What Ink Does the Canon PIXMA MG3600 Use?
Last Updated:Quick answer: The Canon PIXMA MG3600 uses PG-240 / CL-241 ink cartridges — one pigment black and one tri-color — with higher-capacity PG-240XL / CL-241XL versions available. Two cartridges in total, each with the printhead built in. The black is also available in an extra-high-yield PG-240XXL at roughly 600 pages — there is no XXL for the color.
CastleScore · October 2026
75/100 — Recommended
Canon PIXMA MG3600 series (scored as the MG3620)
| Pillar (weight) | Score | What it is based on |
|---|---|---|
| Owner ratings (28%) | 76 | 3.88★ average across 7,105 ratings at Best Buy (4.2), Amazon (4.0), Adorama (3.5) and Walmart (3.3) |
| Expert reviews (18%) | — | No published numeric score we could verify. RTINGS rates it good for home use. |
| Cost per page (24%) | 76 | About 7¢ per page blended with our remanufactured PG-240XL (300 pages) and CL-241XL (400 pages). The PG-240XXL black lowers it further. |
| Reliability (13%) | 83 | Wi-Fi setup trouble dominates; occasional jams |
| Features (12%) | 64 | Print, copy, scan, auto two-sided printing, Wi-Fi. No screen, no document feeder, no fax |
| Value (5%) | 76 | Cheap to buy when it was on sale; average running cost |
Limited data: We could not verify a numeric expert score, so the expert weight is spread across the other five pillars.
Discontinued. Canon lists the MG3620 as discontinued; this score rates it for current owners.
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 7, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.
The cartridges, pictured
PG-240XL + CL-241XL 2-pack5206B001 / 5208B001
PG-240XL Black5206B001 · ~300 pages
CL-241XL Tri-color5208B001 · ~400 pages
PG-240XXL Black5204B001 · ~600 pages
PG-240XL + CL-241XL 2-pack
PG-240XL Black
CL-241XL Tri-color
PG-240XXL BlackOur own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house. Some retail listings suggest PG-245/CL-246 for this printer; Canon's own MG3620 yield sheet lists PG-240 and CL-241.
Canon PIXMA MG3600 Ink Cartridges at a Glance
| Cartridge | Color | Approx. Page Yield |
|---|---|---|
| Canon PG-240 | Pigment black | ~180 pages |
| Canon CL-241 | Tri-color | ~180 pages |
| Canon PG-240XL | Pigment black (high-yield) | ~300 pages |
| Canon CL-241XL | Tri-color (high-yield) | ~400 pages |
| Canon PG-240XXL | Pigment black (extra high-yield) | ~600 pages |
The MG3600 series (sold as the MG3620 in the US) is a long-serving compact home all-in-one. It takes two cartridges, and unusually for a printer this size the black is offered in three capacities.
Standard vs. PG-240XL / CL-241XL: Which Should You Buy?
At minimum buy the XL versions: PG-240XL raises black from about 180 pages to 300, and CL-241XL takes color from roughly 180 to 400. If you print mostly black text, the PG-240XXL goes further still at around 600 pages — and you can pair an XXL black with an XL color without any problem, since the printer does not care about matching capacities.
Run the comparison on real prices with our Printer Ink Cost Calculator — on two-cartridge printers the gap between standard and XL is usually larger than people expect.
How to Replace the Ink in the Canon PIXMA MG3600
- With the printer on, open the front cover (and the paper output tray if it is closed). The cartridge holder moves to the replacement position.
- Push down on the used cartridge to release the lock, then lift it out.
- Take the new cartridge out of the package and remove the orange protective tape. Do not touch the gold contacts or the print nozzles underneath.
- Insert the cartridge into its slot at a slight angle — black on one side, color on the other — and push up until it clicks.
- Close the cover and wait for the printer to finish preparing the ink system.
- Run a nozzle check from Maintenance if the first prints look banded, then Print Head Alignment if needed.
Keep the orange tape and packaging for a few days in case a cartridge proves faulty.
Troubleshooting Tips
The printer says a cartridge cannot be recognized: Remove it, wipe the gold contacts with a dry lint-free cloth, and reseat. If the message persists, the chip has failed and the cartridge should be replaced under guarantee.
Ink level monitoring is disabled after fitting a compatible: Expected. Canon disables its estimate for non-Canon cartridges — hold the Stop button for about five seconds to acknowledge, then judge by print quality instead.
Blank pages or missing colors: Run Cleaning, then Deep Cleaning from Maintenance. Because the printhead is built into the cartridge on this model, a cartridge that will not recover simply needs replacing.
