What Ink Does the Canon PIXMA MG2522 Use?

Quick answer: The Canon PIXMA MG2522 uses two FINE cartridges: PG-245 pigment black and CL-246 tri-color. The PG-245XL and CL-246XL high-yield versions print ~300 pages each against ~180 for the standard cartridges. The lower-capacity PG-243 and CL-244 also fit the same slots.

The cartridges, pictured

• PG-245XL + CL-246XL 2-packBlack + Color
• PG-245XL Black8278B001 · ~300 pages
• CL-246XL Tri-color8280B001 · ~300 pages

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

Canon PIXMA MG2522 Ink Cartridges at a Glance

The Canon PIXMA MG2522 takes one pigment black plus one tri-color FINE cartridge. The same PG-245 / CL-246 family fits a long list of Canon compacts, including the PIXMA iP2820, MG2420, MG2920, MG2924, MG2525, MG3020, MX492, TS202, TS302, TS3120, TS3320 and TR4520.

The printhead is inside the cartridge. Canon's own manual defines a FINE cartridge as "a replaceable cartridge that integrates print head and ink tank" — so every time you fit a new cartridge you are fitting a new printhead. That is why a badly clogged MG2522 is usually cured by a fresh cartridge rather than by cleaning cycles, and why running a cartridge bone dry is less damaging on this design than on printers with a permanent head.

How to Replace Ink in the Canon PIXMA MG2522

1. Power the printer on and lift the scanning unit / cover until it locks. The FINE cartridge holder moves to the replacement position.
2. Push down on the old cartridge until it clicks, then lift it out. Put each new cartridge in the slot its old one came from.
3. Take the new cartridge out of its packaging and remove the orange protective tape completely. Do not touch the gold contacts or the print head nozzles underneath — on a FINE cartridge the printhead is part of the cartridge.
4. Insert the new cartridge at a slight angle and push up on the top until it clicks firmly into place.
5. Close the scanning unit. The printer runs a short preparation cycle; wait for it to finish before opening anything again.
6. Run Print Head Alignment from the Canon printer software on your computer; the MG2522 has no on-printer menu. Because you have effectively fitted a new printhead, alignment matters more on this design than on most.

Troubleshooting Tips

Support code 1401, 1403 or 1485: With no screen, the printer shows these as alarm-lamp flashes and the code appears on your computer. All three mean the printer cannot read a FINE cartridge. Remove it, wipe the gold contacts with a dry lint-free cloth, and reseat until it clicks. Check you removed the orange tape completely — a strip left across the contacts causes this every time.

Missing color or banding: Run Nozzle Check from the Canon printer software on your computer, then Cleaning on the affected cartridge. Because the printhead lives inside the cartridge on this design, a blockage that survives two deep cleans usually means the cartridge itself is done.

"The following ink may have run out": Canon is reporting an estimate from its drop counter, not a measurement. You can acknowledge the message and keep printing, though Canon disables the low-ink warning once you do.

Support code 1686 with a remanufactured cartridge: The printer can't track the ink level in a refilled cartridge, so printing may stop until you hold the Stop (Resume) button for about 5 seconds. That turns off ink-level detection for that cartridge only, so watch print quality and replace it when output fades.

Prints are sharp but colors are off: Run Print Head Alignment. Fitting a new FINE cartridge means fitting a new printhead, so alignment after every cartridge change matters more here than on most printers.

What PIXMA MG2522 owners ask

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

Can I print to the MG2522 from my phone?

No. The MG2522 is USB-only, with no Wi-Fi, so it has to be connected to a computer by cable.

The lamp flashes a paper-jam pattern but there's no paper inside. What now?

Owners report the cartridge holder won't move to the change position until that error clears. In one Canon Community case, button resets didn't help, and Canon's advice was to contact its technical support.

Black stopped printing even with a new cartridge. Is it the cartridge?

Not always. In a 2025 Canon Community case, black stayed blank after deep cleaning and a new PG-245. Canon pointed the owner to its "ink is not ejected" troubleshooting steps and, because the printer was out of warranty, to its Upgrade Program.

How much more does an XL cartridge print?

PG-245XL is rated at about 300 pages against about 180 for PG-245, and CL-246XL at about 300 against 180 for CL-246. That's roughly two-thirds more for not much more money.

Where do I see the support code if the printer has no screen?

On your computer. The printer itself only shows a pattern of alarm-lamp flashes; the support code number appears in the error message on the connected computer.

PIXMA MG2522 quirks worth knowing

• There is no screen. Errors show up as alarm-lamp flash patterns (three flashes is the one owners associate with a paper jam), and maintenance such as nozzle checks, cleaning and alignment runs from your computer or from button presses.
• It is USB-only: no Wi-Fi and no Ethernet. That keeps setup simple, but it rules out printing from a phone.
• The paper tray holds 60 sheets of plain paper, and the retail listing rates it at about 8.0 images per minute in black and 4.0 in color.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does using remanufactured PG-245 cartridges void my Canon PIXMA MG2522 warranty?
No. Under the U.S. Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer cannot void your printer warranty solely because you use remanufactured or other third-party 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.

Canon's yields are measured differently for black and color — does that matter?
Slightly. Canon rates PG-245 to ISO/IEC 24711 and CL-246 to ISO/IEC 24712, and its published yields are for a replacement cartridge rather than the one that shipped in the box. The starter cartridges in a new MG2522 hold less, which is why the first set always seems to run out fast. That is normal, not a fault.

Can I use PG-243 and CL-244 instead?
Yes. Retail listings for the MG2522 include both, and they fit the same slots. They are low-capacity versions of PG-245 and CL-246: Canon rates them at about 100 pages each. If you have some on hand they will work, but for ongoing use the XL cartridges cost far less per page.

Other printers that use PG-245 and CL-246

Canon PIXMA MX490 · Canon PIXMA MG2922 · Canon PIXMA TS3120 · Canon PIXMA TR4522 · Canon PIXMA TR4527 · Canon PIXMA iP2820 · Canon PIXMA MG3029 · Canon PIXMA MG2525

More Canon ink guides: Canon PIXMA TS3722 · Canon PIXMA TR4720 · Canon PIXMA MG3600 · find any printer

Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives

• Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
• Canon PIXMA MegaTank G3290 — CastleScore 88
• Canon imageCLASS MF275dw (laser) — CastleScore 81

Sources

Ratings and prices were checked on October 12, 2026 and will change over time.

• Walmart Canon PIXMA MG2522 listing (specs, compatible cartridges)
• Canon Community: MG2522 paper-jam error with no paper
• Canon Community: MG2522 no black ink
• 4inkjets PG-245XL listing (yields)
• Canon yield sheet for PG-243/245 and CL-244/246 (PIXMA TS202)