Frequently Asked Questions

• Why does Canon quote such a high page count for this black tank?

  The rating runs to 5,565 pages, and it is Canon's own published figure for the XL tier — but Canon labels it 'estimated', because this dye black is a supplemental tank that mostly supports photo printing. Ratings come from standard test pages at around 5% coverage, so read the number as a guide rather than a promise of document pages: a dense photo draws far more ink than a page of text, and your real yield follows whatever you print.

• My printer holds two different black tanks — what does each one do?

  This dye black is the photo black: it lays down the deep, glossy blacks you see on photo paper. Everyday text on plain paper comes out of the separate pigment black tank instead. The two tanks sit in the printer side by side, and each one is swapped on its own schedule when it runs low.

• Which PIXMA models does this cartridge fit?

  It fits Canon PIXMA MG5720, Canon PIXMA MG5721, Canon PIXMA MG5722, Canon PIXMA MG6820 and 7 more. The full verified list sits in the Compatible Printers section on this page, so confirm your model there before you order.

• Is the CLI-271XL the regular fill or the bigger one?

  It is the XL (high-yield) fill, and every single we list for this family is XL. Canon also sold a standard fill under the same family numbers; the XL tanks carry more ink, which brings the cost per page down.

• Will the printer still report my ink levels with this tank?

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

• Can this tank run alongside genuine Canon tanks?

  Yes. The printer reads each slot independently, so a compatible tank sitting beside genuine Canon tanks — or genuine tanks beside this one — prints normally, and you can change over one color at a time.

• A warning appeared right after I installed it — how do I clear it?

  Acknowledge the on-screen message, reseat the cartridge until it clicks into place, and restart the printer. If the message comes back, wipe the gold chip contacts with a dry lint-free cloth and install the cartridge again.

• Is this an original Canon cartridge?

  No. It is a Clever Supplies compatible cartridge built to the CLI-271XL specification and covered by our lifetime warranty. Canon did not manufacture it; the Canon name appears here only to identify the printers it fits.

• What happens if it leaks or the printer refuses to accept it?

  Stop and contact us rather than 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.