One color gone but the others full: That is how a tri-color cartridge works — when any one color is exhausted the cartridge is done. Greyscale printing for documents is the only meaningful mitigation.
Paper feeding crooked or multiple sheets: Fan the stack and reseat the paper guides. Common on the compact Canon feeders and unrelated to ink.
Which Other Printers Use the Same Ink?
The PG-240 / CL-241 / PG-240XL / CL-241XL cartridge is used across a range of machines, which keeps compatible prices low and availability high. If you run more than one of these, a single cartridge type covers them all:
- Canon PIXMA MG2120 / MG2220 / MG3120 / MG3122 / MG3220
- Canon PIXMA MG3520 / MG3522 / MG3620
- Canon PIXMA MX372 / MX432 / MX452 / MX472 / MX512
- Canon PIXMA TS5120
Always check the number printed on the cartridge you are replacing before ordering — manufacturers reuse similar-looking numbers across families. You can also look your machine up in our Find Ink by Printer directory.
What MG3600 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.
Why won't it connect to my new or mesh Wi-Fi?
The MG3620 only supports 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n. Owners have most trouble with 5 GHz-only networks and mixed WPA2/WPA3 security. Turning on a 2.4 GHz network or WPA2 compatibility mode in your router usually fixes it.
How do I set up Wi-Fi without a screen?
Canon's WPS PIN method: hold the Wi-Fi button until the ON lamp flashes, then hold the Stop button until the Alarm lamp flashes exactly 16 times and release.
Why did the cartridges in the box run out so fast?
Canon says the first cartridges print fewer pages because some ink is used to fill the print head. It is a one-time cost.
Does it print two-sided automatically?
Yes, it has automatic duplex, chosen in the print dialog. It is slow, though: Tom's Guide timed five two-sided text pages at about three minutes.
Can it fax?
No. It prints, copies and scans only.
MG3600 quirks worth knowing
- The black comes in three sizes (PG-240, 240XL and 240XXL at 600 pages), but the color stops at XL. Pairing an XXL black with an XL color gives the lowest cost per page.
- One tray handles both letter paper and 4×6 photo paper, so you swap paper by hand. Tom's Guide also noted a hinge ridge that makes 4×6 sheets fiddly to remove.
- It launched in July 2015 at $79.99 as the replacement for the MG3520, and was one of the first entry-level PIXMAs with automatic duplex.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ink does the Canon PIXMA MG3600 use? Canon PG-240 pigment black and CL-241 tri-color, with PG-240XL, PG-240XXL and CL-241XL high-capacity versions available.
Does the MG3600 use PG-245 cartridges? No. PG-245/CL-246 fits the MG2522, MG3020, TS3120 and TR4520 family. The MG3600/MG3620 takes PG-240/CL-241.
What is the PG-240XXL? An extra-high-yield black at roughly 600 pages — more than three times the standard PG-240. There is no XXL version of the color cartridge.
Can I mix an XXL black with an XL color? Yes. The printer accepts any combination of capacities.
Is the MG3600 the same as the MG3620? For ink purposes, yes — MG3620 is the US model name within the MG3600 series, and Canon lists the same cartridges.
Why does the printer say it cannot monitor ink levels? Canon disables the estimate for non-Canon cartridges. Hold Stop for about five seconds to acknowledge; printing continues.
Does compatible ink void my warranty? No. US law prevents a manufacturer voiding a warranty purely because a third-party cartridge was used.
More PG-240/CL-241 printers: the same cartridges fit the PIXMA MG2120, PIXMA MG3120, PIXMA MG3520, PIXMA MX470, PIXMA MX472, and PIXMA TS5120. See those guides for model-specific tips.
Other printers that use PG-240 and CL-241
Canon PIXMA MG3620 · Canon PIXMA MG3520 · Canon PIXMA MG3120 · Canon PIXMA MX472 · Canon PIXMA MX452 · Canon PIXMA TS5120
More Canon ink guides: Canon PIXMA TS3722 · Canon PIXMA iX6820 · Canon PIXMA TS3322 · find any printer
Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives
- Canon PIXMA MegaTank G3290 — CastleScore 88
- Canon imageCLASS MF275dw (laser) — CastleScore 81
- Epson EcoTank ET-2980 (cheapest to run) — CastleScore 90
Sources
Ratings and prices were checked on October 7, 2026 and will change over time.
Need replacement Canon ink cartridges? Shop Canon ink cartridges at Castle Ink. Remanufactured, up to 70% less than OEM, and shipped the same day when you order by 4 PM ET.