How to Reset the Drum on a Brother Printer (Every Panel Type)

To reset the drum on a Brother printer, first install the new drum unit, then clear the drum counter from the control panel. On models without a display, hold Go for about four seconds with the front cover open. On LCD models, press OK with the Up arrow and choose Drum. On touchscreens, hold the Toner icon, then tap Drum and Yes.

The button sequence depends on your control panel, so this guide groups Brother printers by panel type and gives the steps Brother publishes for each. One rule applies to all: Brother says not to reset the drum counter unless you are replacing the drum unit. Resetting an old drum only hides the warning.

Before you reset: make sure it is the drum, not the toner

Most Brother lasers use two separate supplies: a toner cartridge (TN part number) that clips into a drum unit (DR part number). They wear out on different schedules, and each has its own messages. If you are not sure which part does what, our explainer on what the drum on a Brother printer is covers it in detail.

• Drum messages: Drum End Soon, Replace Drum, Drum Stop, or a lit Drum LED on models without a screen. These are what a drum reset clears.
• Toner messages: Toner Low, Replace Toner, Toner Ended. A drum reset will not touch these; see how to clear the Replace Toner message instead.
• Drum ! (with an exclamation mark) is different again: it usually means the corona wire inside the drum needs cleaning, not that the drum is worn.

Drum End Soon is only an early warning. You can keep printing; order the drum now so it is on hand when Replace Drum appears. Our guide to Brother toner and drum messages decodes the rest.

How to replace the drum unit on a Brother printer

On front-loading monochrome models (for example the HL-L2300D, HL-L2350DW, HL-L2460DW and MFC-L2750DW families) the toner and drum come out together as one assembly. The steps below follow Brother's procedure:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on, then open the front cover.
2. Pull out the toner cartridge and drum unit assembly.
3. Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner cartridge out of the old drum.
4. Unpack the new drum unit. Brother warns that sunlight or long exposure to room light can damage it.
5. Push the toner cartridge firmly into the new drum until it clicks and the lever lifts. If it is not fully seated it can separate from the drum.
6. Slide the green corona wire tab left and right a few times, then return it to its home position (arrow aligned with arrow).
7. Slide the assembly back into the printer.
8. Now reset the drum counter using the steps for your panel type below. Note whether your model wants the front cover open or closed during the reset.

Color compact models such as the HL-L3270CDW and MFC-L3770CDW load each color's toner-and-drum assembly through the top cover instead; the reset afterward works the same way.

How to reset the drum counter on a Brother printer, by panel type

Brother printers without a display (LED-only)

This covers the HL-L2300D and HL-L2320D (DR630), the HL-L2400D (DR830) and the older HL-2240 and HL-2270DW (DR420).

1. Turn the printer on and open the front cover.
2. Press and hold Go for about four seconds, until all four LEDs light up.
3. Release Go as soon as all four LEDs are lit.
4. Close the front cover and check that the Drum LED is now off.

One-line LCD models with arrow keys

Typical of the DR730 family (HL-L2350DW, HL-L2370DW, HL-L2390DW, MFC-L2710DW, DCP-L2550DW) and the DR830 family (HL-L2405W, HL-L2460DW, HL-L2465DW, MFC-L2760DW).

1. Turn the printer on and make sure the front cover is closed.
2. Press OK and the Up arrow at the same time (on some models Brother words this as holding OK while you press Up).
3. Press OK to select Drum.
4. Choose Reset. The key differs by model: Brother lists the Down arrow for the HL-L2350DW and HL-L2370DW, the Up arrow for the HL-L2390DW and MFC-L2710DW, and a Reset menu option on the HL-L2460DW. Follow what the display shows; do not pick Exit.

DR630-generation LCD models (cover open)

The HL-L2340DW, HL-L2360DW, DCP-L2540DW and MFC-L2700DW reset with the cover open:

1. With the printer on, open the front cover.
2. Press and hold OK for about two seconds until the drum option appears (on the HL-L2340DW, press OK again to select Drum Unit).
3. Press the Up arrow to reset; on models with a number keypad, pressing 1 also works.
4. Close the front cover.

Touchscreen models

This includes the HL-L2395DW, MFC-L2730DW and MFC-L2750DW, the newer HL-L2480DW, MFC-L2820DW and MFC-L2900DW, and color models such as the HL-L3270CDW and MFC-L3770CDW.

1. Turn the printer on with the front cover closed.
2. If an error is on screen, tap the X to clear it.
3. Press and hold the Toner icon (the toner-level indicator on the Home screen) for about five seconds, until the screen changes.
4. Tap Drum (Drum Unit on some models). On color printers, select the color of the drum you replaced.
5. Tap Yes, then press Home.

