What Ink Does the Brother MFC-J485DW Use?

by William Elward Last Updated: November 6, 2026

Quick answer: The Brother MFC-J485DW uses four Brother LC201 (standard) or LC203 (high-yield) cartridges: black, cyan, magenta and yellow. Castle Ink sells remanufactured LC203 4-packs and singles: LC203 Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow.

It does not take the newer LC3011/LC3013 used by the MFC-J491DW and J497DW.

CastleScore · November 2026

69/100 — Situational

Brother MFC-J485DW

Pillar (weight)	Score	What it is based on
Owner ratings (28%)	—	No retailer rating with enough reviews to use.
Expert reviews (18%)	—	No published numeric expert score we could verify.
Cost per page (24%)	84	About 1.8¢ per page in black and color with our remanufactured LC203XL cartridges (about 550 pages each).
Reliability (13%)	80	Few recurring hardware complaints; most issues are ink-related clogs after long idle periods.
Features (12%)	74	Print, copy, scan, fax, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, Wi-Fi, color display. No touchscreen.
Value (5%)	—	Not scored without owner ratings

Limited data: We could not find enough owner ratings or published expert scores for this printer, so those weights are spread across the other pillars. With neither owner ratings nor a published expert score, we cap this printer at 69 (Situational) until better data is available.

Older model. This printer is no longer a current model, but its LC201 and LC203 cartridges are still widely sold, including our remanufactured versions.

CastleScore is Castle Ink’s own editorial rating, built from retailer star ratings, expert reviews, real cost per page and owner complaint patterns, checked November 6, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

What Ink Does the Brother MFC-J485DW Take?

Cartridge	Brother part no.	Approx. yield	Castle Ink option
LC203 Black (high yield)	LC203BK	~550 pages	Remanufactured, $9.99
LC203 Cyan	LC203C	~550 pages	Remanufactured, $9.99
LC203 Magenta	LC203M	~550 pages	Remanufactured, $9.99
LC203 Yellow	LC203Y	~550 pages	Remanufactured, $9.99
LC203 4-pack	LC203BK/C/M/Y	One of each	Remanufactured, $32.99

Yields are Brother's figures. Standard LC201 cartridges fit the same slots but print about 260 pages each. Our cartridges are genuine Brother shells, cleaned, refilled and print-tested.

What Does MFC-J485DW Ink Cost per Page?

About 1.8¢ a page per cartridge with our remanufactured LC203, roughly half the cost of standard LC201.

How Do I Replace the Ink in the MFC-J485DW?

Open the ink cartridge cover on the front right of the printer.
Press the release lever above the empty cartridge and pull it out.
Remove the orange protective cap from the new cartridge.
Push the cartridge into the matching color slot until it clicks.
Close the cover; the printer resets the ink counter automatically.

Which Other Printers Use LC201 and LC203?

The MFC-J480DW, MFC-J680DW, MFC-J880DW, MFC-J885DW and the MFC-J4420DW family.

What MFC-J485DW owners ask

These are the questions that come up most for this printer on retailer Q&A pages, support forums and owner reviews, answered in our words.

Why does it say "Cannot Detect" after I change a cartridge?

Make sure the orange cap is removed and the cartridge is pushed fully in; reseat it once if needed.

Can I mix LC201 and LC203?

Yes. Any color can be standard or high-yield.

Frequently Asked Questions