What Ink Does the HP DeskJet 6940 Use?
Last Updated:Shopping for this printer? See all HP 94 & 95 Ink Cartridges – Black & Tri-Color → Ships same day by 4 PM ET, 1-year guarantee.
Quick answer: The HP DeskJet 6940 uses HP 98 Black or the higher-capacity HP 96 Black cartridge on the right, and HP 95 Tri-Color or the higher-capacity HP 97 Tri-Color cartridge on the left. For photos you can swap the black for an HP 99 Photo or HP 100 Gray Photo cartridge. Castle Ink stocks all six, including the HP 99 Photo and HP 100 Gray Photo. For everyday printing, the best value is HP 96 black with HP 97 color.
CastleScore · October 2026
69/100 — Situational
HP DeskJet 6940
| 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%) | 94 | About 1.8¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured HP 96 black (860 pages) and HP 97 tri-color (560 pages). |
| Reliability (13%) | 90 | No recurring hardware or connection complaints in owner reviews. |
| Features (12%) | 44 | Ethernet. No document feeder, no auto two-sided printing, no fax, no touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | — | 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 stopped selling the DeskJet 6940 years ago (Icecat lists an end-of-life date of August 2009), and genuine HP 95, 97 and 98 cartridges are now listed as discontinued by major ink retailers.
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 8, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The cartridges, pictured
HP 96 + 97 2-packBlack + Tri-color
HP 96 BlackC8767WN · ~860 pages
HP 97 Tri-colorC9363WN · ~560 pages
HP 96 + 97 2-pack
HP 96 Black
HP 97 Tri-colorOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.
HP DeskJet 6940 Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Part Number | Color | Approx. Page Yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 98 Black | C9364WN | Black | ~420 pages |
| HP 96 Black | C8767WN | Black (high capacity) | ~860 pages |
| HP 95 Tri-Color | C8766WN | Tri-Color | ~330 pages |
| HP 97 Tri-Color | C9363WN | Tri-Color (high capacity) | ~560 pages |
| HP 99 Photo | C9369WN | Photo color (optional) | Photo cartridge |
| HP 100 Gray Photo | C9368AN | Gray photo (optional) | Photo cartridge |
The DeskJet 6940 holds two cartridges at a time. The black slot takes HP 98 or HP 96 (HP 94 black fits too), and the color slot takes HP 95 or HP 97. The higher-capacity versions are physically larger but fit the same slots, so you can mix and match.
For better photo prints, swap the black cartridge for an HP 99 photo cartridge (or an HP 100 gray photo cartridge for black-and-white photos) and print on photo paper. Swap the black back in for text.
The 6940 is an older single-function color printer with Ethernet and a USB connection. HP has discontinued it and its genuine cartridges are getting harder to find. Remanufactured cartridges are the easiest way to keep one running — the printhead is built into every cartridge, so each new cartridge also gives you a fresh printhead.
How to Replace Ink in the HP DeskJet 6940
- Turn the printer on and lift the top cover. The cartridge cradle moves to the center.
- Pull the empty cartridge out of its cradle toward you. Color goes on the left, black or photo on the right.
- Remove the new cartridge from its package and pull off the clear protective tape by its tab. Do not touch the copper contacts or the ink nozzles.
- Hold the cartridge with the copper strip facing the printer, slide it into the cradle, and push until it snaps in.
- Close the top cover and let the printer print an alignment page. Alignment matters on this model — skipping it can leave your prints slightly blurry.
Troubleshooting Tips
Blinking cartridge light or "incompatible cartridge": Make sure the cartridge is an HP 94/96/98/99/100 (black side) or HP 95/97 (color side). Then clean the copper contacts in the cartridge and in the cradle with a lint-free swab dampened with distilled water, let them dry, and reseat the cartridge.
Streaks or missing lines: Run "Clean the Print Cartridges" from the printer Toolbox on your computer. If that does not help, gently wipe the nozzle plate with a damp lint-free cloth. The printhead is part of the cartridge, so a replacement cartridge fixes a failed head.
Not recognized by a new computer: The 6940 needs HP's basic driver or your operating system's built-in driver. On Windows 10/11 and macOS, try adding it through the system printer settings before installing older HP software.
What DeskJet 6940 owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, HP's support forum and owner reviews, answered in our words.
Can I still buy genuine HP 95, 96, 97 or 98 cartridges?
Mostly not new. Ink retailers such as BlueDogInk list HP 95, 97 and 98 as discontinued, so remanufactured cartridges like ours are the practical way to keep a 6940 printing.
Does the 6940 print on both sides automatically?
Not on its own. Newegg lists two-sided printing as manual for the 6940, so you flip the pages yourself. A 6940dt version was also sold, but we could not confirm what it added.
Can I put it on my home network?
Yes, with a network cable. It has wired Ethernet and USB, but no Wi-Fi.
Can I print straight from my camera?
Yes. It has a PictBridge port, so a compatible camera can print without a computer.
How do I get better photos out of it?
Swap the black cartridge for an HP 99 photo cartridge. Together with the tri-color, that gives you a six-ink setup for photos on photo paper. Put the black back in for text.
DeskJet 6940 quirks worth knowing
- Outside North America the same cartridges carry different numbers: HP 337 is the HP 98, HP 339 the HP 96, HP 343 the HP 95 and HP 344 the HP 97. That matters if you find stock from a UK or European seller.
- Its speed ratings (up to 36 ppm black and 27 ppm color) are draft-mode figures from before the ISO test standard, so they can't be compared with the ppm numbers on modern printers.
- Icecat records an end-of-life date of August 2009 for the 6940, so don't expect new drivers from HP. Use the driver built into your operating system where you can.
- It predates HP+ and HP dynamic security, and we have not found reports of it rejecting non-HP cartridges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use HP 94 black in the DeskJet 6940?
Yes. HP 94, 96 and 98 black cartridges all fit the black slot. HP 96 holds the most ink.
What is the difference between HP 95 and HP 97?
Both are tri-color cartridges for the same slot. HP 97 is the high-capacity version, rated at about 560 pages against about 330 for the HP 95, so roughly 1.7 times as many.
Do I need the HP 99 or HP 100 photo cartridge?
No. They are optional. Use them only for photo printing on photo paper, and swap the black cartridge back in for text.
How are these page yields measured?
They are approximate figures as listed by ink retailers for these part numbers; HP's own pages for these older cartridges are no longer easy to find. Real results depend on what and how often you print.
More HP ink guides: HP OfficeJet 3830 · HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- HP Color LaserJet Pro 3201dw (laser) — CastleScore 82
- HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e — CastleScore 79
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 8, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement HP 94 & 95 Ink Cartridges – Black & Tri-Color? Shop HP 94 & 95 Ink Cartridges – Black & Tri-Color at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.