What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 2050 Use?

by William Elward Last Updated: October 15, 2026

Quick answer: The HP DeskJet 2050 all-in-one (J510 series) uses two HP 61 cartridges: one black and one tri-color. The high-yield HP 61XL versions fit too. Castle Ink stocks remanufactured 61XL Black, 61XL Tri-color and a 61XL combo pack.

It takes the same ink as the DeskJet 1000, 3050 and 3052A. Outside North America the 2050 takes different cartridges: HP 301 in Western Europe, HP 122 in Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and HP 802 in China and India. None of them fit a U.S. printer.

CastleScore · October 2026

69/100 — Situational

HP DeskJet 2050

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	—	No retailer rating with enough reviews to use.
Expert reviews (18%)	—	No published numeric expert score we could verify.
Cost per page (24%)	77	About 6.4¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 61XL (430 / 300 pages). No HP+ lock.
Reliability (13%)	78	Most-reported problems: 'black ink cartridge problem' and cartridge-not-recognized errors; wrong-region cartridges (HP 301, 122 or 802) that won't fit
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 or published expert scores for this printer, so those weights are spread across the other pillars. With neither owner ratings nor a published expert score, we cap this printer at 69 (Situational) until better data is available.

Discontinued. HP sold the DeskJet 2050 (J510 series) in the early 2010s and still keeps a support page for it. HP 61 cartridges are still sold, including HP's new 2026 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 15, 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 2050 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	—

In July 2026 HP replaced its HP 61 singles with new part numbers. The new 61XL black, C0PA4AN, is rated at about 360 pages, and a single new tri-color, C0PA5AN, at about 200 pages replaces both the old standard and XL tri-colors. HP says the new cartridges work in existing printers, and HP lists the 2050 among the printers it tested them in.

Is HP 61XL Worth It?

Yes. On October 15, 2026, Staples listed HP's new 61XL black C0PA4AN at $49.99 (about 13.9¢ a page), the new 61 tri-color at $52.99 and the older CH563WN at $64.89. Our remanufactured 61XL black is $23.95 (about 5.6¢ a page) and the 300-page tri-color $24.95, or $35.99 for the combo pack.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP DeskJet 2050?

Turn the printer on.
Open the cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to move to the center.
Press down lightly on the old cartridge to release it and pull it out.
Unwrap the new cartridge and pull off the tape by its pink tab, without touching the copper contacts.
Slide it in at a slight upward angle until it clicks (tri-color on the left, black on the right), close the door and print the alignment page when asked.

Which Other Printers Use HP 61?

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

What DeskJet 2050 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.

It says there's a black cartridge problem.

Take the cartridge out, make sure all the tape is off, and push it back in until it clicks. Hold it only by the black plastic. If you bought it abroad, check it's an HP 61 and not an HP 301, 122 or 802.

Can it print with only the black cartridge?

Yes. In Windows, go to Printer Properties, then Advanced, and set 'Print in grayscale' to 'Black Ink Only'.

Can I connect it to Wi-Fi?

No. The DeskJet 2050 connects by USB only. You can share it from a computer on your network.

Why do the page counts on new HP 61 cartridges look different?

HP's 2026 replacements are rated differently from the old ones: 360 pages for the new black XL and 200 for the new tri-color.

DeskJet 2050 quirks worth knowing

HP rates it at 5.5 ISO pages a minute in black and 4 in color.
It prints, copies and scans with a flatbed scanner, but has no screen; it's all buttons and lights.
The tray holds about 60 sheets.
There's no Wi-Fi, document feeder, fax or automatic two-sided printing.

Frequently Asked Questions