What Ink Does the HP Tango Use?

by William Elward Last Updated: October 12, 2026

Quick answer: The HP Tango and Tango X use two HP 64 cartridges: one black and one tri-color. The high-yield HP 64XL versions fit the same slots and are rated for about 600 pages (black) and 415 pages (tri-color). Castle Ink stocks remanufactured 64XL Black, 64XL Tri-color and a 64XL 2-pack.

The Tango X is the same printer sold with a linen cover, so it takes exactly the same ink. A common mix-up is HP 65: that cartridge is for the DeskJet 2600/3700 and Envy 5000 series and will not fit a Tango. Outside the U.S. the Tango uses HP 303 instead, which is region-coded and won't work in a U.S. printer.

CastleScore · October 2026

76/100 — Recommended

HP Tango (Also covers the Tango X)

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	87	4.44★ average across 1,562 ratings at Best Buy (Tango 4.4, Tango X 4.5)
Expert reviews (18%)	—	No published numeric expert score we could verify.
Cost per page (24%)	76	About 4.8¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured 64XL (600 black / 415 color pages). Docked because the printer can reject cartridges without the maker's chip.
Reliability (13%)	70	Most-reported problems: cartridge errors at setup; printer showing offline or dropping Wi-Fi; poor phone-camera scans
Features (12%)	58	Print-only hardware: no scanner glass, no screen, no USB or Ethernet, manual two-sided printing and a 50-sheet tray. Copy and scan work through the HP Smart app and your phone's camera.
Value (5%)	70	Running cost and owner satisfaction

Limited data: No expert site has published a numeric score for the Tango that we could verify, so the expert weight is spread across the other five pillars.

Discontinued. HP no longer sells the Tango or Tango X and names no direct 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 12, 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 Tango Take?

Cartridge	HP part no. (standard / XL)	Approx. yield (standard / XL)	Castle Ink option
HP 64 Black	N9J90AN / N9J92AN	~200 / ~600 pages	Remanufactured 64XL Black
HP 64 Tri-color	N9J89AN / N9J91AN	~165 / ~415 pages	Remanufactured 64XL Tri-color
HP 64XL Black + Tri-color	2-pack	~600 + ~415 pages	Remanufactured 64XL 2-pack

Yields are HP's ISO estimates. The cartridges that come in the box are reduced-capacity setup cartridges, rated for roughly 125 black and 110 color pages.

Is HP 64XL Worth It?

Yes. The XL cartridges hold about three times the black ink and two and a half times the color ink of the standard 64. Original HP 64XL black was $62.92 at Walmart and $66.99 at Quill on October 12, 2026, about 10 to 11¢ a page. Our remanufactured 64XL black is $22.99 and the tri-color $23.99, which works out to under 4¢ a page for black and about 6¢ for color. If you print more than a few pages a week, compare that with an ink tank printer.

Will Non-HP Ink Work in the Tango?

It depends on the chip. HP says the Tango uses dynamic security, which blocks cartridges with new or modified non-HP chips, and a firmware update can block cartridges that worked before. HP also says cartridges that reuse an original HP chip are allowed. Our remanufactured 64XL cartridges are refilled original HP cartridges with their HP chips, which is the type HP says the printer accepts. To keep a future update from changing that, read how to stop HP firmware updates from blocking your ink.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the HP Tango?

Make sure the printer is on.
Press the Ink Door button on top of the printer to open the ink door.
Open the cartridge latch and gently lift out the old cartridge.
Unpack the new 64 or 64XL and pull off the plastic tape. Don't touch the copper contacts or the nozzles.
Slide it into its slot, squeeze the cartridge and latch together until it snaps into place, then close the ink door.

Which Other Printers Use HP 64?

The Envy Photo 7155, Envy Photo 7855, Envy Photo 6255, the other Envy Photo 6200, 7100 and 7800 models, the Envy 7975, and the Envy Inspire 7255e and 7955e all use the same HP 64 and 64XL cartridges.

What HP Tango 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.

Does the Tango use HP 65 or HP 64?

HP 64. HP's support agents confirm the Tango takes HP 64 or 64XL in the U.S. HP 65 is a different, smaller cartridge for DeskJet and Envy 5000 printers.

Do the Tango and Tango X take different cartridges?

No. The Tango X is the Tango bundled with a linen cover, and both are listed as compatible on HP's 64 and 64XL cartridge pages.

Why won't my Tango detect a new cartridge?

The most common cause is tape left over the contacts. Remove the cartridge, peel off any tape, wipe the copper contacts with a lint-free cloth and reseat it until it clicks. If the HP Smart app says the cartridge is used or counterfeit, see printer says ink cartridge not recognized.

Why does my Tango keep going offline?

HP's fix is to power-cycle it properly: unplug it with the power on, wait, plug it straight into a wall outlet rather than a power strip, then update the firmware through HP Smart and reconnect it to your Wi-Fi.

Where do I find which cartridge my Tango needs?

The cartridge number is printed inside the ink door. You can also check in the HP Smart app under Printer Settings > Supported Cartridges.

HP Tango quirks worth knowing

It has no USB port and no Ethernet. Everything runs over Wi-Fi through the HP Smart app.
There is no scanner glass. Copy and scan use your phone's camera in HP Smart, and owners rate the results as rough.
It has no screen. A light bar on the front shows status and turns amber for ink and paper warnings.
It is rated for up to 500 pages a month, with 100 to 300 recommended, and holds 50 sheets of paper.

Frequently Asked Questions