# How to trick a Brother printer ink cartridge?
## Brother printer Cannot Detect ink cartridge |1-877-331-5006| Brother printer shows low ink after refill

rother printers are known for their reliability and affordability. However, one common frustration among users is the ink or toner monitoring system. Even when there's still usable ink left, your Brother printer might stop printing and display messages like “Replace Ink” or “Cannot Detect Ink.” This guide covers why this happens, the risks involved, and the most popular methods users employ to “trick” Brother printers into thinking the ink cartridges are still full.

**Why Do Brother Printers Block Printing When Ink Is Low?**
Modern Brother printers use built-in sensors to detect ink or toner levels. Once the levels reach a certain threshold—usually before the cartridge is completely empty—the printer will prevent you from printing to avoid damaging the printhead or producing poor print quality.

However, many users find that cartridges still have a substantial amount of usable ink left. The ink monitoring system, while designed to be protective, often errs on the side of caution, leading to premature replacement of cartridges. This has led to workarounds for tricking the ink detection system.

Legal and Warranty Considerations
Before proceeding, it’s important to know the risks:

**Warranty:** Tampering with ink cartridges or printer firmware may void your warranty.

**Damage:** Bypassing ink detection might lead to damage if you actually run the cartridge completely dry.

**Legal Issues:** Some methods could violate Brother’s terms of use or regional consumer protection laws.

That said, many users still look for ways to extend the usable life of their ink cartridges.

Common Methods to Trick Brother Printer Ink Cartridges
Here are the most widely used strategies:

**1. Tape the Cartridge Sensor (Optical Sensor Block Trick)**
Many Brother ink cartridges use a small clear window on the side as an optical sensor to detect ink levels. Once the ink level drops below this window, the sensor triggers the low-ink warning.

**How it works:**

A light beam passes through the window to check for ink.

If no ink is detected (i.e., the beam passes straight through), the cartridge is considered empty.

**What to do:**

Remove the cartridge.

Locate the small clear plastic window near the bottom or side.

Cover it completely with opaque tape (e.g., electrical tape).

Reinsert the cartridge and restart the printer.

**Effect:** The sensor will be blocked and may assume the cartridge is full.

**Note:** This doesn't actually refill the cartridge—it just bypasses the detection.

**2. Reset the Cartridge Manually (for Toner Models)**
For Brother laser printers, especially models using toner cartridges, you can often manually reset the cartridge’s page counter.

**Steps for many models:**

Open the printer’s front cover (as if replacing the toner).

Press and hold the ‘Secure’ and ‘Cancel’ buttons or use the ‘Go’ button depending on your model.

A menu may appear with “Reset Menu” or “Drum/Toner Reset.”

Select the cartridge you want to reset (e.g., “TNR-HC” for high-yield toner).

Confirm and close the cover.

**Result:** The printer will reset its toner counter and resume printing.

**Caution:** Overriding the toner warning can result in faint prints or drum damage if toner actually runs out.

**3. Use a Refill Kit + Reset Chip**
Ink refill kits allow users to refill OEM cartridges with third-party ink. However, Brother cartridges often include a chip that tells the printer the cartridge is empty—even if refilled.

**To bypass this:**

Purchase a refill kit with a chip resetter or buy compatible reset chips.

Refill the cartridge using the syringe method.

Replace the chip or use a reset tool to reprogram the cartridge chip.

Pros: You can reuse the same cartridge multiple times. Cons: It's messy, requires precision, and might not be compatible with newer models.

**4. Buy Compatible or Refillable Cartridges**
Many third-party vendors sell refillable cartridges that include auto-reset chips. These cartridges are designed to be refilled and used multiple times.

**Related Blog:**
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**Advantages:**

Designed for easy refilling.

Often recognized as "full" by the printer.

Much cheaper in the long run.

**Tips:**

Choose a reputable brand.

Make sure it’s compatible with your specific Brother printer model.

Check reviews—some third-party chips are more reliable than others.

**5. Firmware Downgrade (Advanced Users Only)**
In recent years, Brother has released firmware updates that prevent the use of third-party or refilled cartridges.

**Solution:**

Downgrade the firmware to an earlier version that supports third-party cartridges.

**Warning:**

This is risky and not recommended for casual users.

It can brick your printer if done incorrectly.

Not all models allow firmware downgrades.

If you want to try this, you'll need:

The previous firmware version (often hard to find).

A USB cable and Brother's firmware tool.

**Additional Tips**
Turn off Automatic Firmware Updates: This prevents Brother from pushing new software that might block compatible cartridges.

Print in Grayscale or Draft Mode: Saves ink and delays the “low ink” alert.

Use Print Queue Hacks: On some models, canceling and restarting the print queue repeatedly after the warning allows a few more pages to print.

**Final Thoughts**
Brother printers are designed with ink detection systems that aim to protect print quality and the machine itself, but they can be overly cautious. The methods outlined above are commonly used by tech-savvy users to get more value from their ink cartridges. Whether it’s taping the sensor, manually resetting the printer, or using auto-reset cartridges, there are options to suit different comfort levels and models.

Just remember: always monitor print quality. If your prints start to fade or the heads dry out, it’s time to either properly replace or refill the cartridge—no trick can bring back dried-out ink!