What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 6540 Use?

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Quick answer: The HP DeskJet 6540 uses two cartridges: an HP 94 or HP 96 black and an HP 95 or HP 97 tri-color. For photos you can swap the black for an HP 99 photo or HP 100 gray photo cartridge. Castle Ink stocks remanufactured HP 96 Black, HP 97 Tri-color, HP 94 Black, HP 95 Tri-color, HP 99 Photo, HP 100 Gray Photo and a 96 + 97 combo pack.

It shares these cartridges with the DeskJet 6940, OfficeJet 7410 and Photosmart 8450. The 6540dt, 6540xi and 6543 take the same inks. European 6540s use different numbers: HP 338 and 339 black and HP 343 and 344 tri-color. We couldn't confirm those work in a U.S. printer, so buy by the U.S. numbers below.

CastleScore · October 2026

77/100 — Recommended

HP DeskJet 6540

Pillar (weight)ScoreWhat it is based on
Owner ratings (28%) — No retailer rating with enough reviews to use.
Expert reviews (18%) 75 Average of four German-language magazine tests of the European model via testberichte.de: ColorFoto 75.5/100, PC Direkt 83%, PC Professionell 80.3/100 and Konsument 63% (all 2005)
Cost per page (24%) 94 About 1.8¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured HP 96 black (860 pages) and HP 97 tri-color (560 pages). Photo printing with the HP 99 (about 130 pages) or HP 100 (about 115) costs more.
Reliability (13%) 84 Most-reported problems: flashing print cartridge light from a wrong or unseated cartridge; paper jams; picking up several sheets at once; all lights flashing from a printer error
Features (12%) 38 Print only, over USB, with a second USB port on the front. Auto two-sided printing and a 250-sheet second tray are optional add-ons. Networking needs an external HP Jetdirect print server. No scanner, no display, no Wi-Fi, no fax.
Value (5%) 78 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 launched the DeskJet 6540 in 2004. In October 2026 original HP 95 and 97 cartridges were out of stock at Staples and Walmart, the HP 96 was backordered at 4inkjets, and 4inkjets listed HP's 99 and 100 as discontinued.

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 17, 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 6540 Take?

Cartridge HP part no. Approx. yield Castle Ink option
HP 94 Black C8765WN ~480 pages Remanufactured HP 94 Black
HP 96 Black (large) C8767WN ~860 pages Remanufactured HP 96 Black
HP 95 Tri-color C8766WN ~330 pages Remanufactured HP 95 Tri-color
HP 97 Tri-color (large) C9363WN ~560 pages Remanufactured HP 97 Tri-color
HP 99 Photo (optional) C9369WN ~130 photos Remanufactured HP 99 Photo
HP 100 Gray Photo (optional) C9368AN ~115 photos Remanufactured HP 100 Gray Photo
HP 94 + 95 combo — ~480 / 330 pages Remanufactured 94 + 95 combo
HP 96 + 97 combo — ~860 / 560 pages Remanufactured 96 + 97 combo

The photo cartridges go in the black (right) slot, so you swap them in and out by hand. Yields are seller-listed figures. Staples also sells a newer HP 96 Economy black (B3B22AN), but its page doesn't confirm it fits the 6540.

Are HP 96 and 97 Worth It?

Yes. They print almost twice as many pages as the 94 and 95. On October 17, 2026, 4inkjets listed HP's 96 black at $52.99 (about 6.2¢ a page), backordered, and Walmart listed HP's 97 tri-color at $79.89 (about 14.3¢ a page), out of stock. Staples had the smaller 95 tri-color at $72.99 (about 22¢ a page), also out of stock. Our remanufactured HP 96 black and HP 97 tri-color are $12.95 each, about 1.5¢ and 2.3¢ a page, or $25.99 for the combo pack. 4inkjets listed HP's 99 photo at $42.99 and 100 gray at $28.99, both discontinued; ours are $12.95 and $23.95.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP DeskJet 6540?

  1. With the printer on and plain paper in the In tray, open the printer cover.
  2. Wait until the cradle is idle and silent, then lift the cartridge latch.
  3. Slide the old cartridge out. Tri-color goes in the left cradle; black, photo or gray photo in the right.
  4. Unpack the new cartridge and pull off only the pink tape. Hold it with the copper strips on the bottom, facing the printer, and slide it into the cradle.
  5. Push the latch down until it snaps shut, close the cover, and align the cartridges when asked.

Which Other Printers Use HP 94, 95, 96 and 97?

The DeskJet 5740, 5940, 6520, 6620, 6830, 6840, 6940, 6980 and 9800; the OfficeJet 7210, 7310, 7410 and K7100; and the Photosmart 2575, 2610, 2710, 8030, 8050, 8150, 8450, 8750, B8330 and B8350. Check the black cartridge for each model, as some take only one of the two.

What DeskJet 6540 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.

Should I buy the HP 94 or the HP 96 black?

Both fit. The HP 96 prints about 860 pages against about 480 for the HP 94, so it's the better buy per page. The same goes for the HP 97 (560 pages) over the HP 95 (330 pages).

How do I get better photo prints?

Take out the black cartridge and put an HP 99 photo cartridge in its place. With the tri-color, that gives six-ink color photos. For black-and-white photos, use the HP 100 gray photo cartridge instead.

The print cartridge light is flashing.

A cartridge is the wrong type or isn't seated. Check you have the right cartridges, then reseat them one at a time to find the faulty one. Clean its contacts by hand and reinsert it; replace it if the light keeps flashing. A solid light just means a cartridge is low.

Can it print two-sided or over a network?

Not out of the box. Two-sided printing needs HP's optional auto two-sided accessory, which Cartridge Save lists as standard on the 6540dt. Networking needs an external HP Jetdirect print server.

DeskJet 6540 quirks worth knowing

  • HP rated it at up to 30 pages a minute in black and 20 in color, in draft mode. These aren't ISO speeds.
  • Ink-backup mode keeps it printing with one cartridge if the other runs out or is removed.
  • The input tray holds 150 sheets, or 400 with HP's optional 250-sheet tray. There's a front USB port for laptops and print-quality buttons on the front.
  • PCMag found text readable down to 4 to 6 points and photos "just short of excellent," with minor banding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ink does the HP DeskJet 6540 use?

HP 94 or HP 96 black and HP 95 or HP 97 tri-color. HP 99 and HP 100 photo cartridges are optional.

Do the 6540dt and 6540xi use the same ink?

Yes. The variants take the same cartridges. The 6540dt adds two-sided printing and a second paper tray.

Will HP 338 and 343 cartridges fit?

Those are the European numbers. We couldn't confirm they work in a U.S. 6540, so buy by the U.S. numbers.

Other printers that use HP 94, 95, 96 and 97

HP DeskJet 6940 · HP OfficeJet 7410 · HP OfficeJet 7310 · HP Photosmart 2610 · HP Photosmart 8450

More HP ink guides: HP OfficeJet 3830 · HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 · find any printer

Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives

Sources

Ratings and prices were checked on October 17, 2026 and will change over time.

Need replacement HP ink cartridges? Shop HP ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.

Written and reviewed by — Castle Ink CEO since 2005; more than 20 years of experience in the printer supplies and e-commerce industry..

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