What Ink Does the HP Photosmart 7525 Use?

by William Elward Last Updated: October 9, 2026

Quick answer: The HP Photosmart 7525 uses five HP 564 cartridges: black, photo black, cyan, magenta and yellow. The high-yield HP 564XL versions fit the same slots and are rated for about 550 pages (black), 750 pages (each color) and 290 4x6 photos (photo black). Castle Ink stocks remanufactured 564XL individually and as a 5-pack.

CastleScore · October 2026

82/100 — Highly Recommended

HP Photosmart 7525

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	79	4.05★ average across 416 ratings at Adorama (4.0) and eBay (4.4)
Expert reviews (18%)	—	No published numeric expert score we could verify.
Cost per page (24%)	94	About 1.7¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 564XL (550 black / 750 color pages).
Reliability (13%)	72	Most-reported problems: Ink System Failure 0xc19a00xx errors; printhead failure messages; cartridge recognition errors
Features (12%)	82	Print, copy, scan, fax, 25-sheet document feeder, auto two-sided printing, photo tray, card slots, 4.33-inch touchscreen. 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only, no Ethernet.
Value (5%)	75	Running cost and owner satisfaction

Limited data: No expert site has published a numeric score for the 7525, so the expert weight is spread across the other five pillars.

Discontinued. HP no longer sells the 7525 and names no 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 9, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

The cartridges, pictured

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

What Ink Cartridges Does the HP Photosmart 7525 Take?

Cartridge	HP part no. (standard / XL)	Approx. yield (standard / XL)	Castle Ink option
HP 564 Black	CB316WN / CN684WN	~250 / ~550 pages	Remanufactured 564XL Black
HP 564 Photo Black	CB317WN / CB322WN	~130 / ~290 4x6 photos	Remanufactured 564XL Photo Black
HP 564 Cyan	CB318WN / CB323WN	~300 / ~750 pages	Remanufactured 564XL Cyan
HP 564 Magenta	CB319WN / CB324WN	~300 / ~750 pages	Remanufactured 564XL Magenta
HP 564 Yellow	CB320WN / CB325WN	~300 / ~750 pages	Remanufactured 564XL Yellow

Yields are HP's ISO estimates. All five slots must be filled for the printer to work, even if you never print photos.

Do I Really Need the Photo Black Cartridge?

Yes. The 7525 has two blacks: the regular 564 black for text and a separate dye-based photo black for photos. HP says the photo black does not replace the black cartridge, and the printer will not print with an empty slot.

Is 564XL Worth It?

Yes. Our remanufactured 564XL cartridges are $10.95 each, about 2¢ a page for black and 1.5¢ per color cartridge. Original HP 564XL black was $45.92 at Walmart on October 9, 2026, roughly four times as much for the same rated yield.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP Photosmart 7525?

With the printer on, open the cartridge access door and wait for the carriage to stop in the center.
Press the tab on the cartridge you are replacing and lift it out.
Unpack the new 564 or 564XL and remove the orange cap or tape.
Slide it into the color-matched slot and press down until it clicks.
Close the door and let the printer finish initializing. Don't leave a slot empty for more than 30 minutes; HP's manual warns it can damage the printhead.

Which Other Printers Use HP 564?

The Photosmart 7520, 7510, 7515, the Photosmart Premium C309 and C310 models, B8550, D7560, C6380 and Plus B210 use the same five 564 cartridges. The Photosmart 5520 and 6520 use 564 too, but only four colors with no photo black.

What Photosmart 7525 owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, manufacturer support communities and owner reviews, answered in our words.

What does "Ink System Failure" with a 0xc19a00xx code mean?

It is an ink delivery or printhead fault common to the 564 Photosmarts. HP's advice is to unplug the printer, reseat fresh cartridges and clean the printhead. If it persists, the removable five-slot printhead may need replacing.

Why does it say my new cartridges are incompatible?

HP 564 cartridges are region-coded for the Americas; Europe uses HP 364. A printer bought abroad rejects local cartridges until HP performs a regional reset. Dirty contacts cause the same message, so wipe them with a lint-free cloth.

What are the SETUP cartridges in the box?

They calibrate the printer on first use and must go in before retail cartridges. If retail cartridges went in first, swap the SETUP ones back in to finish setup.

Why won't it see my 5 GHz Wi-Fi?

The 7525 supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only and has no Ethernet port. Use a 2.4 GHz band or a USB cable.

Is the 7525 different from the 7520?

No in practice. The 7525 is a retail version of the 7520 and uses the same cartridges and printhead.

Photosmart 7525 quirks worth knowing

It has two paper trays: a 125-sheet main tray and a 20-sheet photo tray for 4x6 and 5x7 paper.
It includes fax, a 25-sheet document feeder, a 4.33-inch touchscreen and SD and Memory Stick card slots.
The printhead is a separate removable part, so a printhead failure can be fixed without replacing the printer.
HP discontinued it years ago, but 564 cartridges are still widely sold.

Frequently Asked Questions