What Toner Does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Use?
Last Updated:The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw uses HP 206A and HP 206X toner cartridges — four cartridges in black, cyan, magenta and yellow. It shares its toner with the M282 and M283 all-in-ones, and it shares their firmware behaviour too, which is worth understanding before you buy.
HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw Toner Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Yield |
|---|---|---|
| HP 206A (W2110A/11A/12A/13A) | Black | ~1,350 pages |
| HP 206A | Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | ~1,250 pages each |
| HP 206X (W2110X/11X/12X/13X) | Black | ~3,150 pages |
| HP 206X | Cyan / Magenta / Yellow | ~2,450 pages each |
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 Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
- Colour laser printer — print only, no scanner
- Automatic two-sided printing
- 250-sheet input tray
- Wireless, Ethernet and USB
- Four toner cartridges with integrated drums
Because the M255dw is print-only, it tends to sit in a corner running long document jobs rather than one-off copies, and that changes which cartridge you replace most. Black goes first, usually by a wide margin. Buying a 206X black on its own, rather than a four-colour set, is often the right call — and it is the purchase most owners get wrong.
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 compatible cartridge, not after.
Standard or XL — Which HP 206A Cartridge Should You Buy?
| Cartridge | Approx. Yield | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HP 206A (standard) | ~1,350 black / ~1,250 per color | Light color printing |
| HP 206X (high yield) | ~3,150 black / ~2,450 per color | More than double the pages — the lower cost per page for any regular use |
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 toner is inside it. If you want to see the difference for your own volume, run the numbers through our Printer Ink Cost Calculator.
Save on HP 206A / 206X for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
Castle Ink's compatible cartridges for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw are built to the same page yields as the originals and are covered by a one-year guarantee. If a cartridge does not work in your printer, we replace it or refund it — no argument.
U.S. orders over $50 ship free, and orders placed by 4 PM ET Monday through Friday go out the same day.
How to Replace the Toner in the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
- Power the printer on and wait for it to finish any startup cycle.
- Open the front access door and pull the toner drawer or cartridge straight out by its handle.
- Take the new cartridge out of its packaging and rock it gently end to end five or six times to distribute the toner evenly.
- Remove the orange or clear shipping seal and protective sheet. Do not touch the green drum surface underneath.
- Slide the cartridge back along its rails until it seats with a firm stop, then close the door.
- Print the printer's own colour calibration or status page so the machine registers the new cartridge and re-aligns.
Troubleshooting the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
"Non-HP chip detected". HP's dynamic security. Check the firmware level and disable automatic updates from the printer's embedded web server before installing compatible toner.
Faded print on one side of the page. Usually toner settling unevenly in a cartridge that has been stored on its side. Remove it, rock it gently end to end five or six times, and reinstall.
Colour registration slightly off. Run the colour calibration from the printer's control panel; the M255dw drifts after a cartridge change.
Pages come out light overall. Check whether EconoMode or toner-save is switched on in the driver. It is enabled by default on a surprising number of office deployments.
Repeating marks at even intervals down the page. Measure the gap between marks. A repeating defect points at a roller or the drum rather than a low cartridge.
Cartridges That Do Not Fit the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw
These come up constantly in mistaken orders. None of them will work in an HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw:
- HP 202A / 202X — Color LaserJet Pro M254 / M281 series
- HP 207A / 207X — Color LaserJet Pro M255 / M283 successors sold outside the U.S.
- HP 414A / 414X — Color LaserJet Pro M454 / M479 series
- HP 216A — Color LaserJet Pro M182 / M183 series
Official HP Resources
Bottom Line
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw uses HP 206A / 206X. For anything more than occasional printing, buy the high-yield version — the cost per page is meaningfully lower and you change cartridges less often. Castle Ink stocks compatible toner for this printer with free U.S. shipping over $50 and a one-year guarantee, and you can find guides for every other model we cover on our Find Ink by Printer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the M255dw use HP 206A or 206X?
Either. 206A is standard yield, 206X is high yield at roughly 3,150 black pages.
Is there a separate drum for the M255dw?
No — the drum is part of each toner cartridge.
Is the M255dw toner the same as the M283fdw?
Yes, both use the HP 206 family.
Will compatible toner work?
It depends on the firmware installed. Disable automatic firmware updates before buying compatible cartridges for this model.
How many pages does HP 206A black print?
About 1,350 pages at 5% coverage.
Does the M255dw scan or copy?
No. It is a print-only laser printer; the M282 and M283 are the all-in-one versions.
Is shipping free?
Yes — free U.S. shipping over $50 and a 1-year guarantee.
Shop Compatible Toner at Castle Ink
Save 50–70% on replacement cartridges for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw. Guaranteed to work, backed by Castle Ink's compatibility guarantee.
Prefer to buy elsewhere? Compare HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw toner on Amazon.
Not sure which printer you have? Start at our Find Ink by Printer guide.
Related Printer Support Posts:
An independent 0–100 score for every printer, refreshed monthly from thousands of owner reviews and expert tests — plus what the ink or toner actually costs to run. See this month's Top 10 inkjet and laser rankings, or use the PrinterIQ™ finder.
See the CastleScore rankings →