How to Change the Toner in a Brother Printer (and Fix “Replace Toner” That Won’t Clear)

Changing the toner in a Brother laser printer takes about two minutes once you know which cover to open. This guide walks you through it for every common Brother toner, from the TN760 and TN830 to the TN229 and TN436 color sets, and shows you what to do when the printer still says Replace Toner after you’ve put a new cartridge in.

Which toner does your Brother printer use?

The toner number is printed on the cartridge label, and it’s listed in your printer’s manual. Find your printer below. The table also shows how the toner comes out, which tells you which steps to follow.

Printer lists come from Brother’s supply pages. Swift Ink prices were checked on October 17, 2026. Sorted by how often our customers order each toner.

How to change the toner in a black-and-white Brother printer

Brother’s monochrome lasers use two parts that clip together: the toner cartridge and the drum unit. You only replace the toner. The drum lasts through several toner cartridges, so don’t throw it away. These steps follow Brother’s own instructions for the TN760, TN830, TN660, TN450 and TN920 families. The TN850 and TN880 printers use the same kind of assembly.

1. Leave the printer on and open the front cover

   Brother’s steps start with the machine turned on, so it registers the new cartridge when you close the cover. On older models such as the HL-2270DW, let the printer cool for about 10 minutes first, because parts inside get hot.

2. Lift out the toner and drum assembly

   Pull it straight out and set it on a sheet of paper in case loose toner falls out.

3. Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner out

   The lever sits at the end of the drum unit. Push it down and the toner cartridge comes free.

4. Unpack the new toner and remove the protective cover

   Hold the cartridge by its handle and gently shake it side to side a few times to spread the toner. Brother’s TN830, TN920 and TN450 instructions include this step. Don’t touch the roller.

5. Push the new toner into the drum until it clicks

   The green lever lifts back up when the cartridge is locked in. If it isn’t seated all the way, the toner can separate from the drum and the printer may show No Toner or Cartridge Error.

6. Clean the corona wire

   Slide the green tab on the drum gently from one end to the other several times. Then return it to its home position so its arrow lines up with the arrow on the drum. If you leave it out of place, pages can print with a vertical stripe.

7. Put the assembly back and close the cover

   Slide the assembly in until it seats, close the front cover, and wait for the printer to return to Ready. Don’t turn it off or open the cover while it’s finishing.

How to change the toner in a color Brother printer

Brother color lasers come in two designs. Check the table above to see which one you have.

TN229 and TN227 printers: top cover, one assembly per color

Older models that use the TN221 and TN225 work the same way.

1. Open the top cover until it locks

   Check the screen to see which color needs replacing. Give the inside a moment to cool.

2. Lift out the assembly for that color

   Each color has its own toner and drum assembly. Set it on a clean, flat surface and don’t touch the electrical contacts.

3. Push down the green lock lever and lift the toner out

   Unpack the new cartridge, remove the protective cover, and push it into the drum until it locks.

4. Clean the corona wire

   Slide the green tab back and forth a few times and park it at the home arrow.

5. Slide the assembly back into its slot and close the top cover

   Match the cartridge color to the color label inside the printer. A cartridge in the wrong slot shows an error.

TN436, TN433 and TN431 printers: drawer behind the front cover

1. Open the front cover and pull out the drum drawer

   Press the cover release button, open the front cover, then hold the green handle and pull the drum unit out until it stops. All four colors sit in this drawer.

2. Lift out the empty cartridge

   Hold the cartridge for the color on the screen by its handle, push it gently away to unlock it, and lift it out.

3. Install the new cartridge

   Remove the protective cover, set the cartridge in its matching slot (BK, C, M or Y), and pull it toward you until it locks.

4. Clean the corona wires

   Slide each green tab left and right a few times, then lock it back at its home position. Brother does this every time you change a cartridge.

5. Push the drawer back in and close the cover

   Push the drum unit in by its green handle until it locks, then close the front cover and wait for Ready.

What each Brother toner message means

Exact wording varies a little by model. Some color models say Toner Life End instead of Replace Toner.

Brother printer still says Replace Toner after a new cartridge

This is one of the most common calls our support team gets. Most of the time it’s a seating problem or a cartridge that isn’t new. Work through these in order. They’re all free except the last one.

1. Check that you replaced the toner, not the drum

   Brother’s own help pages flag this mix-up. The toner is the part you lift out of the drum with the green lever. The drum is the larger frame it sits in.

2. Reseat the toner in the drum

   Take the assembly out, push down the green lever, lift the toner out, rock it gently side to side, and push it back in until it clicks. Reinstall the assembly. Brother’s first fix for No Toner and Cartridge Error is exactly this.

3. Make sure the cartridge is brand new

   A cartridge that was used before, even briefly or in another printer, won’t clear the message. Brother explains why for each family: TN630/TN660 and TN420/TN450 cartridges have a reset lever that moves when you install them, and TN830 cartridges store their remaining life on the cartridge. A used cartridge has already done its one reset.

4. On color models, check the color on the screen

   If the message now names a different color, the cartridge you replaced is fine. The next color is running out.

