What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 Use?
Last Updated:Correction (October 2026): an earlier version of this guide said the HP 906XL does not work in the OfficeJet Pro 6968 and rated the 902XL black at about 825 pages. The 906XL (T6M18AN, about 1,500 pages) fits the black slot, and HP now rates the 902XL black at about 750 pages, the same as each 902XL color.
The HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 uses HP 902 and HP 902XL ink cartridges — four separate tanks in black, cyan, magenta and yellow. Because each colour is its own cartridge, you replace only the one that runs out, which is a meaningful saving over a tri-color printer.
CastleScore · October 2026
81/100 — Highly Recommended
HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 78 | 4.00★ average across 3,011 ratings at Amazon (4.0) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | — | No published numeric expert score we could verify. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 80 | About 3.5¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 906XL black (1,500 pages) and 902XL colors (about 750 pages). Docked because the printer can reject cartridges without the maker's chip. |
| Reliability (13%) | 86 | Most-reported problems: 'Printhead problem' / missing-printhead errors on OfficeJet Pro 69xx-class printers with fixed printheads; error code 0x61000048 and similar printer-failure codes reported on HP Community |
| Features (12%) | 83 | Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 79 | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Limited data: We could not find enough published expert scores for this printer, so that weight is spread across the other pillars.
Discontinued. HP no longer sells the 6968 and points buyers to the OfficeJet Pro 8025e. HP 902, 902XL and 906XL cartridges are still sold.
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 906XL BlackT6M18AN · OEM chip · ~1,500 pages
HP 902XL BlackT6M14AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 902XL CyanT6M02AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 902XL MagentaT6M06AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 906XL Black
HP 902XL Black
HP 902XL Cyan
HP 902XL MagentaOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.
HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Yield |
|---|---|---|
| HP 902 | Black | ~300 pages |
| HP 902 | Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | ~315 pages each |
| HP 902XL | Black | ~750 pages |
| HP 902XL | Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | ~750 pages each |
| HP 906XL | Black only (extra high yield) | ~1,500 pages |
Yields are the manufacturer's published estimates at roughly 5% page coverage — a normal text page. Photos, graphics and heavy colour fills will use considerably more than that, so treat these as a planning number rather than a promise.
About the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
- Wireless all-in-one: print, scan, copy and fax
- 35-page automatic document feeder
- Automatic two-sided printing
- 225-sheet input tray
- Four individual ink cartridges rather than a tri-color
HP lists the 6968 as a dynamic-security printer. A firmware update can make it start rejecting cartridges with non-HP chips, even ones that worked the week before. Cartridges that keep HP's original chip, like our remanufactured 902XL and 906XL, are the safer choice.
Firmware and Non-HP Chip Warnings
HP ships firmware on this generation that can reject cartridges whose chip it does not recognise — a policy HP calls dynamic security. A cartridge that worked last month can start throwing a "Non-HP chip detected" or "Supply Problem" message after an automatic update, with no other change.
The safest choice is a cartridge that keeps HP's original chip, such as our remanufactured 902XL and 906XL. Leaving automatic firmware updates off also keeps the printer from changing what it accepts; our guide on how to stop HP firmware updates from blocking your ink walks through it. Installing an update will not make a rejected cartridge work.
Standard or XL — Which HP 902 Cartridge Should You Buy?
| Cartridge | Approx. Yield | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HP 902 (standard) | ~300 black / ~315 per color | Very light office use |
| HP 902XL (high yield) | ~750 black / ~750 per color | About 2.5x the pages; the right choice for regular office printing |
The high-yield cartridge is almost always the cheaper way to print, because you are paying once for the shell, the chip and the shipping regardless of how much ink is inside it. If you want to see the difference for your own volume, run the numbers through our Printer Ink Cost Calculator.
How to Replace the Ink in the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
- Turn the printer on — the carriage will not move to the access position if it is powered off.
- Open the cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to slide to the centre and stop.
- Press down on the old cartridge to release it, then pull it toward you and out.
- Unwrap the new cartridge and peel off the protective tape. Do not touch the copper contacts or the nozzle plate.
