What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet 3830 Use?
Last Updated:Shopping for this printer? See all HP OfficeJet 3830 Ink Cartridges → Ships same day by 4 PM ET, 1-year guarantee.
Quick answer: The HP OfficeJet 3830 uses HP 63 Black and HP 63 Tri-color ink cartridges, or the high-yield HP 63XL versions for a much better cost-per-page.
2026 change: HP has merged HP 63 and HP 65 into a single HP 63/65 cartridge line and is phasing out the old HP 63. HP says the new cartridges work in every printer that took HP 63, including the 3830, but they are rated for fewer pages: about 100 pages for the new tri-color and 300 for the new high-yield black.
CastleScore · October 2026
81/100 — Highly Recommended
HP OfficeJet 3830
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 85 | 4.37★ average across 41,027 ratings at Amazon (4.3) and Best Buy (4.5) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 80 | PCMag 4.0/5 and Tech Advisor 4/5 |
| Cost per page (24%) | 81 | About 5.3¢ per page blended with our remanufactured HP 63XL (430 / 300 pages). No HP+ on this model. |
| Reliability (13%) | 82 | Paper jams and cartridge-not-recognized errors are the recurring complaints; occasional driver glitches |
| Features (12%) | 75 | Print, copy, scan, fax, 35-sheet document feeder, touchscreen. No auto duplex, no Ethernet |
| Value (5%) | 83 | Strong owner satisfaction plus low running cost with XL cartridges |
Discontinued. HP no longer sells the 3830 new and names no direct successor. This score rates it for current owners.
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 7, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The cartridges, pictured
HP 63XL 2-packF6U64AN + F6U63AN
HP 63XL BlackF6U64AN · ~430 pages
HP 63XL Tri-colorF6U63AN · ~300 pages
HP 63XL 2-pack
HP 63XL Black
HP 63XL Tri-colorOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house. HP has published two sets of 63XL yields over the years (430/300 and 480/330 pages); we use the current figures from HP's cartridge pages.
How to Replace Ink in the HP OfficeJet 3830
- Power on the printer and open the cartridge access door.
- Wait for the carriage to slide to the center and stop.
- Press down on the empty cartridge to release it, then pull it out.
- Unwrap the new cartridge and remove the plastic protective tape — don't touch the gold contacts.
- Slide the new cartridge in at a slight upward angle and push until it clicks. Black goes in the right slot; Tri-color goes in the left.
- Close the cartridge door and let the printer run alignment.
HP 63 vs 63XL at a Glance
| Cartridge | Approx. yield | Equivalent to | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP 63 Black | ~170 pages | — | The size that comes in the box; rarely worth rebuying |
| HP 63XL Black | ~430 pages | 2.5 standard blacks | Almost everyone — much lower cost per page |
| HP 63 Tri-Colour | ~150 pages | — | Occasional colour only |
| HP 63XL Tri-Colour | ~300 pages | 2 standard tri-colours | Any regular colour printing |
The black cartridge gets the bigger XL uplift — two and a half times the pages against double for colour — so if you print mostly documents, an XL black paired with a standard tri-colour is a perfectly sensible combination. The printer does not mind mixing sizes.
Other Printers That Use HP 63
HP 63 is one of HP’s most widely shared cartridges, which is worth knowing if you own more than one HP — you may be able to keep a single spare that covers all of them.
- OfficeJet: 3830, 3831, 3832, 3834, 4650, 4652, 4654, 4655, 5252, 5255, 5258, 5260
- DeskJet: 1110, 1112, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134, 2136, 3630, 3631, 3632, 3633, 3634, 3635, 3636, 3637, 3638
- ENVY: 4511, 4512, 4516, 4520, 4522, 4523, 4524, 4525, 4526, 4527, 4528
Model-by-model HP 63 guides: OfficeJet 3833 · OfficeJet 4650 · OfficeJet 4652 · OfficeJet 4655 · OfficeJet 5255 · DeskJet 1112 · DeskJet 3630 · DeskJet 3634 · ENVY 4512 · ENVY 4520. Every model we cover is on our Find Ink by Printer page.
