Brother toner and drum reset methods

Brother toner and drum reset support

Brother Toner and Drum Reset Methods

If your Brother laser printer still shows “Toner Low”, “Replace Toner”, “Drum End Soon” or a similar message after fitting a new cartridge or drum, the printer counter may need to be reset. Use this guide to find the reset method for your Brother printer model.

Find your reset method Before resetting Toner support
Toner counter resets Useful when a new toner is fitted but the printer still asks you to replace toner.
Drum counter resets Only reset the drum counter after replacing the drum unit, not after changing toner.
Model-specific steps Brother reset sequences vary by printer model and cartridge series.
Need help? Send us your printer model, cartridge code and a photo of the display message.

Before you reset anything

Brother printers often use counters to estimate toner or drum life. A reset can help when the printer counter has not updated, but it is important to reset the correct item.

Reset the toner counter if...

  • You have fitted a new toner cartridge.
  • The printer still says “Toner Low” or “Replace Toner”.
  • The toner is correctly seated in the drum unit.
  • All seals, clips and protective packaging have been removed.

Reset the drum counter only if...

  • You have fitted a new drum unit.
  • The printer displays “Replace Drum”, “Drum End Soon” or a drum-related message.
  • You are sure the issue is not caused by a toner cartridge.
  • You are following the reset method for your exact Brother model.
Important: Do not reset counters just to clear a warning if the toner or drum has not been replaced. Resetting the wrong counter can make it harder to monitor the remaining life of the cartridge or drum unit.

Which type of reset does your Brother printer use?

Brother printers use different reset sequences depending on whether they have a Go button, LCD display, keypad, touchscreen-style menu or colour toner reset menu.

Go button reset

Used by many Brother HL mono laser printers with LEDs and a Go button.

LCD button reset

Used by DCP and MFC printers with Cancel/Back, Start, Option or keypad buttons.

Code entry reset

Some models ask for codes such as 00, 11 or 12 after entering the reset menu.

Colour toner menu

Colour laser printers may show toner reset codes for black, cyan, magenta and yellow.

Brother reset method directory

Open the section that matches your Brother printer model. Follow the sequence carefully and do not skip the front-cover step where shown.

Brother HL mono laser printers with Go button reset

Brother HL-2030 / HL-2040 / HL-2070N

Cartridge: TN-2000 / TN-2005

  1. Switch the printer off.
  2. Open the front cover.
  3. Press and hold the Go button until all LEDs light up.
  4. Release the Go button.
  5. Press Go twice.
  6. Press Go five times.
  7. Close the front cover and try printing again.

Brother HL-2140 / HL-2150N / HL-2170W

Cartridge: TN-2110 / TN-2120

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go twice.
  4. Press Go 6 times for TN-2110.
  5. Press Go 7 times for TN-2120.
  6. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-2130

Cartridge: TN-2010 / TN-2220

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up.
  3. Release the Go button.
  4. Press Go twice.
  5. Press Go six times.
  6. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-2240 / HL-2240D / HL-2250DN / HL-2270DW

Cartridge: TN-2210 / TN-2220

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go 6 times for TN-2210.
  4. Press Go 7 times for TN-2220.
  5. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-5240 / HL-5250DN / HL-5270DN / HL-5280DW

Cartridge: TN-3130 / TN-3170

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go 5 times for TN-3130.
  4. Press Go 6 times for TN-3170.
  5. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-5340D / HL-5350DN / HL-5370DW / HL-5380DN

Cartridge: TN-3230 / TN-3280

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go 6 times for TN-3230.
  4. Press Go 7 times for TN-3280.
  5. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-5440D / HL-5450DN / HL-5470DW

Cartridge: TN-3330 / TN-3380

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go 6 times for TN-3330.
  4. Press Go 7 times for TN-3380.
  5. Close the front cover.

Brother HL-6180DW

Cartridge: TN-3330 / TN-3380 / TN-3390

  1. Switch the printer off and open the front cover.
  2. Press and hold Go until all LEDs light up, then release.
  3. Press Go twice.
  4. Press Go 6 times for TN-3330.
  5. Press Go 7 times for TN-3380.
  6. Press Go 8 times for TN-3390.
  7. Close the front cover.
Go button tip: On many Brother HL printers, the number of Go button presses changes depending on whether the cartridge is standard or high yield. Use the sequence for your exact toner code.
Brother DCP and MFC mono printers with LCD / keypad reset

Brother FAX-2820 / FAX-2825 / FAX-2920 / MFC-7225N

Cartridge: TN-2000

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Option.
  3. When “Replace Drum” appears, press *.
  4. Press 11.
  5. When “Accepted” appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-7030 / DCP-7040 / DCP-7045N

Cartridge: TN-2110 / TN-2120

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. Press Start.
  4. Press the up arrow until the display shows 00.
  5. Press OK.
  6. When “Accepted” appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-7010 / DCP-7025

Cartridge: TN-2000

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Option.
  3. Press Start.
  4. Press the up arrow until the display shows 11.
  5. Press Set.
  6. When “Accepted” appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-7055

Cartridge: TN-2010, or TN-2220 if a compatible cartridge is installed

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. Press Start.
  4. Press the up arrow until the display shows 11.
  5. Press OK.
  6. When “Accepted” appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-7065

Cartridge: TN-2210 / TN-2220

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. Press Start.
  4. Use the up arrow until the display shows 11 for TN-2210.
  5. Use the up arrow until the display shows 12 for TN-2220.
  6. Press OK, then close the front cover when accepted.

