What Ink Does the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 Use?

Quick answer: The HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 uses four individual HP 902 ink cartridges — black, cyan, magenta and yellow. The HP 902XL high-yield versions are rated ~750 pages each against ~300 for standard black, and they are where the cost-per-page saving lives on this machine.

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

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 Ink Cartridges at a Glance

The HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 takes four individual cartridges. The same HP 902 / 902XL cartridges also fit the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968, the OfficeJet 6958 and the rest of the OfficeJet Pro 6970 series. HP also lists the HP 906XL black (about 1,500 pages) for the 6978.

This printer is not an HP+ model, but it does have HP dynamic security. HP says it is intended to work only with cartridges that have a new or reused HP chip, and that firmware updates can block cartridges that worked before. Cartridges with non-HP chips may be refused. Remanufactured cartridges that keep the original HP chip are the safer choice.

How to Replace Ink in the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978

1. Power the printer on and open the ink cartridge access door — the carriage will slide to the center. Wait for it to stop moving before reaching in.
2. Press down on the old cartridge to release it, then pull it forward and out of its slot.
3. Unwrap the new cartridge and pull the orange tab to remove the protective plastic. Do not touch the gold contacts or the copper-colored nozzles.
4. Slide the new cartridge into its slot at a slight upward angle and push up until you hear it click into place.
5. Close the access door. The printer will print an alignment page automatically — keep it long enough to confirm the print is sharp and the colors are right.

Troubleshooting Tips

"Cartridge missing or damaged": Power-cycle the printer with the cartridges installed. If it persists, remove the cartridge, wipe the gold contacts with a lint-free cloth dampened with distilled water, dry thoroughly, and reinsert at the upward angle until it clicks.

Streaky or faded prints: Open HP Smart and run Printer Settings > Tools > Clean Ink Cartridges. Two cleaning cycles clear most nozzle blockages; more than that mostly wastes ink.

Cartridge with a non-HP chip rejected: This is HP dynamic security at work. HP Community members point to the Cartridge Policy and Cartridge Protection options under Setup > System Setup > Supply Settings, but that is community advice, not an HP fix. Cartridges that reuse the original HP chip are the safer choice.

Alignment page prints blank or skewed: Confirm you removed the orange protective tab from each new cartridge and that both are seated with a firm click, then run alignment again from HP Smart.

What OfficeJet Pro 6978 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.

Is there a bigger black cartridge than the 902XL?

Yes. HP lists the HP 906XL black, rated at about 1,500 pages, as compatible with the 6978. That is about double the 902XL.

How many pages does a 902XL black really give?

HP's current cartridge page says about 750 pages, tested in an OfficeJet Pro 6860. The older 825-page figure still appears on the 6978's own product page.

What replaced the 6978, and will my ink carry over?

HP marks the 6978 discontinued and points to the OfficeJet Pro 9015e, which uses HP 962 cartridges, not 902. The 9015e has since been discontinued too.

Can I print from a USB stick?

Yes. The 6978 has a host USB port for walk-up printing, alongside Wi-Fi, Ethernet and USB to a computer.

Does it print two-sided and scan a stack of pages?

Yes. It prints two-sided automatically and has a 35-sheet document feeder for scanning, copying and faxing.

OfficeJet Pro 6978 quirks worth knowing

• HP rates it for up to 20,000 pages a month but recommends 200–800. It is built for a small office, not a print shop.
• It prints borderless up to letter size (8.5 × 11 in).
• It has 1 GB of memory and a 2.65-inch color touchscreen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does using remanufactured HP 902 cartridges void my HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 warranty?
No. Under the U.S. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer cannot void your printer warranty solely because you use compatible or remanufactured cartridges. If a specific cartridge causes damage, that damage is not covered — but the rest of the warranty stands.

How are these page yields measured?
To the ISO/IEC standard for the cartridge type, at 5% page coverage on plain paper. That is a deliberately modest amount of coverage, so heavy graphics, photos or dense tables will always yield fewer pages than the rating. The numbers are useful for comparing cartridges against each other, not for predicting your exact month.

Is it the OfficeJet 6978 or the OfficeJet Pro 6978?
HP's own product name is OfficeJet Pro 6978. Both spellings are in wide use and both refer to the same printer, which takes HP 902 / 902XL either way.

Can HP firmware stop my compatible cartridges working?
Yes. HP's own 6978 page says it is a dynamic-security printer, meant to work only with cartridges that have a new or reused HP chip, and that firmware updates may block cartridges that previously worked. Remanufactured cartridges that keep the original HP chip are the safer choice.

Other printers that use HP 902 and 906XL

HP OfficeJet 6978 · HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 · 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 11, 2026 and will change over time.

• HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 product page (specs, supplies, dynamic security)
• HP 902XL Black cartridge page (yield)
• HP Community: 6978 rejecting non-HP chips (2026)
• HP Community: Cartridge Problem on a new 902 black
• Staples HP 902XL cartridges