HP OfficeJet Pro 6968: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968 right for you?

The OfficeJet Pro 6968 was the entry point to HP's small-office range for several years, with Ethernet, fax, a document feeder and cheap-to-run HP 902 cartridges. It became notorious when a firmware update began rejecting non-HP cartridges, which introduced many owners to the idea of declining printer updates. The fixed printhead is shared with the 6978 and tends to fail after a few years, typically announced by a 0x61 error or a message that the printhead is missing.

Best for: Small offices on a budget that need fax and Ethernet

Setting up the HP OfficeJet Pro 6968

Wired Ethernet is the most dependable connection; otherwise use the touchscreen wizard or HP Smart on 2.4 GHz. If you rely on third-party ink, turn off automatic updates under Setup, Printer Maintenance, Update the Printer. Fax uses the 1-LINE port and the wizard under Setup, Fax Setup.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink cartridges, 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 OfficeJet Pro 6968 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• HP 902 Black
• HP 902 Cyan
• HP 902 Magenta
• HP 902 Yellow
• HP 902XL high-yield
• HP 903 (UK/EU)

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