Updated January 2026
Firmware-Safe HP Ink Cartridges: What’s New for 2026
If you own an HP inkjet or PageWide printer, you’ve likely seen firmware updates that suddenly reject non-HP cartridges. That continued into 2025, so we’ve expanded our Firmware-Safe lineup to keep your printer running smoothly in 2026.
The short version:
- Dynamic Security can block third-party cartridges after certain updates.
- Fresh issues were reported in 2025 across multiple inkjet families.
- Use Firmware-Safe cartridges, manage updates, and avoid “e” models if you want third-party flexibility.
Where Firmware-Safe cartridges fit
Firmware-Safe means our cartridges are built to keep working even if your printer takes a future update. It’s an ongoing approach to compatibility across common HP families.
Families we focus on
- HP 902XL – OfficeJet Pro 6960/6970 series — Shop 902XL
- HP 952XL – OfficeJet Pro 8710/8720/8730 series — Shop 952XL
- HP 972A/972X – PageWide Pro 452/477 series — Shop 972X
- HP 910XL – OfficeJet 8010/8020 series — Shop 910XL
- HP 962XL – OfficeJet Pro 9010/9020 series — Shop 962XL
How to stay firmware-safe in 2026
- Use Firmware-Safe cartridges matched to your printer family.
- Turn off automatic updates on the printer panel and in HP Smart app.
- Avoid “e” models if you want third-party flexibility (Instant Ink ties supplies to the service).
- If an update slips through, check for a rollback on your model’s support page and contact us for help.