Business and older models

• HL-L5000D, HL-L5100DN, HL-L5200DW, HL-L6200DW, HL-L6250DW (DR820): open the front cover, hold OK about two seconds until Drum Unit appears, press OK, press the Up arrow to reset, close the cover.
• Touchscreen business MFCs (MFC-L5800DW, MFC-L5900DW, MFC-L6900DW): Settings > All Settings > Machine Info. > Parts Life, press and hold Drum Life until the message changes, then Yes and Home.
• DR630-generation touchscreens (HL-L2380DW, MFC-L2720DW, MFC-L2740DW): with the cover closed, tap X to clear the error, go to Settings > All Settings > Machine Info. > Parts Life, touch the dial pad area so it lights, press and hold # until the message changes, then tap Drum, Yes and Home.
• Older keypad models (MFC-7860DW and similar, DR420): with the front cover open, press Clear, then 1 (or Up on models without fax) to confirm a new drum; close the cover after the display shows Accepted.

If your model is not listed, the same option is almost always under the drum or Parts Life menu. Search your exact model on Brother's support site for "Reset the Drum Counter."

Still showing Replace Drum after the reset?

Brother confirms that Replace Drum, Drum End Soon and Drum Stop keep appearing when the counter was not reset after a new drum went in. Work through these checks:

1. Cover position. The most common miss. LED-only, DR630-generation and business models reset with the cover open; most newer LCD and touchscreen models with it closed.
2. Timing. On LED-only models, release Go only once all four LEDs are on. Letting go early does nothing.
3. Confirm the result. On LCD models, open Machine Info. > Parts Life > Drum Life. A freshly reset counter shows full drum life.
4. Right part? If you replaced the toner and not the drum, the drum message is still correct. Match the DR number on the old drum to the new box.
5. Drum ! instead of Replace Drum? That is a cleaning or seating issue. Reseat the toner in the drum and clean the corona wire.

Still stuck? Contact Brother support.

Mistakes that cost you a drum (or print quality)

• Resetting the old drum to silence the warning. The printer keeps working, but it no longer knows the drum's real age, and you lose the warning before gray backgrounds, specks and repeating marks start. Brother says that after a mid-life reset the machine cannot correctly calculate remaining drum life.
• Buying the wrong drum. Drums are generation-specific: the DR730 fits the HL-L2350DW family, the DR830 the HL-L2400D/HL-L2460DW family, the DR630 the HL-L2300D/HL-L2340DW family, the DR820 the HL-L5200DW/MFC-L5900DW family, and the DR223CL the HL-L3210CW/MFC-L3770CDW color family. Older HL-2270DW and MFC-7860DW owners need the DR420.
• Touching the green drum surface. Fingerprints and scratches show up on every page. Handle the drum by its frame.
• Leaving the corona wire tab off-center. If you slide the green tab during the swap, return it to the home position. Brother notes that a tab left out of place prints a vertical stripe down every page.
• Tossing the old drum loose. Brother asks you to seal it in a bag so leftover toner cannot spill, then recycle it.

A genuine Brother drum outlasts several toner cartridges (DR730 about 12,000 pages, DR830 about 15,000, DR820 about 30,000, at one page per job), so get the part right the first time. Every drum we sell is genuine Brother, brand new and factory sealed, with free US shipping and our right-cartridge-or-your-money-back guarantee.

The short version

Replace the drum, then reset: Go for four seconds on LED-only models, OK plus Up on LCD models, the Toner icon on touchscreens, with the cover open or closed as your model requires. Reset only for a new drum.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reset the drum on a Brother printer that has no screen?

Turn the printer on, open the front cover, and press and hold Go for about four seconds until all four LEDs light up. Release Go, close the cover, and check that the Drum LED has gone out. This applies to models such as the HL-L2300D, HL-L2320D, HL-L2400D and HL-2270DW.

Do I have to reset the drum counter after installing a new Brother drum?

Yes. Brother printers track drum life by counting drum rotations, and the count only starts over when you reset it. Without the reset, the printer keeps showing Replace Drum or Drum End Soon even though the new drum is fine.

Can I reset the drum counter to keep using my old drum?

On many models the reset will technically work, but Brother advises against it. The printer can no longer calculate the drum's remaining life, so you lose the warning before a worn drum starts printing gray backgrounds, specks or repeating marks. Current models such as the HL-L2350DW and HL-L2460DW keep printing after Replace Drum appears, so if prints still look good you can use the drum until they do not, then replace it.

What does Drum End Soon mean on a Brother printer?

It means the drum unit is near the end of its rated life. You can keep printing; Brother recommends ordering a new drum so it is ready when the printer shows Replace Drum. Do not reset the counter at this stage.

Why does my Brother printer still say Replace Drum after I put in a new drum?

Almost always because the counter was not reset, or the reset was done with the front cover in the wrong position for that model. Repeat the steps for your panel type, then confirm under Machine Info, Parts Life, Drum Life that the drum shows full life.