Which ink/toner does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw use?
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw (laser, 2017) uses CF500X, CF501X, CF503X, CF502X, CF500A, CF501A, CF503A, CF502A.
Third-party cartridge risk: Medium a firmware update can start blocking non-OEM cartridges, so check before buying a large supply, or hold off on firmware updates.
The Color LaserJet Pro M254dw is a compact four toner colour laser from HP's 202A generation, aimed at a desk rather than a print room.
Colour is where this generation gets expensive. 202A black is rated 1400 pages at $75.00, which is 5.36c a page, and 202X brings that to 4.06c, about 24 percent off. The colours cost more: a standard 202A cyan runs 6.15c against 5.60c on the XL, and you need three of them, so a page with all four colours on it costs several times what a black page does.
HP lists the M254dw as a dynamic security enabled printer on its own store page, only intended to be used with cartridges using an HP original chip. Cartridges with a non HP chip may work now and stop working after a later update, which is HP's phrasing rather than ours.
Four cartridges make a block worse than it sounds. A refusal in any one slot stops the printer rather than just that colour, and on some firmware it stops black only documents too. If you buy compatibles for this machine, buy the set from one supplier so the chips are the same generation, and hold firmware updates before any of them go in.
Compatible cartridges
| Cartridge | Color | Yield | Pages | OEM price | Cost/page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF500X | black | XL | 3200 | $130.00 | 4.1¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF501X | cyan | XL | 2500 | $140.00 | 5.6¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF503X | magenta | XL | 2500 | $140.00 | 5.6¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF502X | yellow | XL | 2500 | $140.00 | 5.6¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF500A | black | standard | 1400 | $75.00 | 5.4¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF501A | cyan | standard | 1300 | $80.00 | 6.2¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF503A | magenta | standard | 1300 | $80.00 | 6.2¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
| CF502A | yellow | standard | 1300 | $80.00 | 6.2¢ | OEM · AmazonCompatible |
XL (high-yield) cartridges cost more upfront but lower the cost per page, which is better if you print a lot.
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw is on our firmware-lockout list, so a compatible or remanufactured cartridge can stop working after a printer update. The safe choice is genuine HP toner. If you want to try a compatible to save money, buy only from a seller that guarantees it works with this printer's current firmware, and keep the receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Which toner does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw use?
The HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw uses CF500A, CF500X, CF501A, CF501X, CF502A, CF502X, CF503A and CF503X.
Does the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw take XL cartridges?
Yes. Besides the standard cartridges it accepts CF500X, CF501X, CF502X and CF503X. A high-yield XL holds more toner and costs less per page, which is worth it if you print often.
Will third-party toner work in the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw, or will firmware block it?
HP publishes its dynamic security notice for this model on HP's own store page for the M254dw: it is intended to work only with cartridges carrying a new or reused HP chip, and firmware updates can block compatible CF500A/CF500X/CF501A/CF501X/CF502A/CF502X/CF503A/CF503X toner that worked before. Checked 1 September 2026.
How many pages do the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw cartridges print?
Rated yields run from about 1300 pages (CF502A) to about 3200 pages (CF500X), depending on the cartridge. Real-world yield depends on how much you print and how much toner each page uses.
What is the cheapest toner for the HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw?
By list price the lowest cost per page here is the CF500X at about 4.1 cents per page. A reliable compatible or remanufactured cartridge can lower that further.
Related HP Color LaserJet Pro printers
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw ⚠ DRM
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dw
- HP Color LaserJet Pro M454dw ⚠ DRM
Guides for HP Color LaserJet Pro M254dw owners
- HP LaserJet toner compatibility chart: which printer takes which CE, CF or W number
- Drum unit vs toner: when to replace one, and what it really costs
- Why did my printer stop accepting compatible ink after a firmware update?
- Setup cartridges: why a new printer runs out of ink so fast, and what the first refill costs
- How to disable HP Dynamic Security and decline the firmware update safely
Last reviewed . Compiled by MyCartridgeFinder from manufacturer cartridge finders and retailer cross reference tables, then checked against this printer's database record. Cartridge numbers and yields come from that record, never from guesswork. See our methodology and data sources.