Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does this printer family use two separate black cartridges?

  Because the two blacks do different jobs. The CLI-221BK listed here is a dye black — the photo black — chosen for the deep, glossy dark tones it lays down on photo paper. Ordinary text on plain paper is printed from a separate pigment black tank instead. The pair sit in the machine together, drain at their own pace, and each one is swapped only when its own slot runs out.

• How long will one of these black tanks last me?

  The supplier rating is up to 342 pages. Canon never released an official yield chart covering the CLI-221 family, so that figure originates with the cartridge maker and is based on standard test pages at roughly 5% coverage. Read it as a benchmark: sheets filled with photographs draw far more ink than sheets of plain text.

• Which Canon models accept the CLI-221BK?

  It is made for the Canon PIXMA iP3600, Canon PIXMA iP4600, Canon PIXMA iP4700, Canon PIXMA MP560 and six additional models. The full verified list sits in the Compatible Printers section further down this page — take a moment to find your exact model there before placing an order.

• Will the printer still track ink levels with this cartridge fitted?

  Yes. A brand-new compatible chip is built into the tank and reports level information to the printer, so the usual low-ink alerts keep appearing. The cartridge itself is newly manufactured — not a refilled Canon shell that has been fitted with a reset chip.

• A warning appeared on screen right after I installed it. What now?

  Confirm the prompt on the display, lift the tank out and press it back in until you hear it click, then switch the printer off and on again. Still showing? Remove the cartridge, gently clean the gold contacts on the chip with a dry, lint-free cloth, and refit it.

• Can this tank run alongside original Canon cartridges?

  It can. Every slot is read on its own, so this compatible black works happily next to genuine Canon colors, and genuine tanks work next to ours. As colors empty you can replace them one at a time rather than changing the whole set.

• Is this an original Canon product?

  It is not. This is a Clever Supplies compatible cartridge manufactured to the CLI-221BK specification and backed by our lifetime warranty; Canon did not make it. The Canon name is used only to show which printers the cartridge is designed for.

• What protection do I have if something goes wrong with it?

  If the tank leaks, the printer refuses to recognize it, or print quality suffers, stop and get in touch with us rather than pushing on with a faulty cartridge. Our lifetime warranty covers exactly those failures — recognition problems, leaks and print-quality defects — with a replacement or a refund, and returns are free for the first year.