HP 905 & 905XL Ink Cartridges
Running low on HP 905 or 905XL ink? Genuine and compatible cartridges are in stock and ready to ship Australia-wide, with compatible colour cartridges from just $12.52 each. Grab a 4-pack (905 or 905XL) to cover all colours in one order, or pick up a single cartridge if only one colour's run dry. For high-volume printing, our 8-pack standard yield option keeps you stocked at a lower cost per unit - and compatible cartridges cost less than genuine across the board. Free delivery over $99 (conditions apply).
Printers Compatible with HP 905 & 905XL Ink Cartridges
Match Your Printing Habits to the Right HP 905 or HP 905XL Ink Cartridge Pack
If all your colours are running low, the 4-Pack 905 Genuine (from $91.38) covers every colour in one order.
Want longer between reorders? The 4-Pack 905XL Genuine (from $190.79) gives the same full-colour coverage with a higher page yield per cartridge and also qualifies for free delivery.
If only one colour has run dry, there's no need to replace the rest - a single Genuine 905 cartridge (from $20.10) is the lowest-cost way to keep printing.
Watching the budget? Compatible cartridges match the fit and yield of genuine ink at a lower price, from $12.51 for a single 905XL cartridge or 5-pack 905XL for $79.64.
For a high-volume office, buying in bulk cuts the cost per unit further - the 10-Pack 905XL Compatible (from $157.66) works out cheapest per cartridge, while the 8-Pack 905 Genuine (from $180.89) is the equivalent option if you'd rather stick with official ink. Both qualify for free delivery.
Checking Compatibility Before You Order
The HP 905 range fits a specific generation of HP's OfficeJet Pro 6950/6960/6970-series business printers - it won't fit every OfficeJet model, so it's worth checking your exact model before you buy. If your printer's model code ends in "e" (common on newer OfficeJet Pro units), it's enrolled in HP's cloud-connected HP+ program, which locks the printer to genuine HP ink for its entire working life - worth checking before ordering compatible cartridges for a newer machine.
Heads-up on HP Dynamic Security: HP pushes Dynamic Security firmware updates over the network that can change the authentication handshake between the printer and the smart chip on a cartridge. Compatible or remanufactured cartridges without a genuine HP smart chip can stop working after one of these updates, usually showing an "Ink Cartridge Problem," "Cartridge Communication Error," or an "older generation cartridge" message. This isn't something you can disable from the printer's settings, though a printer firmware update can sometimes resolve a false positive.
Choosing Between Genuine and Compatible
For high-volume office environments, compatible HP 905XL cartridges offer a substantial reduction in overheads without compromising the full 825-page yield. Under Australian Consumer Law, using compatible cartridges does not void your printer warranty. These compatible units are manufactured to match the ISO page yields of the originals and come with a full money-back guarantee if they do not meet your performance expectations. Detailed comparisons can be found in our genuine vs compatible cartridges guide.
Expected Page Output and Replacement Cycles
HP calculates the yield for the 905 series based on the ISO/IEC 24711 standard for continuous printing at 5% area coverage. The standard 905 black cartridge provides 300 pages, and the standard cyan, magenta and yellow cartridges each provide 315 pages. Moving up to the 905XL high-yield variants increases output to 825 pages across black and every individual colour tank, nearly tripling the standard cartridge's lifespan. Offices running high-volume text document queues should prioritise 905XL black replacements to minimise the frequency of mid-job downtime. Real-world consumption varies with formatting choices, large data tables and how often automatic printhead cleaning cycles run.
| Cartridge Number | Type | Colour | Page Yield | Cost Per Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 905 | Standard | Black | 300 | $0.11 |
| 905 | Standard | Cyan | 315 | $0.064 |
| 905 | Standard | Magenta | 315 | $0.064 |
| 905 | Standard | Yellow | 315 | $0.064 |
| 905XL | High Yield | Black | 825 | $0.089 |
| 905XL | High Yield | Cyan | 825 | $0.049 |
| 905XL | High Yield | Magenta | 825 | $0.049 |
| 905XL | High Yield | Yellow | 825 | $0.049 |
Cost Per Page = Total Cartridge Price ÷ Page Yield (at 5% coverage). Prices based on Genuine cartridges.
How Often You Should Actually Buy Replacement Cartridges
Because the HP 905 series uses a printhead that sits separately from the cartridges and feeds from all four at once, one empty colour can affect print quality even while you're only printing text - so it pays to keep an eye on all four levels, not just black.
Buy replacements as you run low, and it's safe to keep one spare set on hand. If your workplace prints mostly monochrome invoices or text-heavy summaries, standalone 905XL black replacements are the most economical way to avoid mid-job downtime. For mixed presentations and brochures, a 4-pack or 5-pack bundle lowers the cost per cartridge.
Don't bulk-buy. Order one cartridge at a time, close to when you'll actually need it, and run a nozzle check every couple of weeks even between print jobs to keep the shared printhead clear.
Fixing a Blocked or Error-Flagged HP 905 Cartridge
When ink build-up or a dirty contact strip stops a cartridge working, run through these steps before you write it off as dead - this applies whether you're running genuine or compatible ink.
- Power up and remove the cartridge: Turn the OfficeJet Pro on, lift the scanner unit or maintenance door, and wait for the carriage to slide to a stop. Gently unclip the affected HP 905 cartridge.
- Clean the gold contact strips: Find the small gold contact pads on the cartridge face and wipe them with a dry, lint-free cloth. Even a light film of dried ink spray here can cause a false "problem detected" or "older generation cartridge" error.
- Soak the ink exit port: Dip just the bottom 2mm of the circular ink outlet into warm demineralised water for 60 seconds to soften dried ink.
- Blot and re-test: Press the cartridge face firmly onto a clean paper towel or coffee filter. A solid, unbroken bar of colour means it's clear - reinstall it and run a nozzle check. If you get a dotted or streaky line instead of a solid bar, soak it again before trying to print anything important.
Pro Tip
Because the printhead on 905-series printers is a separate, shared component rather than part of the cartridge, a single clogged nozzle can show up as streaking across print jobs even when the cartridges themselves test fine. Run the printer's built-in "Nozzle Check" pattern before assuming a cartridge is faulty - it's a much smaller ink draw than a full automatic cleaning cycle, and it will tell you whether the problem is the cartridge or the printhead itself.
Free delivery applies on all orders over $99 (conditions apply), with inventory packed and shipped daily from our distribution network in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. You can browse our full range of HP ink cartridges or view our returns policy here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a 905XL cartridge if my printer currently has a standard 905 installed?
Yes. The standard 905 and high yield 905XL are identical in shape and fit into the same slot. The XL version simply contains a larger internal ink reservoir, nearly tripling the page output of the standard cartridge.
Can I mix a 905XL black cartridge with standard 905 colour cartridges, or vice versa?
Yes. Each cartridge has its own chip tracked separately by the printer, so you can combine different capacity tiers - such as a high-yield black with standard colour cartridges - without triggering calibration or recognition errors.
Why does my HP printer show an "older generation cartridge" error with compatible 905 cartridges?
This usually follows an HP Dynamic Security firmware update that changes the authentication handshake between the printer and the cartridge's smart chip. If a compatible cartridge's chip doesn't match the new signature, the printer flags it as outdated or unrecognised. Updating the printer's firmware and reseating the cartridge sometimes clears a false positive.
