than the 430 of the older CH563WN, and the new tri-color, C0PA5AN, at about 200. HP also sells them as a C0PA6AN 2-pack. Staples marks CH563WN as discontinued soon and shows CH564WN out of stock.

Is HP 61XL Worth It?

Yes. On October 16, 2026, Staples listed HP's 61XL black CH563WN at $64.89 (about 15.1¢ a page) and the new 200-page 61 tri-color C0PA5AN at $52.99 (about 26.5¢ a page). The older 61XL tri-color was $71.99 and out of stock. Our remanufactured 61XL black is $23.95 (about 5.6¢ a page) and the 300-page tri-color $24.95 (about 8.3¢ a page), or $35.99 for the combo pack.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP DeskJet 1050?

With the printer on, open the cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to stop in the center.
Push down on the old cartridge to release it and pull it out. Tri-color goes on the left, black on the right.
Unpack the new cartridge and pull off the plastic tape. Don't touch the copper contacts or nozzles.
Slide the cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle until it snaps in. Try not to lean on the printer.
Close the door. Only align the cartridges if the printer asks or print quality is poor, since alignment uses ink.

Which Other Printers Use HP 61?

The DeskJet 1000, 1010, 1051, 1055, 1056, 1510, 2050, 2540, 2542, 3050, 3052A and 3054A; the ENVY 4500, 4501, 4502, 5530 and 5535; and the OfficeJet 2620, 4630, 4632 and 4635.

What DeskJet 1050 owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer in HP's support community and owner reviews, answered in our words.

My new cartridge says 'incompatible'. What do I do?

Unplug the printer for 60 seconds, reseat the cartridge and check it's an HP 61, not an HP 301, 122 or 802 bought abroad. If it still fails, the cartridge is probably faulty and should be replaced.

One cartridge light is blinking.

The cartridge is badly seated, still taped, the wrong type or running low. Take it out, pull off any tape and push it back in. If print quality is poor, replace it.

The attention light is blinking and nothing moves.

The cartridge door is open or the carriage is blocked. Close the door, clear any jammed paper, then press any button except Cancel.

Can I print with only one cartridge?

HP's light guide says that when one cartridge runs low you can keep printing on the other until you replace it.

DeskJet 1050 quirks worth knowing

Trusted Reviews lists HP's rated speeds of 5.5 pages a minute in black and 4 in color. HP's spec sheet quotes up to 16 and 10 in draft mode.
There's no screen. It runs on four buttons: black copy, color copy, cancel and power.
HP's spec sheet lists a 50-sheet input tray and a 30-sheet output tray; Trusted Reviews says 60 in.
It connects by USB 2.0 only, with no Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Trusted Reviews found the cartridges awkward to fit.

Frequently Asked Questions