Two Things That Catch OfficeJet 3830 Owners Out
The cartridges in the box are setup cartridges. They hold less ink than retail ones and exist to prime the system on first use. Your first replacement will therefore come round sooner than the yield figures suggest — that is normal, not a fault or a sign you got a bad printer.
This printer is Instant Ink eligible, and that choice has consequences. If you enrol, cartridges arrive by subscription and the printer expects Instant Ink cartridges; if you later cancel, those subscription cartridges stop working and you go back to buying retail or compatible HP 63. It is worth deciding deliberately rather than clicking through the setup prompts, because the enrolled and unenrolled paths lead to different cartridges.
Common Messages and What They Mean
"Cartridge problem" or "cartridge not recognised." Nearly always the contacts. Remove the cartridge, check the protective tape is fully off, wipe the copper contacts with a dry lint-free cloth, and reseat until it clicks.
"Non-HP chip detected." Informational, not a fault. Acknowledge it and the printer carries on. Worth knowing that HP firmware updates have occasionally changed which third-party cartridges are accepted, so if a cartridge that worked stops working for no visible reason, that is usually why — you can set firmware updates to notify rather than install automatically in the printer’s settings.
Low-ink warnings that arrive very early. The 3830 estimates rather than measures ink level, and it errs on the cautious side. Keep printing until quality actually drops.
What OfficeJet 3830 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.
After replacing the black cartridge, the printer says it is incompatible.
HP support's fix on its forum was a full power drain: unplug the printer at both ends, hold the power button for 30 seconds, wait two to three minutes, plug it back in and install any pending firmware update.
It suddenly prints only in black and white from Windows.
This is a driver problem, not an ink problem. Run HP Print and Scan Doctor, restart the PC, and test both the original printer queue and the "Copy 1" queue the tool creates.
Are the new HP 63/65 cartridges OK for the 3830?
Yes. HP says the merged HP 63/65 line works in every printer that took HP 63, and retailers list the 3830 as compatible. Expect fewer pages per cartridge than the old 63XL.
Does it print two-sided automatically?
No. The 3830 has a 35-sheet document feeder for scanning, copying and faxing, but two-sided printing is manual.
The power light keeps blinking and it won't switch off.
Owners have cleared this by unplugging the printer and running HP Print and Scan Doctor, which reinstalls the drivers. Unplug first, as the tool can hang while the printer is powered.
OfficeJet 3830 quirks worth knowing
- A 35-sheet document feeder and color fax on a printer that sold for $60–$100 is unusual, and it is why the 3830 is still popular in home offices.
- Wi-Fi is single-band 2.4 GHz only, and HP never included a USB cable in the box.
- The setup cartridges in the box are rated for fewer pages (about 165 black and 100 color), so the first replacement comes sooner than you'd expect.
- A "fax disabled by administrator" message usually means a factory reset is needed, which also wipes the Wi-Fi settings.
FAQ
What ink does the HP OfficeJet 3830 use?
HP 63 black and HP 63 tri-colour, or the high-yield HP 63XL versions of each. All four fit the same printer.
Can I put 63XL in an OfficeJet 3830?
Yes. The XL is physically identical and simply holds more ink. There is no setting to change.
Will it print with just the black cartridge?
No. Both cartridges must be installed for the printer to print anything, including black-and-white documents.
Is HP 63 the same as HP 64 or HP 65?
No, and they are not interchangeable. HP 64 and 65 are different cartridge families for different printer ranges, despite the similar numbering. Check the number on the cartridge you are replacing.
Why does my new cartridge show as empty?
Ink-level reporting reads the cartridge chip rather than the ink, so it is often inaccurate on refilled or compatible cartridges. Judge by print quality instead.
Other printers that use HP 63
HP OfficeJet 3833 · HP OfficeJet 4650 · HP OfficeJet 4655 · HP OfficeJet 5255 · HP OfficeJet 5258 · HP DeskJet 3630 · HP DeskJet 1112 · HP Envy 4520
More HP ink guides: HP Deskjet 2700 · HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e · 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 7, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement HP OfficeJet 3830 Ink Cartridges? Shop HP OfficeJet 3830 Ink Cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.