How to find your exact ink or toner number

Printer aisles are organized by brand families. Cartridges are not. “Envy,” “EcoTank,” and “LaserJet” are series names. The cartridge number belongs to a specific model, and sometimes to a regional or “e” variant of that model.

Find the full model, not the series

Check these spots in order. Write down every character, including letters after the digits.

1. Inside the cartridge door or toner door. Many inkjets print the model and the cartridge family on a sticker next to the stall.
2. The back or bottom regulatory plate. This is the most reliable full model (for example HP ENVY 6055e, Epson ET-2800, Brother HL-L2395DW).
3. The printer’s own menu. Look under Settings, Printer info, or Supplies. Laser printers often list toner and drum part numbers here.
4. The software on your computer. The printer queue or “printer properties” window usually shows the model the driver thinks you have. Confirm it against the plate on the machine.

If a box or website only says the series, keep looking. Series pages often list several cartridge families.

Read the number on the cartridge you already have

Leave the old cartridge in the printer until you have the number. Pull it only far enough to see the label, or use the last box if you kept it.

Useful markings:

• A short number such as 67, 245, 63, 235, or TN-760.
• A suffix such as XL, XXL, HC, or High Yield.
• Color words or a small color square (black, cyan, magenta, yellow).
• For laser: TN (toner) and DR (drum) are different parts. Buying a drum when you need toner, or the reverse, will not refill the same supply.

Photograph the label. Retail sites and store computers search that string more reliably than the marketing name on the front of the printer.

Standard vs XL

Standard and XL cartridges for the same model usually share the same chip family and fit the same stall. The XL tank holds more ink or toner.

• Choose XL if you print often and want fewer swaps.
• Choose standard if you print rarely. Ink that sits for a long time can dry in the head; a smaller tank is less money sitting unused.
• The printer will usually refuse a number that is not in its list, even if the plastic looks the same size. Do not peel labels or “convert” a cartridge to a different number.

Some models also have a separate photo-black or a combo pack. A black-only listing is not a full set.

Why people buy the wrong one

• Searching the series name and picking the first result.
• Mixing a refill kit for a different generation of the same family.
• Assuming two printers that look alike share ink. A 2020 and a 2023 “almost the same” model often do not.
• For tanks with bottles (EcoTank-style), the bottle number still has to match. The printer is not a generic funnel.

If the printer shows a “non-genuine” or “incompatible” message after a swap, recheck the number before you assume the printer is broken. Take the cartridge back out and compare it to the door sticker.

A short checklist before you pay

• Full model from the plate, not the brochure name.
• Cartridge or bottle number from the door or from the old supply.
• Standard vs XL decided on purpose.
• Color count matches (one black vs a four-color set).
• For laser, toner vs drum confirmed.

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