Brother MFC-7320 / MFC-7440N / MFC-7840W

Cartridge: TN-2110 / TN-2120

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. When “Replace Drum” appears, press *.
  4. Press 00 for TN-2110.
  5. Press 11 for TN-2120.
  6. When accepted appears, close the front cover.

Brother MFC-7360N / MFC-7460DN / MFC-7860DW

Cartridge: TN-2210 / TN-2220

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. When “Replace Drum” appears, press *.
  4. Press 11 for TN-2210.
  5. Press 12 for TN-2220.
  6. When accepted appears, close the front cover.

DCP-8060 / DCP-8065DN / DCP-8070D / DCP-8085DN / MFC-8460N / MFC-8860DN / MFC-8870DW / MFC-8370DN / MFC-8380DN / MFC-8880DN / MFC-8890DW

Cartridge: TN-3130 / TN-3170

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. When “Replace Drum” appears, press *.
  4. Press 00.
  5. When accepted appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-8110DN / MFC-8510DN / MFC-8520DN

Cartridge: TN-3330 / TN-3380

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Cancel/Back.
  3. When “Replace Drum” appears, press *.
  4. Press 11 for TN-3330.
  5. Press 12 for TN-3380.
  6. When accepted appears, close the front cover.

Brother DCP-8250DN / MFC-8950DW

Cartridge: TN-3330 / TN-3380 / TN-3390

  1. Open the front cover and close it again.
  2. Wait until “Please wait” appears on the display.
  3. Open the front cover again.
  4. When “Door Open” appears, press 1.
  5. When Reset appears, scroll to the cartridge you need to reset.
  6. Press OK.
  7. When “Reset? Yes/No” appears, press Yes.
  8. Close the front cover.
Brother TN-1030 / TN-1050 small mono printer reset methods

Brother HL-1110 / HL-1112

Cartridge: TN-1030 / TN-1050

  1. Switch the printer off.
  2. Press and hold the on/off button.
  3. When all LEDs turn on, open the cover and remove the toner and drum unit.
  4. Release the on/off button.
  5. Reinstall the toner and drum unit, then close the cover.
  6. Press the on/off button twice and wait 2 seconds.
  7. Press the on/off button 6 times.

Brother DCP-1510 / DCP-1512A

Cartridge: TN-1030 / TN-1050

  1. Press Menu.
  2. Select Machine Info, then press OK.
  3. Select Drum Reset or Reset Drum.
  4. Press and hold OK until Reset or Exit appears.
  5. Press Start.
  6. Quickly use the up arrow to select 11.
  7. Press OK.
Steps 6 and 7 must be done quickly or the reset may fail.

Brother MFC-1810

Cartridge: TN-1030 / TN-1050

  1. Press Menu.
  2. Select Machine Info, then press OK.
  3. Select Drum Reset or Reset Drum.
  4. Press and hold OK until Reset or Exit appears.
  5. Press *.
  6. Press 11.
Brother colour laser toner reset methods

Brother HL-4040CN / HL-4050CDN / HL-4070CDW

Cartridge: TN-130 / TN-135 colour toner series

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Reprint and Cancel together.
  3. The display should show a code such as B-TNR-S or B-TNR-H.
  4. Use the up arrow to select the toner colour and capacity you need to reset.
  5. Press OK and wait a few seconds.
  6. Press Stop.
  7. Close the front cover.
B = Black C = Cyan M = Magenta Y = Yellow S = Standard TN-130 H = High Capacity TN-135

Brother HL-3040CN / HL-3070CW

Cartridge: TN-230 colour toner series

  1. Open the front cover.
  2. Press Secure Print and Cancel together.
  3. The display should show a code such as K-TNR-STD or K-TNR-STR.
  4. Press + to select the toner cartridge type and colour you want to reset.
  5. Press OK and wait a few seconds.
  6. Press Cancel.
  7. Close the front cover.
K = Black C = Cyan M = Magenta Y = Yellow STD = TN-230 STR = Starter cartridge
Colour toner tip: Reset only the colour you have replaced. If you reset the wrong colour, the printer may show misleading toner levels.

Common Brother reset questions

If the reset does not work first time, these checks often help.

The printer still says “Replace Toner”

Check you reset the correct toner code and cartridge capacity. Some models have different reset sequences for standard and high-yield cartridges.

The reset menu will not appear

Make sure the front cover is open where required. On some models the button timing is sensitive, so close the cover, reopen it and try again.

The printer says “Drum” instead of “Toner”

A drum message usually means the drum counter or drum unit needs attention. Replacing toner will not normally clear a drum warning.

I changed more than one colour toner

Reset each colour separately. Do not reset all colours unless each colour cartridge has genuinely been replaced.

The cartridge still is not recognised

Remove the toner and drum assembly, reseat the toner cartridge in the drum unit, check all seals are removed, then reinstall it firmly.

My model is not listed

Do not guess the reset sequence. Contact us with the exact Brother printer model and toner or drum code so we can help check the right method.

Still stuck? Please include your Brother printer model, toner or drum code, order number if relevant, and a clear photo of the printer display message when contacting us.

Need help with a Brother reset?

If the reset method is not working, the display message is unclear, or you are not sure whether you need a toner or drum reset, our customer service team can help.

Contact Customer Support Toner support TN243 / TN247 reset guide
Call us 01423 701704
Email us customerservice@cartridgeworld.co.uk
Opening hours Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm

 Reset toner and drum counters

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