HP LaserJet 1200: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the HP LaserJet 1200 right for you?

The LaserJet 1200 is a turn-of-the-century personal laser that earned a reputation for being impossible to kill, and it still turns up in home offices printing crisp text on its 15A cartridges. It supports PCL and PostScript, so it works with the HP Universal Print Driver and generic drivers long after HP stopped writing specific ones. Its pickup rollers harden with age, and the priority feed slot tends to become the only tray that feeds reliably.

Best for: Anyone running a vintage but dependable mono laser with generic drivers

Setting up the HP LaserJet 1200

Use the HP Universal Print Driver (PCL 6) on Windows over USB or, for the 1200n, over TCP/IP with a static address. Parallel-to-USB adapters work if the PC has no parallel port. Replace or clean the pickup roller if the main tray fails to feed, and use 15X for the lowest running cost.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the toner cartridge and drum unit, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use HP's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The HP LaserJet 1200 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• HP 15A (C7115A) toner
• HP 15X (C7115X) high-yield toner

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications