SKU:

CS-BR-201-BK

Condition:

New Compatible

OEM Part #:

LC201BK

Color:

Black

Page Yield:

Up to 260 pages (ISO/IEC 24711)

Chip:

New compatible chip

Warranty:

Lifetime Warranty

Returns:

1-Year Free Returns

Frequently Asked Questions

How many pages does the LC201BK print?

Up to 260 pages, rated under ISO/IEC 24711 — Brother's published figure for the LC201BK. It is the standard tier: the high-yield LC203 equivalent more than doubles it at 550 pages, on the same six printers.

Which printers does this cartridge fit?

Six models: MFC-J460DW, MFC-J480DW, MFC-J485DW, MFC-J680DW, MFC-J880DW and MFC-J885DW. These are the WorkSmart half of the family — the six Business Smart models (MFC-J4320DW, J4420DW, J4620DW, J5520DW, J5620DW, J5720DW) do not take LC201 cartridges at all.

Will my printer recognize this compatible cartridge?

This cartridge carries a new compatible chip. If your printer's firmware has been updated, recognition issues can occasionally occur — remove the cartridge, check that the green chip contact is clean and untouched, reseat it firmly, and restart the printer. Brother's own "Cannot Detect" guidance for this family starts from the same chip check, and this family reads ink level from the chip and an optical sensor together. We do not claim guaranteed recognition on every firmware version; if a cartridge still will not register, the lifetime warranty covers it.

Is this cartridge actually an LC203 inside?

The cartridge body our source supplies for LC201 singles is the LC203-bodied unit — the same case and slot, from the high-yield tier — labeled for LC201. We say so on this page because the two listings would otherwise pretend to be two different cartridges. Fit is identical on the six LC201 printers; what you are buying is the LC201 position in the range, fulfilled with the LC203 body.

LC201 or LC203 — which should I buy?

If you print more than occasionally, LC203: same printers, 550 pages against 260, and it is the tier this platform's owners standardize on. LC201 remains the lower-cost fill and the specification these printers shipped with.

Only my black is low — can I change just this one?

Yes. These are individual cartridges with separate slots; replace only the color the printer calls for.

Is this a genuine Brother cartridge?

No — it is a Clever Supplies compatible cartridge for the LC201BK specification, with a new compatible chip, labeled compatible on the box and on this page. It is not manufactured by Brother.

How do I install it without chip problems?

Hold the cartridge by its housing and keep fingers off the small green chip on top — Brother's own support pages for this family check that chip first when a printer reports 'Cannot Detect'. Push the cartridge in until it clicks.

Can I mix LC201 and LC203 cartridges in one printer?

Yes — on these six printers the two tiers share slots, so an LC203 can refill any single position of a printer running LC201, and the step up is usually done color by color as each standard cartridge empties.

What warranty and returns does it carry?

A lifetime warranty — a cartridge that fails to perform is replaced — and free returns within the first year.

How should I store a spare cartridge?

Sealed, upright, out of direct sunlight, cap on until installation.

Why is the LC201 list shorter than the LC203 list?

Because Brother certified the standard tier on the six WorkSmart models only. The six Business Smart models start at LC203 — an LC201 cartridge is simply not part of their specification, whatever a marketplace listing may claim.