HP OfficeJet Pro 6978: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978 right for you?

The OfficeJet Pro 6978 is the 6968 with a duplexing document feeder, which made it the default recommendation for home offices scanning double-sided paperwork in the late 2010s. It remains quick, cheap to feed with HP 902XL cartridges and easy to connect thanks to Ethernet. The printhead lifespan is the main ownership risk, and because HP sells it only as a service part, a failed head often ends the printer's life.

Best for: Home offices that scan double-sided documents regularly

Setting up the HP OfficeJet Pro 6978

Plug into Ethernet where possible; for Wi-Fi use the 2.4 GHz band through the touchscreen wizard. The two-sided ADF scan option appears in the Scan menu and in HP Smart, where you can save both sides into one PDF. If a printhead error appears, remove and reseat the head once with the power on, but avoid repeated removal, which worsens the contacts.

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 6978 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