What Ink Does the Canon PIXMA TR8620 Use?

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Shopping for this printer? See all Canon PGI-280 & CLI-281 Ink Cartridges – 280XL, 281XL & XXL → Ships same day by 4 PM ET, 1-year guarantee.

Correction (October 2026): an earlier version of this guide said the TR8620 uses a PG-280 black cartridge and a CL-281 tri-color cartridge, with yields to match. That was wrong. It takes five separate tanks, PGI-280 pigment black and CLI-281 black, cyan, magenta and yellow, and you replace each one on its own.

The Canon PIXMA TR8620 wireless all-in-one uses five separate ink tanks: PGI-280 pigment black for text, plus CLI-281 black, cyan, magenta and yellow dye inks. Each comes in standard, XL and XXL sizes, and you replace only the color that runs out. The TR8620a takes the same ink.

Corrected: The TR8620 takes five separate ink tanks: PGI-280 pigment black plus CLI-281 black, cyan, magenta and yellow. It does not use a two-cartridge PG-280 / CL-281 set, and there is no tri-color tank for it.

CastleScore · October 2026

85/100 — Highly Recommended

Canon PIXMA TR8620

Pillar (weight)ScoreWhat it is based on
Owner ratings (28%) 82 4.19★ average across 4,359 ratings at Amazon (4.2), Best Buy (4.3), Walmart (3.9)
Expert reviews (18%) 80 PCMag 4.0/5
Cost per page (24%) 93 About 2¢ per page blended (black + color) with our remanufactured PGI-280XXL (600 pages) and CLI-281XXL colors (820 pages each).
Reliability (13%) 83 Most-reported problems: false 'ink empty' warning on a part-full tank blocking printing; owners report support code 1240 and "will not print" problems on Canon community; support code 6000 with no paper present
Features (12%) 87 Print, copy, scan, document feeder, auto two-sided printing, fax, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, touchscreen.
Value (5%) 88 Running cost and owner satisfaction

Still sold new as the TR8620a, which has the same specs and uses the same PGI-280 and CLI-281 tanks.

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 12, 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.

Thinking of buying one? Read our full Canon PIXMA TR8620a review for the pros, cons and who it suits.

Ink Cartridges at a Glance

Cartridge Color Approx. Page Yield
Canon PGI-280 Pigment Black ~250 pages
Canon PGI-280XL Pigment Black ~400 pages
Canon PGI-280XXL Pigment Black ~600 pages
Canon CLI-281 BK Black (dye) ~750 pages
Canon CLI-281XL BK Black (dye) ~3,120 pages
Canon CLI-281XXL BK Black (dye) ~6,360 pages
Canon CLI-281 C / M / Y Cyan / Magenta / Yellow (separate tanks) ~259 cyan and yellow, ~233 magenta
Canon CLI-281XL C / M / Y Cyan / Magenta / Yellow (separate tanks) ~515 pages each
Canon CLI-281XXL C / M / Y Cyan / Magenta / Yellow (separate tanks) ~820 pages each

PGI-280 and CLI-281 tanks also fit the Canon PIXMA TR7520, TR8520, TR8620a, TS6120, TS6220, TS6320, TS8120, TS8220, TS8320, TS9120 and TS9520. Some of these, like the TS8120, add a photo blue tank that the TR8620 doesn't use.

How to Replace Ink in the Canon PIXMA TR8620

  1. Power the printer on and lift the scanner unit until it locks in the open position.
  2. Wait for the print head to slide to the replacement position.
  3. Press the tab on the empty ink tank to release it, then lift it out.
  4. Remove the orange protective cap from the new tank and press it into the slot for its color until it clicks. There are two black slots: one for the PGI-280 pigment black and one for the CLI-281 dye black.
  5. Close the scanner unit.

Troubleshooting Tips

"Ink cartridge cannot be recognized" alert: Reseat each cartridge and wipe the gold chip contacts with a lint-free cloth.

