What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet 5255 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The HP OfficeJet 5255 uses HP 63 Black and HP 63 Tri-color ink cartridges (in the U.S. and Canada). It does not take HP 62. In 2026 HP began selling these as HP 63/65 (tri-color B7RT2AN, ~100 pages; XL black B7RT5AN, ~300 pages), and older HP 63 and 63XL cartridges still fit. For a lower cost per page, choose the HP 63XL 2-pack (~430 black / ~300 color pages), which prints about 2 to 2.5 times as many pages as the standard HP 63.
2026 change: HP has merged HP 63 and HP 65 into one HP 63/65 line. HP says the new cartridges work in every printer that took HP 63, including the OfficeJet 5255, but they are rated for fewer pages: about 100 for the new tri-color and 300 for the new high-yield black. Older HP 63 and 63XL cartridges still work.
CastleScore · October 2026
81/100 — Highly Recommended
HP OfficeJet 5255
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 87 | 4.46★ average across 11,919 ratings at Amazon (4.3), Best Buy (4.6), CDW (4.6) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 80 | PCMag 4.0/5 |
| Cost per page (24%) | 73 | About 5.3¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 63XL (430 / 300 pages). Docked because the printer can reject cartridges without the maker's chip. |
| Reliability (13%) | 84 | Most-reported problems: 'Cartridges not communicating' errors; carriage/cartridge jams and phantom paper-jam errors |
| Features (12%) | 83 | Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 80 | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Discontinued. HP no longer sells the OfficeJet 5255 new and points shoppers to the HP Envy Pro 6455. 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 OfficeJet 5255 Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Part Number | Approx. Page Yield |
|---|---|---|
| HP 63 Black (standard) | F6U62AN | ~170 pages |
| HP 63 Tri-color (standard) | F6U61AN | ~150 pages |
| HP 63XL Black (high-yield) | F6U64AN | ~430 pages |
| HP 63XL Tri-color (high-yield) | F6U63AN | ~300 pages |
| HP 63/65 Tri-color (2026 line) | B7RT2AN | ~100 pages |
| HP 63/65XL Black (2026 line) | B7RT5AN | ~300 pages |
The HP OfficeJet 5255 takes one black and one tri-color cartridge at a time. You can mix yields — for example, an XL black with a standard tri-color — but for most home offices the matched HP 63XL pair gives the best cost per page. HP's new 63/65 line has no XL tri-color in the U.S. listings we checked, so the 63XL tri-color is still the high-yield color option. Outside North America the same printer is sold with HP 302 cartridges, so check the number on your current cartridge if you bought the printer abroad.
How to Replace Ink in the HP OfficeJet 5255
- Make sure the printer is turned on. Open the front ink-cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to slide to the center and stop.
- Press down gently on the front of the cartridge you want to replace, then pull it up and out of its slot. The black cartridge sits in the right slot; the tri-color sits on the left.
- Remove the new cartridge from its packaging and pull the orange plastic tab to remove the protective tape. Do not touch the copper contacts or the ink nozzles.
- Slide the new cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle, then press down until it clicks into place.
- Close the access door. The printer will run a short alignment routine — print the alignment page when prompted and follow the on-screen instructions in HP Smart.
Troubleshooting Tips
"Cartridge not detected" or "Incompatible cartridge" error: Power the printer off, remove the cartridge, wipe the copper contacts gently with a dry lint-free cloth, reseat firmly until it clicks, then power back on. If the message persists, remove and reinstall both cartridges to reset the connection.
Streaky, faded, or missing colors: Run the printer's built-in cleaning cycle from HP Smart (Printer Settings → Maintenance → Clean Cartridges). Two cleaning cycles usually clear clogged nozzles. If streaks remain after three cleanings, the cartridge is likely empty or the nozzles are permanently dry.
Alignment page prints blank: Check that you removed the protective tape from the new cartridge. Re-seat the cartridge and try the alignment again from Printer Settings → Maintenance → Align Cartridges.
Printer rejects non-HP cartridges after a firmware update: HP says the 5255 uses dynamic security to block cartridges with non-HP circuitry. Cartridges that keep a new or reused HP chip, like our remanufactured 63XL, are the ones that work. Turning off automatic firmware updates in HP Smart (Printer Settings → Advanced) is a sensible precaution. Our guide on stopping HP firmware updates from blocking your ink walks through it. If your cartridges are already blocked, contact Castle Ink support at 917-364-6232 and we'll help you get printing again.
