Brother Printer Not Accepting New Ink – How to Fix It

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If your Brother printer is not accepting new ink cartridges, the problem may be related to installation errors, incompatible cartridges, firmware blocks, or reset issues. Follow the steps below to troubleshoot and fix the issue.

Check Cartridge Compatibility
  1. Make sure you are using genuine Brother ink cartridges or approved third-party cartridges that are compatible with your printer model.
  2. Double-check the model number printed on the cartridge and compare it with your printer’s manual.
  3. Some Brother printers reject non-genuine or refilled cartridges.

Reinstall the New Cartridge Properly
  1. Open the ink cartridge cover.
  2. Remove the new cartridge and gently reinsert it until it clicks into place.
  3. Ensure each cartridge is in the correct color slot (e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, black).
  4. Close the cover and wait for the printer to recognize the cartridge.

Clean the Cartridge Contacts
  1. Power off the printer and unplug it.
  2. Remove the ink cartridge.
  3. Use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water to clean the metal contacts on both the cartridge and inside the printer.
  4. Dry the contacts, reinsert the cartridge, and power the printer back on.

Reset the Ink Cartridge Manually (if applicable)

Some Brother models require a manual reset after installing new ink.

For models with ink reset options:
  1. Navigate to Settings > Ink > Replace Ink.
  2. Select the color that was replaced and confirm the reset.
  3. If the printer prompts that ink is still empty, press OK or Clear/Back until the message clears.

Run an Ink Cartridge Initialization
  1. Turn off the printer and unplug it for 30 seconds.
  2. Plug it back in and turn it on.
  3. Open the cartridge door, remove and reinsert the cartridge, and close the door.
  4. The printer may reinitialize and recognize the cartridge.

Check for Firmware Updates Blocking Third-Party Ink
  1. Visit the Brother Support website.
  2. Download and run the Firmware Update Tool for your model.
  3. Some updates block unofficial ink; if using third-party cartridges, avoid updating unless necessary.
  4. If an update was installed recently, switch to genuine Brother cartridges to verify if the issue is firmware-related.

Use the Printer’s Maintenance Tools
  1. From the control panel, go to Settings > Ink > Cleaning or Maintenance > Ink Cartridge Settings.
  2. Run a print head cleaning or cartridge recognition tool.
  3. Try printing a test page afterward to confirm ink recognition.

Replace Faulty or Defective Cartridge
  1. If the cartridge remains unrecognized after all steps, it may be defective.
  2. Try another cartridge-preferably genuine Brother-if available.
  3. Return or exchange the original cartridge if it was recently purchased.

If the printer still does not accept the new ink, the problem may involve internal hardware or firmware settings that require service from Brother Support.