Streaky prints: From the TR8620 touchscreen, run Setup > Maintenance > Cleaning. Repeat once if streaks persist.

Alignment off: After installing a new cartridge, run Setup > Maintenance > Print Head Alignment.

Third-party tanks: We haven't found any Canon firmware lockout on the TR8620. If a tank isn't recognized, reseat it and check that it is in the slot for its color.

What PIXMA TR8620 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.

How many ink tanks does the TR8620 take?

Five: PGI-280 pigment black, plus CLI-281 black, cyan, magenta and yellow. You replace each one when it runs out.

It says a color is empty, but the tank still has ink. What can I do?

Canon's suggested fix is a reset: unplug the printer, press the power button five times and wait 60 seconds before plugging it back in. If the warning stays, holding Stop for about five seconds lets you keep printing. If that fails too, contact Canon.

Can the document feeder scan both sides automatically?

No. The feeder holds 20 letter sheets (5 legal), and Canon lists two-sided scanning and copying as manual only.

Can I keep photo paper and plain paper loaded at the same time?

Yes. There is a 100-sheet front cassette, and the rear tray takes 100 plain sheets, 20 sheets of 4x6 or 10 sheets of 5x7 photo paper.

Is the TR8620a different from the TR8620?

Not for ink or specs. The TR8620a has the same speeds, 20-sheet feeder, 4.3-inch touchscreen, fax and 200-sheet input, and takes the same PGI-280 and CLI-281 tanks.

PIXMA TR8620 quirks worth knowing

  • The print head is built into the printer, so it isn't replaced along with the ink as it is on PIXMAs that use FINE cartridges. Canon lists 4,096 nozzles, 1,024 of them for pigment black.
  • The dye black lasts far longer than the pigment black: CLI-281XXL black is rated at about 6,360 pages, against about 600 for PGI-280XXL.
  • It has an SD card slot, Ethernet and Bluetooth 4.0 LE, which are uncommon on current home PIXMAs.
  • Canon lists the tank volumes as 11.2, 18.5 and 25.7 ml for PGI-280 (standard, XL, XXL) and 5.6, 8.3 and 11.7 ml for CLI-281.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I mix standard, XL and XXL tanks?
Yes. Each of the five tanks is replaced on its own, so you can run an XXL pigment black with standard color tanks, for example.

Does the TR8620 need a setup cartridge?
No, replacement ink tanks install directly. Setup ink is only used the first time you unbox a brand-new printer.

Why are there two black tanks?
The PGI-280 is a pigment black used for sharp text. The CLI-281 BK is a dye black that works with the CLI-281 cyan, magenta and yellow tanks for photos.

How long do the XXL tanks last?
PGI-280XXL pigment black is rated at about 600 pages, CLI-281XXL black at about 6,360 pages, and each CLI-281XXL color at about 820 pages. Your results depend on what you print.

Why does Canon show a message about a non-genuine or refilled tank?
Canon shows it for tanks it doesn't recognize as new genuine Canon ink. To keep printing you may need to hold the Stop button for about 5 seconds. That turns off remaining-ink detection for that tank, so watch for faded prints.

More PGI-280/CLI-281 printers: five-ink models include the PIXMA TR8520 and PIXMA TS6320; the PIXMA TS8120 is a six-ink model that adds photo blue.

Other printers that use PGI-280 and CLI-281

Canon PIXMA TR8520 · Canon PIXMA TS6320 · Canon PIXMA TS6120 · Canon PIXMA TS8120 · Canon PIXMA TS702 · Canon PIXMA TS8320 · Canon PIXMA TS9120 · Canon PIXMA TS6220

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 12, 2026 and will change over time.

Need replacement Canon PGI-280 & CLI-281 Ink Cartridges – 280XL, 281XL & XXL? Shop Canon PGI-280 & CLI-281 Ink Cartridges – 280XL, 281XL & XXL 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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