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What Ink Cartridge Does the Brother MFC-J1205DW Use?

by William Elward Last Updated:

Quick answer: The Brother MFC-J1205DW uses Brother LC401 ink cartridges (standard yield) or Brother LC401XL high-yield cartridges. You'll need four separate cartridges — Black (LC401BK), Cyan (LC401C), Magenta (LC401M), and Yellow (LC401Y) — or the corresponding XL versions for roughly 3× the page yield.

Brother MFC-J1205DW Compatible Ink Cartridges

  • LC401BK — Standard Black (~200 pages)
  • LC401C / LC401M / LC401Y — Standard Cyan, Magenta, Yellow (~200 pages each)
  • LC401XLBK — High-Yield Black (~500 pages)
  • LC401XLC / LC401XLM / LC401XLY — High-Yield color (~500 pages each)

OEM vs. Compatible: Which Should You Buy?

Genuine Brother cartridges typically run $18–$22 each. Compatible and remanufactured LC401/LC401XL cartridges from a trusted U.S. retailer like Castle Ink's Brother ink cartridge collection cost a fraction of OEM pricing and carry a full replacement warranty. For home users printing a few hundred pages a month, compatible XL cartridges are usually the best value.

How to Install LC401 Cartridges in the MFC-J1205DW

  1. Power on the printer and open the cartridge access cover.
  2. Wait for the cartridge carriage to move to the replacement position.
  3. Press down on the old cartridge to release it, then lift it out.
  4. Remove the orange protective cap from the new LC401 cartridge (do not touch the copper contacts).
  5. Insert the new cartridge at a slight angle and press down until it clicks.
  6. Close the cover — the printer will automatically prime the ink system.

How Many Pages Will One Set Print?

A full set of LC401XL high-yield cartridges will print approximately 500 black pages and 500 color pages at 5% coverage. For heavy users, the XL version is almost always cheaper per page.

Troubleshooting: "Ink Low" or "Cannot Detect" Errors

If your MFC-J1205DW shows a "Cannot Detect" error after installing new ink, remove the cartridge, wipe the copper chip gently with a lint-free cloth, and reinsert. For persistent errors, perform a printer power cycle (unplug for 60 seconds). Brother's full error-code reference is available on the official Brother MFC-J1205DW support page.

Shop Brother LC401 Cartridges

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About William Elward

Founder of Castle Ink, William Elward has 20 years experience in the printer industry. He's been featured on CNN Money, Yahoo, PC World, Computer World, and other top publications and frequently blogs about printers and ink cartridges. He's an expert at diagnosing printer issues and has published guides to fixing common printer issues across the internet. A graduate of Bryant University and Columbia's Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program, he's held various leadership positions at The College Board, Bankrate, Zocdoc, and Everyday Health. Follow him on Twitter at William Elward's Twitter Profile


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