What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 2600 Use?

Quick answer: The HP DeskJet 2600 series uses HP 65 ink — one black and one tri-color cartridge. The high-yield HP 65XL cartridges (65XL Black and 65XL Tri-Color) print about 300 pages each, compared with 100–120 for standard HP 65, so XL is the one to buy.

HP DeskJet 2600 Ink Cartridges at a Glance

The DeskJet 2600 is a two-cartridge printer: the tri-color cartridge holds cyan, magenta and yellow in one unit, so when one color runs dry you replace the whole cartridge. The same HP 65 / 65XL cartridges fit the entire 2600 series — including the DeskJet 2620, 2622, 2624, 2630, 2632, 2633, 2634, 2635, 2636, 2652 and 2655 — as well as the DeskJet 3720, 3752 and 3755 and the ENVY 5052 and 5055.

The 2600 series is a budget home all-in-one (print, scan, copy) with Wi-Fi and a 60-sheet input tray. It is cheap to buy and expensive to feed with standard cartridges, which is why the ink choice matters more than it does on bigger printers.

Do not confuse HP 65 with HP 63 or HP 67. They look alike, but they will not fit the DeskJet 2600.

Save on HP 65 / 65XL

Castle Ink's remanufactured HP 65XL cartridges — HP 65XL Black (N9K04AN) and HP 65XL Tri-Color (N9K03AN) — cost a fraction of genuine HP XL. Every cartridge is tested, backed by a 1-year guarantee, and ships free on orders over $50. If you print checks, we also carry a HP 65XL Black MICR cartridge.

Want to see what the printer really costs per page? Try our printer ink cost calculator.

How to Replace Ink in the HP DeskJet 2600

1. Turn the printer on and open the ink cartridge access door (lift the scanner lid area and pull the front door down). Wait for the carriage to move to the center and stop.
2. Press down lightly on the cartridge you are replacing to release it, then pull it out toward you. The tri-color cartridge sits on the left, black on the right.
3. Take the new cartridge out of its packaging and pull off the plastic tape by its pink or orange tab. Do not touch the copper contacts or the ink nozzles.
4. Slide the cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle, nozzles facing the printer, and push it forward until it snaps into place.
5. Close the access door. The printer may print an alignment page — scan it if the control panel or HP Smart app asks you to.

Troubleshooting Tips

"Cartridge problem" or "incompatible cartridge": Check the cartridge number first — it is the most common cause. Then remove the cartridge, wipe the copper contacts with a lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water, let them dry, and reseat it firmly.

Streaks or missing colors: Run "Clean Printheads" from the HP Smart app or the printer's Tools menu. The printhead is built into each cartridge on this printer, so if one cleaning cycle does not fix it, the cartridge itself is the likely culprit.

Low-ink warning on a brand-new printer: The cartridges that ship in the box are lower-yield setup cartridges. That early warning is normal — it is not a fault.

Official HP DeskJet 2600 Resources

• HP DeskJet 2600 series — ink and supplies
• HP Customer Support — printers

Bottom Line

The HP DeskJet 2600 runs on HP 65, and HP 65XL is the only sensible buy — it roughly triples the black page count and costs far less per page. Order a black and a tri-color together so you are never stuck with one empty cartridge.

Written and reviewed by William Elward — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer & imaging supplies industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print with only one cartridge in the DeskJet 2600?
Yes. HP's single-cartridge mode lets the printer keep printing with only the black or only the tri-color cartridge installed, but printing is slower and quality drops. Replace the empty cartridge as soon as you can.

Does the DeskJet 2600 use HP 63 or HP 65?
HP 65. HP 63 is for the North American DeskJet 1110/3630 and OfficeJet 3830 models and will not fit.

Does using remanufactured HP 65XL cartridges void my warranty?
No. Under the U.S. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, HP cannot void your printer warranty only because you used compatible or remanufactured cartridges.

How are these page yields measured?
They are approximate figures based on HP's ISO/IEC 24711 testing. Real results depend on what and how often you print.

Shop Compatible Ink at Castle Ink

Find the right cartridge for the HP DeskJet 2600 and every other printer we cover on the Find Ink by Printer page, or work through a fault at our printer troubleshooting center.

Buy the HP DeskJet 2600 on Amazon: HP DeskJet 2600 on Amazon — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

See also: printer says ink cartridge not recognized | faded or streaky prints | printer printing the wrong colors