What Ink Does the Canon PIXMA MG5320 Use?

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Quick answer: the Canon PIXMA MG5320 uses five cartridges — PGI-225 pigment black plus CLI-226 in black, cyan, magenta and yellow. Two different blacks, and the printer will not run with either missing.

Before you shop, one thing that saves real money: there is no genuine PGI-225XL or CLI-226XL. Canon never made an XL tier for this generation. Every listing advertising "225XL" or "226XL" is a third-party compatible using XL as marketing language. Canon introduced XL with the next family, PGI-250/CLI-251.

CastleScore · October 2026

69/100 — Situational

Canon PIXMA MG5320

Pillar (weight)ScoreWhat 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%) 88 About 3.3¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured PGI-225 (340 pages) and CLI-226 colors (about 510 pages).
Reliability (13%) 78 Most-reported problems: error B200; printer dies mid-job / will not power back on; prints blank pages after new ink/cleaning
Features (12%) 64 Print, copy, scan, auto two-sided printing, Wi-Fi. No document feeder, no fax, no touchscreen.
Value (5%) — Running cost and owner satisfaction

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.

Discontinued and retired. Canon has ended support for the MG5320 and isn't issuing driver or content updates. It offers owners a discounted replacement through its Upgrade Program and names no successor.

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 9, 2026. It is not a customer review. See every ranked printer or how the score works.

The cartridges, pictured

Our own remanufactured cartridges, photographed in-house.

Canon PIXMA MG5320 ink at a glance

Cartridge Type Part Number Yield (documents) Yield (4x6 photos)
PGI-225 PGBK Pigment black 4530B001 339 pages 3,545 sets
CLI-226 BK Dye black 4546B001 2,945 pages 555 sets
CLI-226 C Dye cyan 4547B001 530 pages 202 sets
CLI-226 M Dye magenta 4548B001 486 pages 201 sets
CLI-226 Y Dye yellow 4549B001 525 pages 199 sets

These are the figures from Canon's yield document. Some retailers round the PGI-225 to 340 pages.

Two blacks: which does what

This confuses people constantly, and Canon's own yield table explains it better than any description. Look at the two black rows above and notice they are mirror images.

PGI-225 is pigment black in a physically larger cartridge. It prints text and documents on plain paper — crisp edges, dense true black, resistant to smudging and water. On documents it drains fast (339 pages); on photos it is barely touched.

CLI-226 BK is dye black in the small cartridge body alongside the colours. It handles photo and graphics printing on photo paper, supplying shadow depth and neutral blacks that a pigment black would render with a visible gloss difference. On documents it lasts almost forever (2,945 pages); on photos it is the one that runs out.

Neither substitutes for the other. If you print mostly documents you will replace PGI-225 repeatedly and CLI-226 BK almost never — and that is normal, not a fault.

The multipack trap

Canon sold a four-pack containing PGI-225 plus CLI-226 cyan, magenta and yellow — no photo black. On a five-cartridge printer that leaves a slot empty. If you buy a four-pack, buy a CLI-226 BK alongside it. Canon's six-pack does include it.

There is also a genuine CLI-226 GY gray cartridge, but it is only for the six-ink MG6120, MG6220, MG8120 and MG8220. It will not fit an MG5320, so a "PGI-225/CLI-226" set sold with gray leaves you with a cartridge you cannot use.

About the Canon PIXMA MG5320

A home photo all-in-one: print, copy, scan, direct photo printing and printable CD/DVD printing. 12.5 ipm black and 9.3 ipm colour, up to 9600 by 2400 dpi, with automatic duplex printing and copying.

Paper handling is better than most machines of its era: 300 sheets total across a 150-sheet rear tray and a 150-sheet front cassette, switchable in the driver. There is a 3-inch LCD, Wi-Fi, USB, PictBridge and a full set of memory card slots.

Be clear-eyed about its age, though. Canon has not only discontinued it — it has formally ended support, with a banner stating that driver and content updates are no longer being made. Canon's existing Windows drivers often still work on newer PCs; Mac drivers are less reliable. That is the most important practical fact about buying one used today.

