SKU:

CS-CN-246-TC

Condition:

New Compatible

OEM Part #:

CL-246

Color:

Tri-Color

Ink Type:

Dye

Page Yield:

Up to 180 pages (ISO/IEC 24711)

Chip:

Yes — new compatible chip; reports ink levels to the printer

Warranty:

Lifetime Warranty

Returns:

1-Year Free Returns

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does one CL-246 cartridge last?

Up to 180 pages, measured on the ISO/IEC 24711 pattern — Canon’s published rating for the CL-246. Real life varies with coverage, paper and cleaning cycles: dense photos can halve it, plain text memos can beat it.

Which PIXMA models take this cartridge?

It fits the PG-245 / CL-246 models: Canon PIXMA iP2820, Canon PIXMA MG2420, Canon PIXMA MG2520, Canon PIXMA MG2522, Canon PIXMA MG2525, Canon PIXMA MG2920, Canon PIXMA MG2922, Canon PIXMA MG2924, Canon PIXMA MG3020, Canon PIXMA MG3022, Canon PIXMA MX490, Canon PIXMA MX492, Canon PIXMA TS202, Canon PIXMA TS302, Canon PIXMA TS3120, Canon PIXMA TS3122, Canon PIXMA TS3320, Canon PIXMA TS3322, Canon PIXMA TR4520 and Canon PIXMA TR4522. The full list is also under Compatible Printers on this page. Order by the code printed on your printer’s cartridge door — neighboring Canon families use similar shells with different codes and chips, and they are not interchangeable.

What if the printer shows a cartridge error after fitting?

This cartridge carries a new compatible chip, and the printer reads ink levels normally. If a recognition message appears, power the printer off, reseat the cartridge until it clicks, and restart before assuming the cartridge is faulty — on FINE models a half-seated cartridge is the most common cause. We do not promise recognition under every future firmware version; if a recognition problem cannot be cleared, the cartridge is covered by our Lifetime Warranty.

How does a tri-color cartridge work?

The CL cartridge carries cyan, magenta and yellow in one body with one printhead. The practical consequence: when one color runs out, the cartridge is replaced as a unit even if the other two still hold ink. Printing a test page after long idle periods keeps all three channels clear, and it is worth knowing that these printers draw small amounts of color ink during cleaning cycles even on black-only work — Canon states this in its own support answers.

Is the CL-246 ink pigment or dye?

Dye. The CL-246 tri-color cartridge carries dye-based cyan, magenta and yellow — the ink type that produces the bright, blended color these PIXMA printers are known for in photos. The black position in the same printers takes a pigment cartridge, which handles text.

How do I install it?

Open the cover and wait for the carriage to stop at the replacement position. Push the lock lever, lift the spent cartridge out, and unpack the new one only when you are ready to fit it — remove the protective tape and cap without touching the printhead nozzles or the gold contacts. Seat the cartridge in the slot for its code (black on the left, color on the right on most models), lower the lock lever until it clicks, close the cover and let the printer charge the ink before printing.

What warranty covers this cartridge?

Our Lifetime Warranty: if the cartridge fails in normal use — leaks, is not recognized after the reseat steps, or stops printing well short of its rated yield — we replace it or refund it, for the life of the cartridge. Returns are free for the first year. The warranty is ours, not Canon’s; this is a Clever Supplies compatible cartridge, clearly labeled compatible on the box and on this page, and it is not manufactured by Canon.

How should I store a spare cartridge?

Sealed in its pack, upright, at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Do not open the pack until install day — the seal keeps the printhead nozzles from drying out. A FINE cartridge that sits opened for months can clog at the nozzle plate, which is the one failure a cleaning cycle cannot always reverse.

My printer came with PG-243 / CL-244 cartridges. Will these fit?

Yes. The PG-243 and CL-244 are the low-capacity starter versions of this same family — Canon rates them at up to 100 pages each, and they share the slot with the PG-245 / CL-246 pair sold here. Every printer listed for one pair takes the other; moving up to the PG-245XL / CL-246XL simply triples the rated fill.

What does the built-in printhead mean for print quality?

On every FINE family the printhead is built into the cartridge itself. Fitting a fresh cartridge therefore fits a fresh printhead — the part that actually puts ink on the page. That is why a cartridge change clears the streaks, gaps and missing lines that repeated cleaning cycles leave behind on these printers, and why a "printhead error" on this platform is usually cured by the cartridge, not by a service part.