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HP 206A Toner Guide: Colors, Yields, Printers & Packs

HP 206A Toner Guide: Colors, Yields, Printers & Packs

Buying the right HP 206A toner is simple once you know three things: the printer models it fits, the page yield of each version, and how the price per page compares. Here is all of it in one place. Every cartridge listed below is a genuine HP original, brand new and factory sealed, with free shipping across the USA.

Which printers use HP 206A?

HP 206A cartridges are made for the following HP printers:

Tip: the model number is printed on the front or top of the printer and on the sticker inside the toner door. If your model is not listed here, check the cartridge number on the old cartridge itself — HP prints it on the label.

HP 206A cartridge lineup

Cartridge Part number Color Page yield* Price Cost per page
HP 206A Toner Cartridge W2110A Black 1,350 pages $90.00 $81.00 6.0¢
HP 206A Cyan Toner Cartridge W2111A Cyan 1,250 pages $93.00 $85.00 6.8¢
HP 206A Magenta Toner Cartridge W2113A Magenta 1,250 pages $93.00 $85.00 6.8¢
HP 206A Yellow Toner Cartridge W2112A Yellow 1,250 pages $93.00 $85.00 6.8¢

*Yields are HP's declared values (ISO/IEC 19752 for mono, ISO/IEC 19798 for color) at 5% page coverage. Real-world yield depends on what you print: dense graphics use more toner than text.

Black, cyan, magenta, yellow: how color cartridges are used

Color HP laser printers hold four cartridges and use them independently. Black is consumed on every text page; cyan, magenta and yellow are consumed only when color is printed — and, in most modes, a little of each is used to create rich composite black in graphics. In practice the black cartridge runs out first in most offices, followed by whichever color your logo or charts lean on. That is why we sell the HP 206A colors individually as well as in CMY (three colors) and CMYK (all four) packs.

You do not need to replace all four at once. The printer keeps working with a low color cartridge until it hits the hard stop; replace only the cartridge the printer flags. If the printer refuses to print mono because a color cartridge is empty, check the driver or front-panel setting that allows black-only printing.

Multipacks: when they pay off

Pack Cartridges Pack price Bought singly You save
HP 206A Toner Cartridge 2-Pack 2 $174.60 $157.14 $162.00 3%
HP 206A Toner Cartridge CMY 3-Pack 3 $272.00 $244.80 $255.00 4%
HP 206A Toner Cartridge CMYK 4-Pack 4 $354.67 $319.20 $336.00 5%

Every cartridge in a GS TONER multipack is the same genuine HP 206A sold individually — full yield, same packaging, same warranty. Packs make sense when you already know you will use every cartridge within about a year; unopened HP toner stores well for at least that long in its sealed bag, away from heat and sunlight.

How long will an HP 206A last you?

Use your monthly page count (the printer's usage page reports it) to see how often you will change cartridges and what toner costs per month with each version.

Monthly volume 206A: cartridge life / toner cost per month High-yield
250 pages 5.4 months / $15.00 —
500 pages 2.7 months / $30.00 —
1,000 pages 1.4 months / $60.00 —
2,000 pages 0.7 months / $120.00 —

Below about 112 pages a month a cartridge would sit in the printer for more than a year, so the standard version is the better fit; above 450 pages a month the high-yield version (if one exists for this family) pays back quickly and halves the number of cartridge changes.

Genuine HP vs compatible HP 206A

Search results for “HP 206A” are full of compatible and remanufactured cartridges at a fraction of the price. They can work, but the trade-offs are real: yield claims are not measured to the same ISO standard, toner formulation differs from the one the fuser was tuned for, chip errors after firmware updates are common, and a leaking cartridge can put a drum or fuser repair on your bill. HP's warranty does not cover damage caused by non-HP supplies. We sell only original HP cartridges — the ones with HP's security label — because for a workgroup printer the difference in cost per page is small next to the cost of downtime.

How to check yours is genuine: the box carries a HP security label, the cartridge has HP's part number (W2110A for the 206A) molded or printed on it, and the printer's supplies page identifies it as an original HP cartridge after installation.

Replacing the HP 206A cartridge

  1. Open the cartridge door (front or top, depending on the model) and pull the old cartridge straight out by its handle.
  2. Take the new cartridge out of its bag. Rock it gently end to end five or six times to distribute the toner — do not shake it vertically.
  3. Remove the orange shipping clips and pull the sealing tape straight out if the cartridge has one (many current HP models do not).
  4. Align the cartridge with the guides and slide it in until it seats; close the door. The printer calibrates for a few seconds and reports the new cartridge on the supplies page.

Keep the old cartridge for recycling: HP Planet Partners takes back original HP cartridges free of charge in the US.

Frequently asked questions

Which printers is HP 206A compatible with?

HP 206A fits HP Color LaserJet Pro M255 series (M255dw, M255nw), HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M282 series, HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283 series (M283fdw, M283cdw, M283fdn). The full list is above and on each product page.

How many pages does the 206A print?

About 1,350 pages at 5% coverage, which is a typical business letter. Heavy graphics or full-page images reduce that noticeably.

Do I have to replace all HP 206A colors at the same time?

No. Replace only the cartridge the printer reports as empty. Colors are consumed at different rates depending on what you print.

Are your HP 206A cartridges genuine HP?

Yes. GS TONER sells only original HP cartridges, brand new and factory sealed, sourced from authorized distribution. No compatibles, no refills.

How fast do you ship?

Orders placed before 2 PM Eastern ship the same business day from our US warehouse, with free shipping to all 50 states.

Related guides

Ready to order? Every HP 206A cartridge and pack above is in stock at GS TONER with free US shipping and 30-day returns.