To change the toner cartridge on a Brother printer, open the front cover and pull out the toner and drum assembly. Push down the green lock lever, lift out the old cartridge, then unpack the new one, remove its protective cover and shake it gently. Click it into the drum, slide the green tab to clean the corona wire, reinstall and close.
That is the whole job on almost every Brother monochrome laser, and color models follow the same idea through the top cover. The details below follow Brother's own procedures, plus the mistakes we see most often from customers changing their first cartridge.
Before you start
- Confirm it is the toner. Toner Low, Replace Toner or Toner Ended means the cartridge. Drum End Soon or Replace Drum means the drum unit, which is a separate part; our guide on replacing and resetting a Brother drum covers that job.
- Have the right TN number. It is printed on the old cartridge and in the table further down.
- Leave the printer switched on. Brother's procedure starts with the machine on, so it can detect the new cartridge.
- Put down a sheet of paper. You will set the assembly on it; a little loose toner is normal.
- Do not unpack the new cartridge yet. Brother advises opening it only when you are ready to install it.
How to replace the toner cartridge on a Brother laser printer
These steps apply to front-loading monochrome models, including the HL-L2300D, HL-L2350DW and HL-L2460DW families, the MFC-L2750DW and MFC-L2900DW all-in-ones, business models such as the HL-L5200DW and MFC-L5900DW, and older units like the HL-2270DW.
- With the printer on, open the front cover. If it has just printed a long job, give it a few minutes; the area around the fuser gets hot.
- Grip the toner cartridge and drum unit assembly and pull it straight out.
- Set it on your sheet of paper. Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner cartridge out of the drum unit.
- Unpack the new toner cartridge and remove the protective cover (and any tape or packing material).
- Hold the cartridge by its handle and shake it gently from side to side several times to spread the toner evenly.
- Push the cartridge firmly into the drum unit until it clicks; the green lock lever lifts back up automatically. If it is not locked, the cartridge can separate from the drum.
- Clean the corona wire: slide the green tab on the drum unit left and right several times, then return it to its home position so the arrow on the tab lines up with the arrow on the drum. A tab left off-center prints a vertical stripe.
- Slide the assembly back into the printer until it seats, then close the front cover.
- Do not turn the printer off or open the cover again until it returns to Ready mode; Brother is explicit about this.
You do not need to reset anything for the toner. A brand-new cartridge resets the toner status by itself; the reset procedures you see online are for the drum, which you only reset when the drum itself is replaced.
How to remove a toner cartridge from a Brother printer when it will not come out
- Take the whole assembly out first. On Brother lasers the toner is not removed from the printer on its own; it comes out sitting in the drum unit.
- Press the green lever all the way down. The cartridge only releases with the lever fully depressed. Lift the cartridge by its handle while holding the lever.
- Do not pry or twist. Forcing it can crack the cartridge or scratch the drum surface underneath.
- Keep it level. Tipping a used cartridge spills toner. Brother's advice if toner gets on skin or clothes: wipe or wash it off with cold water, not hot.
- Do not touch the drum's green roller or the electrical contacts. Fingerprints and static can cause print defects.
Changing toner on a Brother color laser
Compact color models such as the HL-L3210CW, HL-L3270CDW, MFC-L3770CDW and the newer HL-L3280CDW load from the top, one toner-and-drum assembly per color:
- Open the top cover until it locks in the open position. Brother warns that internal parts can be extremely hot; let the printer cool first.
- Remove the assembly for the color shown on the display and set it on paper. Avoid touching the electrodes Brother marks in its manual.
- Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner cartridge out of its drum unit.
- Unpack the new cartridge, remove the protective materials and push it into the drum until it locks.
- Slide the green corona wire tab left and right several times and return it to the home position.
- Slide the assembly back into the slot whose color label matches the toner, then close the top cover.
- Leave the printer on until the display returns to Ready. Brother color models also run a color calibration when a new cartridge goes in.
Replace only the color that is out; the other cartridges keep working until they report low themselves.
