What Ink Does the Brother MFC-J1205W Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The Brother MFC-J1205W uses four individual LC404 ink cartridges, each rated at about 750 pages. There is no LC404XL or LC404XXL — LC404 is a single-tier cartridge, and the 750-page rating is already high-yield territory for a printer in this class.
CastleScore · October 2026
78/100 — Recommended
Brother MFC-J1205W
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 79 | From our published CastleScore ranking, based on owner ratings at major U.S. retailers. |
| Expert reviews (18%) | 72 | PCMag 4.0/5 |
| Cost per page (24%) | 88 | About 4.6¢ per page blended (black + color) with Original Brother LC404 at Brother's prices (we don't sell LC404). |
| Reliability (13%) | 75 | Most-reported problems: occasional double-sheet feed during copying |
| Features (12%) | 66 | Print, copy, scan, Wi-Fi. No document feeder, no auto two-sided printing, no fax, no touchscreen. |
| Value (5%) | 80 | Running cost and owner satisfaction |
Discontinued. Brother lists both the MFC-J1205W and the MFC-J1205W XL as discontinued, though Staples still showed the J1205W at $149.99 when we checked. LC404 ink is still sold.
CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked October 10, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
Why we don't sell LC404 ink
We don't stock LC404 cartridges, so there is nothing of ours to recommend for the MFC-J1205W.
Buy genuine Brother LC404: LC404BKS black and LC404CS, LC404MS and LC404YS color, each rated at about 750 pages. There is only one size, so there is no XL to look for. Brother also sells the three colors as a pack (LC4043PKS).
Brother MFC-J1205W Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Page Yield |
|---|---|---|
| LC404BK Black | Black | ~750 pages |
| LC404C Cyan | Cyan | ~750 pages |
| LC404M Magenta | Magenta | ~750 pages |
| LC404Y Yellow | Yellow | ~750 pages |
The Brother MFC-J1205W takes four individual cartridges. The same LC404 cartridges fit the Brother MFC-J1205W XL and the MFC-J1215W.
A naming note worth getting right: there is no Brother MFC-J1205DW. The US model is the MFC-J1205W, with no D. If you have been searching for "J1205DW" ink and finding nothing, that is why — you want LC404.
How to Replace Ink in the Brother MFC-J1205W
- Leave the printer switched on. Open the ink cartridge cover on the front of the machine — the carriage does not need to move on this design, because Brother mounts the cartridges in a fixed bay.
- Press the lock release lever for the cartridge you are changing and let it pop forward, then pull it straight out.
- Unwrap the new cartridge and remove the orange protective cap. Do not touch the black chip contacts or the ink port.
- Slide the new cartridge in following the arrow on the label — each color is keyed so it will only fit its own slot — and push firmly until the lever clicks.
- Close the cover. The printer primes the line automatically; on a first install after running dry this can take a couple of minutes and is normal.
- Print a test page from the control panel to confirm all four colors are laying down evenly before you send a real job.
Troubleshooting Tips
A new cartridge isn't detected: Power the printer off, remove the cartridge, and wipe the chip contacts with a dry lint-free cloth. Reseat until the lever clicks audibly — a cartridge that is in but not latched is the most common cause of this message. If it persists across every slot, the problem is the machine's contact block rather than the ink.
Blank pages or a missing color: The MFC-J1205W has no screen or menus, so start a print quality check and a cleaning with the button combinations in Brother's manual, or from Brother's computer or app software. Two cleaning cycles is the sensible limit; if a channel is still missing after that, the blockage is in the head and needs a different approach.
Prints look faded straight after a cartridge change: Brother primes the line automatically but a long dry spell can leave air in it. Print ten pages of ordinary text and re-check — most cases clear themselves.
Ink levels look wrong: Brother's gauge is an estimate based on drop counts, not a measurement of what is left in the cartridge. Treat "low" as a prompt to order, not a reason to stop printing.
What MFC-J1205W owners ask
These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, Brother's support pages and owner reviews, answered in our words.
How do I check ink levels when there is no screen?
Use Brother's free Mobile Connect app, which shows the Page Gauge estimate. Low-ink lights on the panel also come on as a cartridge runs down.
Why won't borderless photos print from Windows?
Borderless printing works only through Brother's iPrint&Scan software, not the standard Windows driver.
How do I print 4×6 photos?
Flip up the tongue on the bottom of the paper drawer to set it for 4×6 paper.
Can it print two-sided or scan a stack of pages?
No. There is no automatic two-sided printing and no document feeder; scanning is on the flatbed only.
MFC-J1205W quirks worth knowing
- There is no display at all. It runs from five buttons (paper size, wireless, power/stop, mono copy/scan and color copy/scan) plus indicator lights, and some light combinations are hard to decode without the manual.
- It is an INKvestment Tank design: the cartridges feed an internal tank rather than the print head directly.
- Photos are slow. Tom's Guide timed an 8×10 glossy print at over 8 minutes, about twice the average.
- Tom's Guide put running costs at about 3.5¢ a page for black text and 9.1¢ for color with genuine LC404.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does using compatible LC404 cartridges void my Brother MFC-J1205W warranty?
No. Under the U.S. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer cannot void your printer warranty solely because you use compatible or remanufactured cartridges. If a specific cartridge causes damage, that damage is not covered — but the rest of the warranty stands.
How are these page yields measured?
To the ISO/IEC standard for the cartridge type, at 5% page coverage on plain paper. That is a deliberately modest amount of coverage, so heavy graphics, photos or dense tables will always yield fewer pages than the rating. The numbers are useful for comparing cartridges against each other, not for predicting your exact month.
What is the MFC-J1205W XL, and does it use different ink?
Same ink. The "XL" is the printer, not the cartridge — the MFC-J1205W XL ships with more ink in the box (Brother quotes up to two years at about 100 pages a month, against up to one year for the standard model). Once those run out, you refill with ordinary LC404 cartridges just like the standard model.
Why is there no LC404XL?
Because LC404 is already a high-capacity design at 750 pages per cartridge. Brother positioned this line around a big in-box supply rather than a standard/XL split, which is why you will not find an XL tier no matter where you look.
More Brother ink guides: Brother MFC-J1360DW · Brother MFC-J4355DW · Brother MFC-J6555DW · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Brother MFC-T780DW — CastleScore 90
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
- Brother MFC-J4335DW — CastleScore 89
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 10, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement Brother ink cartridges? Shop Brother ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.