5. Clean the corona wire

   Slide the green tab back and forth and return it to the home arrow. It’s part of Brother’s checklist for this message.

6. Clean the contacts (TN229 color models)

   For Cannot Detect or Toner Error on HL-L3220CDW, HL-L3280CDW and HL-L3295CDW models, Brother says to unplug the printer, then wipe the three metal contacts on the right side of each drum assembly, and the matching contacts inside the printer, with a dry lint-free cloth.

7. Update the printer’s firmware

   Brother’s checklist for its black-and-white models includes updating to the latest firmware from the Downloads section of your model’s support page. Brother says its firmware updates don’t block third-party ink and toner.

8. Reset the toner counter (TN730 and TN760 printers)

   These printers have a manual reset. The steps are below.

9. Replace the cartridge $

   If none of this clears it, the cartridge is the problem. If it came from Swift Ink, contact our support team and we’ll help. Our returns and exchanges policy has the details.

How to reset the toner counter on a Brother printer (TN730 and TN760 models)

Brother publishes a one-time manual reset for printers that use the TN730 and TN760, for use after you’ve installed a new cartridge. The buttons differ by model, so find your printer below. Brother doesn’t publish a manual toner reset for its other printer families. For those, Brother’s fix is to reseat a brand-new cartridge, which the printer registers on its own.

HL-L2325DW, HL-L2350DW, HL-L2370DW and HL-L2379DW

1. Open the front cover

   Leave the printer on.

2. Press Back and Go at the same time, release, then press Back again

   Do this within about two seconds.

3. Choose your cartridge type

   Press ▲ or ▼ to show TNR-STD for a standard TN730, TNR-HC for a high-yield TN760, or TNR-S.HC for a super high-yield cartridge (HL-L2370DW and HL-L2379DW only). Press OK.

4. Press ▼ to reset, then close the cover

   The screen briefly shows Accepted. Close the front cover. If the date and time come back, the reset worked.

DCP-L2550DW, HL-L2390DW, MFC-L2690DW, MFC-L2710DW and MFC-L2717DW

1. Open the front cover

   Leave the printer on and the drum and toner in place.

2. Press Clear and Stop/Exit at the same time, release, then press Clear again

   Do this within about two seconds.

3. Choose your cartridge type

   Press ▲ or ▼ to show TNR-STD (TN730) or TNR-HC (TN760). Press OK.

4. Press ▲ to reset

   The screen briefly shows Accepted. Close the front cover. If the date and time come back, the reset worked.

Touchscreen models: HL-L2395DW, MFC-L2730DW, MFC-L2750DW and MFC-L2759DW

1. Open the front cover

   Leave the printer on.

2. Press the Back and Cancel (X) keys at the same time, release, then press Back again

   These are the keys beside the touchscreen. Do this within about two seconds.

3. Tap your cartridge type

   Tap TNR-STD (TN730), TNR-HC (TN760) or TNR-S.HC (super high yield), then tap Yes. The screen shows Accepted.

4. Close the front cover

   If the toner message is still there, Brother says to repeat the reset once more. If it’s still there after two tries, replace the cartridge.

Keep printing after Replace Toner with Continue Mode

Most Brother printers stop printing at Replace Toner, but many have a Continue setting that lets you print until the screen says Toner Ended. Print quality isn’t guaranteed and pages may come out faint. You can’t change the setting while an error is showing, and it switches back to Stop when you install a new cartridge.

Not listed? Search your model’s Online User’s Guide on Brother’s support site for “Continue Mode”.

Do you need to change the drum when you change the toner?

No. The drum lasts much longer than the toner. In a TN760 printer, for example, one DR730 drum is rated for about 12,000 pages and one TN760 cartridge for about 3,000, so the drum lasts through several cartridges. Replace the drum only when the printer says Replace Drum or prints show gray haze or repeating marks. Our guide to laser printer lines and streaks helps you tell a worn drum from other problems.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my new Brother printer say Toner Low so soon?

The cartridge that comes in the box is a starter cartridge with a smaller yield. In the HL-L2350DW, for example, Brother rates it at about 700 pages, compared with about 3,000 for a TN760. A full-size cartridge lasts much longer.

Can I keep printing when my Brother printer says Replace Toner?

On many models, yes. Turn on Continue Mode and you can print until the screen says Toner Ended. Expect lighter pages near the end.

Why does my Brother printer say No Toner when I just put one in?

The cartridge isn’t seated in the drum. Take the assembly out, push down the green lever, lift the toner out, then push it back in until it clicks.

Will compatible toner work in my Brother printer?

Yes. Brother’s support site says its firmware updates don’t block third-party ink and toner. A good compatible cartridge installs and registers the same way as Brother’s. Brother does recommend its own supplies, and its warranty doesn’t cover damage caused by third-party toner. Any cartridge, Brother or compatible, can occasionally arrive defective, so buy from a seller that replaces bad cartridges.

Should I shake a new Brother toner cartridge?

Brother’s steps for the TN830, TN920 and TN450 say to shake the new cartridge gently side to side a few times before you install it. It spreads the toner evenly. Keep it level and don’t touch the roller.