What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 Use?
Last Updated:The HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 uses HP 902 and HP 902XL ink cartridges in four individual tanks. It shares its ink with the 6968, 6975 and 6978, so anything listed for one of those models drops straight into a 6970.
CastleScore · October 2026
82/100 — Highly Recommended
HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 (rated on the near-identical OfficeJet Pro 6978)
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 84 | 4.30★ average across 13,991 ratings at Amazon (4.3) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 80 | PCMag (6978) 4.0/5 |
| Cost per page (24%) | 78 | About 4.1¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 902XL (825 / 750 pages). Docked because the printer can reject cartridges without the maker's chip. |
| Reliability (13%) | — | Not enough owner complaint data to score. |
| Features (12%) | 87 | Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 81 | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Limited data: We could not find enough owner complaint data for this printer, so that weight is spread across the other pillars.
Discontinued. HP has removed the 6970's product page but still sells HP 902 and 902XL cartridges, including through Instant Ink.
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 902XL BlackT6M14AN · OEM chip · ~825 pages
HP 902XL CyanT6M02AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 902XL MagentaT6M06AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 902XL YellowT6M10AN · OEM chip · ~750 pages
HP 902XL Black
HP 902XL Cyan
HP 902XL Magenta
HP 902XL YellowOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.
HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 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 | ~825 pages |
| HP 902XL | Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | ~750 pages each |
Yields are HP's published ISO estimates. 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 6970
- Wireless all-in-one: print, scan, copy and fax
- 35-page automatic document feeder with two-sided scanning
- Automatic two-sided printing
- 225-sheet input tray
- Four individual cartridges: black, cyan, magenta, yellow
Two-sided scanning is the 6970's differentiator, and it changes the ink maths for anyone who copies a lot: duplex copying doubles the pages printed per original, so black drains much faster than the colours. If your 6970 lives next to a filing cabinet, buy black XL cartridges in pairs and colours singly.
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 fix is to get ahead of it: open the printer's embedded web server, turn automatic firmware updates off, and leave them off. Our guide on how to stop HP firmware updates from blocking your ink walks through it screen by screen. Do this before you install a non-HP cartridge, not after. Remanufactured cartridges that keep HP's original chip are the lower-risk choice, because firmware updates target chips the printer does not recognise.
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) | ~825 black / ~750 per color | About two and a half times the pages; the right choice for any real office volume |
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 6970
- 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 6970
Lines on scanned or copied pages but clean printed pages. That is the ADF glass strip, not the ink. Wipe the narrow band of glass on the left of the scanner bed with a dry microfibre cloth.
Colour cast on black-and-white copies. The 6970 composites black from all four inks in some copy modes. Set the copy quality to "Text" or select black-only in the driver.
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 6970
These come up constantly in mistaken orders. None of them will work in an HP OfficeJet Pro 6970:
- 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 6970 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.
Will cartridges labeled for the OfficeJet Pro 6968 or 6958 fit?
Yes. HP lists the 902XL for the OfficeJet Pro 6970, 6978, 6968 and 6958, so a cartridge sold for any of them fits a 6970.
Do the XL color cartridges last as long as the XL black?
Not quite. HP rates the 902XL black at about 825 pages and each 902XL color at about 750.
Is an XL cartridge physically bigger?
No. HP says the 902XL fits like the standard cartridge; it just holds more ink.
Are the standard 902 color yields the same as black?
Close. HP rates the standard 902 black at about 300 pages and each color at about 315.
Can I still get HP 902 cartridges now that the printer is discontinued?
Yes. HP still sells 902 and 902XL, and they are still covered by Instant Ink.
OfficeJet Pro 6970 quirks worth knowing
- HP's yields for the standard 902 cartridges were measured in an OfficeJet Pro 6860 series printer, not the 6970, so treat them as a guide.
- HP has taken down the 6970's own product page, so the cartridge pages are now the best place to confirm what fits.
- We sell remanufactured 902XL in two versions: one that keeps HP's original chip and one with a new chip. If your printer still takes firmware updates, the original-chip version is the lower-risk choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the OfficeJet Pro 6970 ink the same as the 6978?
Yes — both use HP 902 and 902XL.
How many pages does the 902XL black give?
Around 825 pages, by HP's ISO rating.
Should I buy the 4-pack or individual cartridges?
The 4-pack is cheaper per cartridge and simplest if all four are low. Buy singly once you know which colour your printing drains first.
Why does my compatible cartridge suddenly show an error?
A firmware update almost certainly enabled HP dynamic security. Disable automatic updates in the printer's embedded web server.
Does the 6970 scan both sides automatically?
Yes — it has a duplexing ADF, unlike most of the DeskJet and Envy range.
Can I use HP 902 in a printer that shipped with 902XL?
Yes, though you will replace it far more often.
Other printers that use HP 902
HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6960 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 · HP OfficeJet 6958 · 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 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.