HP 65 Ink Cartridge Guide

Two cartridges, not one

Most printers that use HP 65 need two cartridges at once: one black and one tri-color. The black cartridge prints text, and the tri-color cartridge — which holds cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in a single unit — prints color and photos. If only one is empty, replace only that one; there is no need to buy a pair every time. Original HP 65 cartridges carry HP's branding and part numbers (black N9K02AN, tri-color N9K01AN), which is a useful check when a listing looks suspiciously cheap.

Standard and XL are the same cartridge, different ink fill

HP 65 and HP 65XL are physically interchangeable — both fit the same printers. The difference is how much ink is inside. XL cartridges are filled with more ink, so they last longer between changes. They cost more upfront, but as the comparison below shows, they usually work out cheaper per printed page. There is no print-quality difference between standard and XL; the printer, ink formula, and paper decide quality, not the size of the cartridge.

The two DeskJet families that take HP 65

HP 65 fits HP DeskJet 2600-series and 3700-series printers. Common examples include the DeskJet 2622, 2624, 2632, 2633, 2634, 2652, and 2655 in the 2600 family, and the DeskJet 3720, 3721, 3722, 3723, 3752, 3755, and 3758 in the 3700 family, along with related all-in-one variants in those series. If your model number starts with 26 or 37 and sits in one of these families, HP 65 is very likely the right cartridge — but verify before you buy, because a single digit in a model name can mean a different cartridge.

How to check your own printer in 30 seconds

1. Look at the model name printed on the front of the printer, or on the label on the back or underside.
2. Open the cartridge access door and read the number printed on the cartridge already installed — that number is the one to reorder.
3. Or open the HP Smart app, select your printer, and check its supplies/ink section, which names the cartridge family your model takes.

Other DeskJets take different cartridges — do not guess

Many DeskJets look alike but take completely different ink. If your printer is not in the 2600 or 3700 families, check its own manual page before ordering — for example, the HP DeskJet 2135 manual, the HP DeskJet 1055 manual, and the HP DeskJet 2775 manual each name the correct cartridge for that model. Ordering by looks alone is the most common way people end up with a cartridge that does not fit. Also see the HP DeskJet 2622 manual if you own that model — it is one of the most common HP 65 printers.

Approximate page yields (HP's ratings)

HP rates the standard black HP 65 at approximately 120 pages and the standard tri-color at approximately 100 pages. The XL versions are rated at approximately 300 pages each for black and tri-color. These are laboratory-style ratings based on standard test pages, so treat them as a comparison guide, not a promise: heavy photo printing, cleaning cycles, and draft-vs-normal settings all change real-world results. Even so, the ratio is what matters — an XL cartridge holds roughly two to three times the ink of a standard one.

Do the per-page math at checkout

Divide the price you are about to pay by the approximate yield above and compare. For example, if a standard black cartridge costs half as much as the XL but yields about a third as many pages, the XL is the cheaper buy per page. That math usually favors XL for anyone printing weekly — schoolwork, homework, home-office documents, and regular color printing all burn through a standard cartridge fast.

When standard HP 65 is the better choice

• You print a few pages a month. A standard cartridge costs less upfront, and ink can dry out or expire in a rarely used printer, so a big XL cartridge may never get fully used.
• You are selling or replacing the printer soon and just need it working for a short while.
• You only need one color right now. Buy the single cartridge that is empty instead of a multi-pack you do not need yet.

When HP 65XL wins

• You print every week. Fewer cartridge changes means less hassle and usually a lower cost per page.
• You print photos or color documents often. Tri-color ink goes fastest on color pages, so the XL tri-color cartridge is where the saving is biggest.
• You hate running out mid-job. A larger cartridge gives you a longer runway before the low-ink warning appears.

Trusted places to buy

Buy from HP's own store, a major office-supply or electronics retailer, or a well-reviewed Amazon listing for the genuine HP cartridge. On Amazon, check that the listing says it is sold by Amazon or HP, not an unknown third-party seller, and read recent reviews for complaints about resealed boxes or cartridges that the printer rejects. You can start with these searches: HP 65 ink cartridge on Amazon and HP 65XL ink cartridge on Amazon. Prices change often, so compare the standard and XL options side by side at checkout using the per-page math above rather than trusting any single deal claim.

Original HP vs remanufactured: an honest trade-off

Original HP cartridges cost more but are the safest bet for compatibility — the printer recognizes them without complaint, and HP's warranty position is clearest with them. Remanufactured or compatible cartridges cost less and can work fine, but quality varies by seller, some printers reject them after firmware updates, and print quality is less consistent. If you go third-party, buy from a seller with a clear return policy and keep the receipt. For a printer you rely on daily, original HP cartridges are usually worth the difference.

Red flags that suggest a fake or bad listing

• A price far below every other seller for the same cartridge.
• A box that arrives opened, resealed, missing HP security labeling, or without a usable expiry date.
• A listing that does not name the exact part (HP 65 vs 65XL, black vs tri-color) or shows a generic cartridge photo.
• No returns offered. A legitimate seller will take back a cartridge the printer rejects.

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Turn the printer on and open the cartridge door

Power the printer on and wait until it is idle and quiet. Open the cartridge access door (on most DeskJets this is the front panel that swings down). The carriage moves to the center automatically — do not force it by hand.

Remove the old cartridge

Press down lightly on the empty cartridge to release it, then slide it out. Put it in a bag or on newspaper if it still has ink — old cartridges can leak. If you are replacing only one cartridge, leave the other one in place.

Unpack the new cartridge carefully

Remove the new cartridge from its packaging and peel off the protective plastic tape covering the nozzles and contacts. Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzles, and do not peel off any other labels. Touching the contacts is the most common cause of a brand-new cartridge being misread.

Slide it in until it clicks, then close the door

Hold the cartridge by its sides, slide it into the matching slot — black on one side, tri-color on the other — and push gently until it clicks into place. Close the cartridge door. The printer usually prints an alignment page next; if it asks, place that page face-down on the scanner and scan it to complete alignment.

Printer says the cartridge is not recognized

First, remove the cartridge and reinstall it, making sure it clicked in and that all protective tape was removed. Next, wipe the copper contacts gently with a dry, lint-free cloth and reseat it. If it still fails, try the cartridge in the other slot only if you are sure of the slot layout — otherwise, restart the printer and try once more. A cartridge that is genuinely damaged or a poor-quality compatible unit may simply need returning to the seller.

Streaks, faded color, or missing lines

Run the printer's cleaning cycle from the HP Smart app or the printer's maintenance menu — one or two cycles usually clear a clogged nozzle. Do not run cleaning ten times in a row: each cycle uses ink, and repeated cleaning on a nearly empty cartridge wastes what is left. If cleaning does not help and the cartridge is old or nearly empty, replacement is the honest fix, not more cleaning.

Make your ink last longer

• Print something at least once a week. Inkjet nozzles clog when a printer sits unused for weeks, and the cleaning cycles needed to recover waste ink.
• Use draft or normal quality for everyday documents and save best quality for photos and final copies.
• Keep the printer in a normal room temperature, not in a hot garage or freezing room, and store spare cartridges sealed, upright, at room temperature until use.
• Turn the printer off with its power button, not by unplugging it, so it can park the cartridges properly and seal the nozzles.