- Slide the new cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle and press until it clicks firmly into place.
- Close the door and let the printer run its alignment page. Skipping alignment is the most common cause of banding people blame on the cartridge.
Troubleshooting the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
"Cartridge Problem" on one colour only. Swap that single cartridge rather than the whole set. On four-tank OfficeJets the error is nearly always specific to the chip on one cartridge.
Faint horizontal banding. Run the printhead alignment from the front panel, not just a cleaning. The 6968 uses a fixed printhead, so alignment drifts over time in a way tri-color printers do not.
Print quality drops off after the printer sits unused. Print one colour page every couple of weeks. It costs almost nothing and it keeps the nozzles from drying, which is far cheaper than the deep cleaning cycles required to recover them.
The ink gauge reads low on a brand-new cartridge. Ink level reporting is an estimate, and on compatible cartridges it can read low, unknown, or not at all. Judge by print quality, not by the gauge.
Cartridges That Do Not Fit the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968
These come up constantly in mistaken orders. None of them will work in an HP OfficeJet Pro 6968:
- HP 952 / 952XL — OfficeJet Pro 8710 / 8720 / 8740 series
- HP 910 / 910XL — OfficeJet 8010 / 8020 and OfficeJet Pro 8020 series
- HP 962 / 962XL — OfficeJet Pro 9010 / 9020 series
What OfficeJet Pro 6968 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.
Does a 902XL black print 825 pages or 750?
HP's current cartridge pages say about 750, the same as each 902XL color. Older packaging and some sellers still quote 825.
Is the 906XL a real option for the black slot?
Yes. The HP 906XL black (T6M18AN) is rated at about 1,500 pages, twice the 902XL black, and is listed for the 6968 and other 6960/6970-series printers. It is black only; the colors stay 902 or 902XL.
You sell the 906XL with an original HP chip and with a new chip. Which should I buy?
The original-chip version. HP lists the 6968 as a dynamic-security printer, and cartridges that keep HP's own chip are the safer choice on it.
Which other printers share these cartridges?
The OfficeJet 6950, 6951, 6954 and 6962 and the OfficeJet Pro 6960 to 6979 models, such as the 6978, take the same 902 family.
Is the 6968 still sold, and what replaced it?
HP lists it as discontinued and points to the OfficeJet Pro 8025e. That printer takes HP 910 cartridges, so spare 902s won't carry over.
OfficeJet Pro 6968 quirks worth knowing
- HP's store page for the 6968 carries an explicit notice: "Dynamic security enabled printer. Only intended to be used with cartridges using an HP original chip." It warns that cartridges with non-HP chips may stop working now or in the future.
- HP now rates the 902XL black and each 902XL color at the same 750 pages, and its yield footnotes cite testing in the OfficeJet Pro 6860 series, not the 6968.
- HP rates it at 18 pages a minute in black and 10 in color (ISO), with a 35-page document feeder and automatic two-sided printing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the OfficeJet Pro 6968 use HP 902 or HP 952?
HP 902. The 952 belongs to the OfficeJet Pro 8710 / 8720 generation.
Can I mix standard and XL cartridges?
Yes. There is no problem running a 902XL black alongside standard 902 colours.
Why did my compatible cartridge stop working after an update?
HP dynamic security. The 6968 can reject cartridges with non-HP chips after a firmware update. Cartridges that keep HP's original chip are the safer choice, and leaving automatic updates off keeps the printer from changing what it accepts.
Does the 6968 have a separate printhead?
Yes — the printhead is built into the printer, not the cartridge, so alignment matters more than on a DeskJet.
Can I print if one colour is empty?
Not reliably. The OfficeJet Pro range typically blocks printing until every installed cartridge reports ink, even for black-only jobs.
Is shipping free?
U.S. orders over $50 ship free, and orders placed by 4 PM ET ship the same day.
Other printers that use HP 902 and 906XL
HP OfficeJet 6978 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 · HP OfficeJet 6958 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6960 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 · HP OfficeJet 6950
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 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.