What OfficeJet 5255 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.
I still have HP 63 cartridges. Will they work now that HP sells 63/65?
Yes. HP says the 63/65 cartridges keep the same printer compatibility, and no hardware change is needed. Older HP 63 and 63XL cartridges, including our remanufactured 63XL, still fit.
The new HP 63/65 tri-color seems to run out quickly. Is that right?
Yes. It is rated for about 100 pages, fewer than the old HP 63 tri-color (about 150). The current U.S. line has no XL tri-color, so the old-style 63XL tri-color (about 300 pages) is still the high-yield color option.
The printer says my cartridges are not communicating. What do I do?
HP's community fix is to clean the copper contacts on the cartridge and in the carriage with a lint-free cloth and distilled water, let them dry for about 10 minutes, then reseat the cartridge. Cartridges with non-HP circuitry can also be blocked by HP dynamic security.
Can it scan two-sided originals automatically?
No. The 35-sheet document feeder is single-sided, although printing is automatically two-sided.
Does it have an Ethernet port?
No. HP lists dual-band Wi-Fi and USB 2.0, plus a phone-line port for the fax.
OfficeJet 5255 quirks worth knowing
- It ships with HP 63 setup cartridges, not HP 62, even though it is an "OfficeJet 5xxx" like the HP 62-based OfficeJet 5740. That name overlap is the usual reason people buy the wrong ink.
- It can send color faxes, which is unusual on a printer at this price.
- Because the new HP 63/65 tri-color is rated for about 100 pages, cost-per-page comparisons made before 2026 make the 5255 look cheaper to run than it now is with HP's own cartridges.
- HP's discontinued-product page points owners to the HP Envy Pro 6455 as the replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use HP 63XL in an HP OfficeJet 5255 if it shipped with standard HP 63 setup cartridges?
Yes. The OfficeJet 5255 accepts both HP 63 standard and HP 63XL high-yield cartridges interchangeably. The XL versions are the same physical size — they just hold more ink.
Does the HP OfficeJet 5255 use HP 62 ink?
No. HP lists the OfficeJet 5255 on its HP 63/65 cartridge pages, not on its HP 62 pages, and HP 62 will not work in it. The OfficeJet 5255 uses HP 63 / 63XL in North America (HP 302 / 302XL in Europe and other regions).
Will remanufactured HP 63XL cartridges void my HP OfficeJet 5255 warranty?
No. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act in the United States, using third-party ink does not void your printer warranty. HP can only deny warranty coverage if the third-party cartridge directly caused a specific failure.
How many pages does an HP 63XL cartridge print in the OfficeJet 5255?
HP rates the 63XL black at approximately 430 pages and the 63XL tri-color at approximately 300 pages (the new HP 63/65XL black is rated at about 300), based on the ISO/IEC 24711 standard at 5% page coverage. Actual yield varies with print density and color usage.
Which other HP printers use HP 63 ink?
The HP 63 / 63XL family is also used by the HP OfficeJet 3830, OfficeJet 4650, OfficeJet 5252 and 5258, Envy 4520, and DeskJet 1112, 2130 and 3630 series printers. Since HP merged the 63 and 65 lines in 2026, the HP 63/65 cartridges also fit former HP 65 printers such as the DeskJet 3700 and Envy 5000 series. HP 62 printers like the OfficeJet 5740, Envy 5540 and OfficeJet 250 do not share ink with the 5255.
Why does my HP OfficeJet 5255 keep saying low ink right after I install a new cartridge?
HP's ink-level estimator is based on usage telemetry, not a physical ink gauge. After installing a new cartridge, the estimator can take a few print jobs to recalibrate. Ignore the warning unless print quality actually degrades.
Other printers that use HP 63
HP OfficeJet 3830 · HP OfficeJet 4650 · HP Envy 4520 · HP DeskJet 3630 · HP DeskJet 1112 · HP OfficeJet 3833 · HP OfficeJet 5258
More HP ink guides: HP Envy 5000 · HP OfficeJet Pro 8610 · HP DeskJet 4100 · 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 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.