Which toner does your Brother printer take?
| Printer family | Standard yield | High yield and above | Drum unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| HL-L2350DW, HL-L2370DW, HL-L2390DW, MFC-L2710DW, MFC-L2750DW | TN730 (1,200 pages) | TN760 (3,000); TN770 (4,500) for HL-L2370DW and MFC-L2750DW only | DR730 |
| HL-L2400D, HL-L2405W, HL-L2460DW, MFC-L2820DW, MFC-L2900DW | TN830 (1,200) | TN830XL (3,000) | DR830 |
| HL-L2300D, HL-L2340DW, HL-L2380DW, MFC-L2700DW, MFC-L2740DW | TN630 (1,200) | TN660 (2,600) | DR630 |
| HL-L5200DW, HL-L6200DW, MFC-L5800DW, MFC-L5900DW | TN820 (3,000) | TN850 (8,000); TN880 (12,000) on HL-L6000 and MFC-L6000 models | DR820 |
| HL-2270DW, HL-2240, MFC-7360N, MFC-7860DW | TN420 (1,200) | TN450 (2,600) | DR420 |
| HL-L3210CW, HL-L3270CDW, MFC-L3770CDW (color) | TN223 (1,400 black) | TN227 (3,000 black, 2,300 color) | DR223CL |
Yields are Brother's ISO/IEC 19752 (mono) and ISO/IEC 19798 (color) figures at about 5% coverage. High yield is almost always cheaper per page: at current prices a TN760 costs about 1.7 times a TN730 but prints 2.5 times the pages, so each page costs roughly 30% less. If your model is not listed, our cartridge finder will match it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the protective cover on. Brother has you remove it before the cartridge goes into the drum; packing left in place can cause toner errors or blank, faint pages.
- Replacing the drum when only the toner is low (or the other way around). The messages are different; read them carefully.
- Installing a partly used cartridge from another printer. Brother says a partially used cartridge stops the printer from tracking toner consumption correctly, which can leave the low-toner message on.
- Switching off during start-up. Wait for Ready after closing the cover.
- Wondering why the first cartridge ran out so fast. New Brother printers ship with a lower-yield starter cartridge; see starter vs full-yield toner.
If the toner message does not clear
Reseat the cartridge in the drum until it clicks, make sure both parts are back in the printer, and slide the corona wire tab again. Brother's checklist also includes updating the printer's firmware. If you are still seeing Replace Toner with a new cartridge installed, our guide to the Brother Replace Toner message covers the remaining causes and Brother's Continue mode.
What to do with the old cartridge
Put the empty cartridge in the new one's bag so it cannot leak, then return it through Brother's free program; our guide on recycling Brother toner cartridges explains how. Keep your next spare sealed and stored flat until needed.
The quick rule
Change the cartridge when the printer says Replace Toner or print quality fades, keep the drum unless drum messages appear, and always finish with the green tab back in its home position. Every cartridge we sell is genuine Brother, brand new and factory sealed, with free US shipping and same-day dispatch on orders placed before 2 PM ET.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the toner on a Brother printer?
Open the front cover, pull out the toner and drum assembly, push down the green lock lever and lift out the old toner cartridge. Unpack the new cartridge, remove the protective cover, shake it gently, click it into the drum, slide the green corona wire tab and return it home, then reinstall the assembly and close the cover.
How do I remove the toner cartridge from the drum on a Brother printer?
Take the whole assembly out of the printer first, set it on a sheet of paper, then press the green lock lever all the way down and lift the cartridge out by its handle. Do not pry or twist it.
Do I need to reset my Brother printer after changing the toner?
No. A new toner cartridge resets the toner status automatically once the printer returns to Ready. The reset procedures you see online are for the drum counter, which you reset only after installing a new drum unit.
Should I shake a new Brother toner cartridge before installing it?
Yes. Brother's instructions say to hold the new cartridge by its handle and shake it gently from side to side several times before pushing it into the drum unit. This spreads the toner evenly.
What should I do with the old Brother toner cartridge?
Seal it in the bag the new cartridge came in so it cannot leak, then return it through Brother's free recycling program instead of putting it in the trash.