Common problems on this model

Error B200

The signature MG5320 failure — a print head over-current fault. Canon's official position, stated by Canon staff in their own community, is that B200 means the printer requires service. With support ended and warranty long gone, Canon's only offer is a discount on a replacement. Owner workarounds circulate (removing the head, cleaning contacts with distilled water and isopropyl alcohol, drying thoroughly and reseating; or holding the power button for 30 seconds while unplugged) with mixed results. They are not Canon-endorsed, and we would not promise they will work.

Clogged nozzles or a missing colour

Standard Canon ladder: nozzle check, head cleaning, deep cleaning, then print head alignment. One advantage here is that the head is removable, so manual contact cleaning is feasible in a way it is not on integrated-head printers.

Support code 1700 or 1701, then 5B00

1700 and 1701 warn the ink absorber is nearly full and the printer keeps working. 5B00 means full and the printer stops. Service only — no user reset, no user-replaceable pad. On a support-ended model this is terminal.

"Inner cover is open" and it will not print

Worth knowing because the cause is not obvious: the CD/DVD tray cover being ajar blocks all printing. Canon has a dedicated article for it. Related, a good share of "it is pulling from the wrong tray" reports come down to the rear-tray versus cassette setting in the driver rather than a fault.

What PIXMA MG5320 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 still get a driver for the MG5320 on a new computer?

Canon has retired the model and isn't making driver updates. The existing Windows drivers on Canon's support page often still work; Mac drivers are less likely to.

It stopped mid-print and won't turn back on. Can Canon fix it?

Canon's first suggestion is to try a different wall outlet. If it still won't power up, Canon says it needs service, and out-of-warranty owners are pointed to Canon's Upgrade Program (1-866-443-8002) for a discounted replacement.

Which other printers take the same PGI-225 black?

Retailer compatibility lists include the PIXMA iP4820, iP4920, iX6520, MG5120, MG5220, MG6120, MG6220, MG8120/8120B, MG8220, MX712, MX882 and MX892.

Can it print on CDs and DVDs?

Yes, on printable discs. If it then refuses to print and says the inner cover is open, check that the disc tray cover is fully closed (see below).

PIXMA MG5320 quirks worth knowing

  • Canon lists optional Bluetooth v2.0, which was unusual on a home all-in-one of its time.
  • The card reader takes SD/SDHC, MMC, miniSD, microSD and Memory Stick, and it can also print from a USB flash drive.
  • Canon lists Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Hi-Speed USB, but no Ethernet port.

FAQ

What ink does the Canon PIXMA MG5320 use?

PGI-225 pigment black plus CLI-226 black, cyan, magenta and yellow. Five cartridges.

Is there a PGI-225XL or CLI-226XL?

Not from Canon. XL arrived with the following generation, PGI-250/CLI-251. Any 225XL or 226XL you see is a compatible using XL loosely.

Why are there two black cartridges?

PGI-225 is pigment for text on plain paper; CLI-226 BK is dye for photos on photo paper. The printer uses both and will not run without either.

Does the MG5320 use PGI-250 or PGI-270?

No. PGI-250/CLI-251 fits the MG5420, MG5520, MG6320, MX922 and iP7220. PGI-270/CLI-271 fits the MG5720, MG6820, TS5020, TS6020 and TS8020. PGI-220/CLI-221 is the generation before this one.

Can I use a CLI-226 gray cartridge?

No. CLI-226 GY is only for the six-ink MG6120, MG6220, MG8120 and MG8220.

Is the MG5320 still supported by Canon?

No. Canon has formally ended support and is no longer issuing driver updates, which is worth weighing before buying one second-hand.

Other printers that use PGI-225 and CLI-226

Canon PIXMA MX892 · Canon PIXMA MG6120

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

Replacing it? Our highest-rated alternatives

Sources

Ratings and prices were checked on October 9, 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.

Written and reviewed by — Founder of Castle Ink, 20+ years in the printer & imaging supplies industry.

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