Frequently Asked Questions

• How many pages does the CLI-231GY print?

  It is rated at up to 800 pages — the cartridge supplier's rating. Page counts are measured on standard test pages at around 5% coverage, so your own yield moves with what you print: dense photos use far more ink than text.

• Which printers take the CLI-231GY?

  It fits Canon PIXMA TS8820. The complete verified list is in the Compatible Printers section on this page — check your model there before ordering.

• Does every PGI-230 / CLI-231 printer have a Gray slot?

  No. Only Canon PIXMA TS8820 carry the sixth Gray slot; the other PGI-230 / CLI-231 printers run five tanks and cannot use this cartridge.

• What does the gray tank do?

  Gray is the monochrome specialist: it lays down smooth mid-tones in black-and-white photos, where a black-only mix would turn grainy.

• Does this cartridge have a chip?

  Yes — a new compatible chip that reports ink levels to the printer, so the low-ink warnings keep working. It is not a refilled original shell with a reset chip.

• Can I mix this cartridge with genuine Canon cartridges?

  Yes. Each slot is read independently, so a compatible tank beside genuine Canon tanks (or the other way round) prints normally — you can switch one color at a time.

• My printer shows a message after installing — what do I do?

  Acknowledge the on-screen message, reseat the cartridge until it clicks, and restart the printer. If the message persists, wipe the gold chip contacts with a dry lint-free cloth and reinstall.

• Is this a genuine Canon CLI-231GY?

  No. It is a Clever Supplies compatible cartridge built to the CLI-231GY specification and covered by our lifetime warranty. It is not manufactured by Canon; the Canon name appears only to identify the printers it fits.

• What if the cartridge leaks, is not recognized or prints badly?

  Stop and contact us — do not keep printing on a faulty cartridge. The lifetime warranty covers recognition failures, leaks and print-quality defects: we replace the cartridge or refund you, and returns are free for the first year.

• How do I judge a newly fitted gray tank in my TS8820?

  Judge it with the work the gray tank actually does: black-and-white photographs. Color prints barely call on this cartridge, so a color test page tells you almost nothing. Choose a monochrome photo you have printed before, one with a broad spread of mid-tones — an overcast sky, shaded skin, brushed metal or fog — and print it again on the fresh CLI-231GY. Do not judge the first sheet; the opening prints can still carry the tail of the old tank's behavior, so compare the third or fourth print against the version you remember. What you are looking for is smoothness: gradients that step gently from light to dark, mid-tones that stay clean and even, and none of the grainy, patched look that appears when grays are mixed out of black alone. Keep the empty tank beside the printer until that comparison is done — it is both your proof of the exact code for reordering and the reference point for the swap. If the new prints match or better the old ones across those mid-tones, the tank has settled in and the empty can be recycled.