Disclosure: Clever Supplies sells compatible cartridges for all of these brands — which is exactly why we'd rather you buy the right number the first time than the wrong one twice.

HP, Brother, Canon, Lexmark, Kyocera, Ricoh — every brand runs its own numbering system, and none of them explain it on the box. This is the complete decoder: how each brand names its cartridges, what the letters and numbers mean, and how to never buy the wrong one.

The universal rule (all brands)

Every cartridge code answers the same three questions:

• What part is it? Toner, drum, or ink.
• Which printers does it fit? The family number.
• How much does it print? The yield suffix.

Learn to read those three and brand differences stop mattering. Below: how each brand encodes them.

Brother: TN / DR + yield ladders

• TN = toner, DR = drum. Separate parts, separate cycles.
• Digits = printer family: TN730, TN830, TN920, TN229 (color), TN635 (color).
• Suffix = yield: none (standard), XL (high), XXL (extra-high), UXXL (ultra-high). TN920 → TN920XL → TN920XXL → TN920UXXL.
• Color lasers add a color letter: TN229BK, TN229C, TN229M, TN229Y.

Full breakdown: Brother Toner Codes Explained.

Canon: three parallel systems

Canon runs different numbering for difent printer lines, which is the main source of confusion:

• imageCLASS lasers: numeric codes like 137 (9435B003AA), 054 / 054H — the H means high yield. Same pattern as Brother's XL.
• imageRUNNER office MFPs: GPR cartridges — GPR-36, GPR-37, GPR-40. The number is the family; each GPR set has black plus three colors with their own OEM part numbers (e.g., GPR-36 black is 3782B003AA).
• PIXMA inkjets: PG (pigment black) and CL (color) — PG-245 / CL-246, PG-275 / CL-276. Higher number = newer printer generation, not more ink. The XL suffix (PG-245XL) means high yield here too.

Watch out: Canon reuses similar numbers across lines. A "137" toner and a "137" anything else are unrelated — always match the full code including the line it belongs to.

HP: the A/X system and the new W codes

• Classic LaserJet: number + letter. 58A (CF258A) standard, 58X (CF258X) high yield — same fit, the X prints more. This A/X pattern runs across the whole LaserJet line (26A/26X, 89A/89X…).
• Newer LaserJets: HP switched to W codes — W1480A / W1480X. Same logic: A standard, X high yield, just a new prefix.
• Inkjet (DeskJet, OfficeJet, Envy): two-number sets like 67 / 67XL (black + tri-color). XL = high yield, same as toner.

Watch out: HP's "SETUP" cartridges (shipped in the box) — buy the non-SETUP version as replacement.

Lexmark: Unison and the return-program split

• Unison toner is Lexmark's current platform — codes like 581H, 601H, 521H. The H denotes high yield within each family.
• Return program vs. regular: Lexmark sells most cartridges in two versions — return-program (cheaper, single use per license terms) and regular. Same fit, different price and license. The box always says which.
• Legacy families: T650H, 640H, E260A — older naming, same yield logic.

Kyocera: the TK system

Kyocera keeps it simple — almost everything is TK plus a number:

• TK-170, TK-310, TK-350, TK-410, TK-475 — mono printer families. Higher number generally = newer or larger printer family, not more pages.
• TK-580, TK-590 — color families (black + 3 colors each).
• TK-6305, TK-7205, TK-8602 — TASKalfa MFP families.
• Yield is baked into the family, not a suffix — Kyocera doesn't do XL/XXL. When you need more pages, you buy the higher-capacity family cartridge your printer supports.

Watch out: US and EU codes differ (TK-8305 vs TK-8307). Match the code printed on your current cartridge.

Ricoh: type numbers and SP codes

• Legacy: "Type" cartridges — Type 145, Type 1170D. Some have numeric aliases (Type 145 = 888308).
• Aficio / SP series: numeric codes like 406475, 407096 — five or six digits, no letters. The SP line (SP C310, SP C430) uses these.
• Color: separate black and color cartridges, often with different yields — black almost always prints more pages than each color.

Cheat sheet: yield suffixes by brand

Brand	Standard	High yield	Extra-high
Brother	(none)	XL	XXL, UXXL
Canon laser	(none)	H	—
Canon inkjet	(none)	XL	—
HP LaserJet	A	X	—
HP inkjet	(none)	XL	—
Kyocera	(family code)	—	—
Ricoh	(family code)	—	—

The 60-second method (works for every brand)

• Open the cartridge door — the number is on the cartridge and usually on an inner label.
• Can't read it? Print a supplies/configuration report from the printer's menu.
• Still stuck? Check the supplies tab on your computer (Windows: Printers & scanners; Mac: Printers & Scanners → Supply Levels).

Full walkthrough: How to Find Your Printer's Cartridge Number in 60 Seconds.