So, you’ve just refilled your Brother ink cartridge in your printer but immediately after you have done so the printer is showing a Brother Ink Low After Refill warning light? Don’t worry you’re not alone. After refilling a Brother printer cartridge, it is common to need to reset the cartridge’s counter. In this post, we will explore the cause of this and how you can fix the Brother Printer Ink Low Message After Refill in easy steps.
Read More: How to Replace and Refill Epson 410 Printer Ink
Why Does the Appear Brother Ink Low After Refill
How a Brother Printer Monitors Ink Levels Brother printers are built with the capacity to maintain track of the ink that is being consumed. Once the cartridge has been used and is then refilled, it is possible that the printer will not remember that it was refilled because the chip above still reads the ink level as low or empty.
This is particularly true in Brother inkjet printers as the machine does not measure the ink but estimates its use. Accordingly, your printer may still indicate:
- Ink Low
- Replace Ink Cartridge
- Stop Printing altogether
To fix the Brother Printer Ink Low Message After Refill, you have to reset the cartridge or the ink level indicator.
Step-by-Step Guide to Fix the Brother Ink Low After Refill
There are a few different ways to solve this depending on which Brother printer model you have.
1. Manually Reset the Ink Cartridge (For Inkjet Printers)
Most Brother printers do not use a manual reset. Here’s how:
For Printers with Touchscreen:
- Open the access door to the ink cartridges.
- Press the Stop/Exit button.
- Tap the ink level icon on the display.
- You would then select the ink color that you had topped off.
- When prompted Did you exchange the cartridge? Choose “YES”.
For Printers without Touchscreen:
- Open the door of the ink cartridge.
- Hold down either the “Stop” or “Menu” button for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Use the arrow keys to scroll to “Ink”, “Reset” or “Ink Counter”.
- Choose the color you refilled and let the reset commence.
To remove the Brother Ink Low After Refill this procedure usually works immediately.
2. Use a Reset Tool (3 holes) for Refillable Cartridges
If using third-party or refillable cartridges, you might need a chip resetter. This little gadget resets the chip so it recognizes that the ink level is back to full.
Steps:
- Remove the cartridge.
- Put the end of the chip onto the resetter tool.
- Keep it for a few seconds until the LED light blinks or lights solid green.
- Return the cartridge to the printer.
A ChIP Resetter is a useful tool to have if you refill your Brother cartridges often.
3. Cartridge Chip Needs to be Replaced or Updated
On occasion, the cartridge chip gets broken or is not recognized by your printer firmware. If resetting doesn’t work:
- Buy new chip replacements that will fit into your cartridge.
- Jiggle the old chip and plug in the new one.
- Just make sure it is seated well before inserting the cartridge back in.
This can remove the Brother Ink Low After Refill if the old chip is damaged or locked.
4. Rollback Firmware (Advanced Option)
Brother infrequently updates the firmware in their printers in order to prevent the use of third-party or refilled ink cartridges. If one day a firmware update caused your printer to no longer recognize refilled ink cartridges rolling back to a previous version could be right for you.
Warning: This is only for advanced users and could possibly void your warranty.
- Go to the official Brother website and search for the older version of the firmware (if available).
- Please follow the instructions to uninstall the current firmware and install the previous version.
- To avoid similar problems in the future, you can turn off automatic firmware updates.
5. Printer Maintenance Mode (Advanced) utilize/ Use
Select a Printer you will find some Brother printers in the hidden maintenance mode program.
To Enter Maintenance Mode:
- Turn off the printer.
- When turning the unit on hold the Menu, Start or Set button.
- Use the arrow buttons on the keypad to locate the ink or counter reset option.
Warning: Do not modify other settings in this mode. It is meant for technicians.
Tips for Never Getting Rejection for Low Ink After Refill
- Use good Ink cartridges. It’s the little things that apply here.
- Fill up before the cartridge is empty.
- Do not touch the chip and the sensor areas during a refill.
- Keep the cartridge in a clean, dry place to avoid chip damage.
Final Thoughts
Fixing the Brother Ink Low After Refill is usually straightforward once you know the right steps. Normally as straightforward as opening up the printer and replacing the cartridges. Noting the time with a manual reset and using a chip resetter or replacing chips will release. By observing this guide your printer should be providing smooth printing once again without disruption.
If you still encounter problems, visit your printer’s official support page or consult with a professional technician.
