Frequently Asked Questions

Which code do I ask for when the magenta runs out?

TK897M. In this family the final letter names the color, and M is magenta. Because the four cartridges share the same shape and shelf packaging, the full code is the only safe check before you break a seal — the C, K and Y units will not do magenta's job.

My reds are turning orange — is magenta the likely cause?

Very likely. Red is built from magenta and yellow, so when the magenta station fades, reds slide toward orange and skin tones take on a gray, lifeless cast, while pure blues and yellows still look normal. Print a color test page: a pale magenta band ahead of the others confirms it.

Can I finish a short print run on a low magenta cartridge?

You can try, but judge the job first. Text and spreadsheets will come out fine; anything where color accuracy matters — a client presentation, a proof, event flyers — is worth holding until the fresh cartridge is in. Rocking the old unit gently from side to side redistributes what toner remains and can stretch it across the urgent pages in between.

What does the 6,000-page rating mean in a real office?

It is the standard test-page figure for this cartridge, best used for comparing cartridges and planning spares. Light, occasional color use stretches it over many months; daily full-color output works through it sooner. What you are buying here is the full rated capacity — nothing reduced or partial.

One side of the page is paler than the other — what should I check?

Start with the seating. Take the magenta cartridge out, rock it gently to level the toner inside, and slide it back until it sits firmly home. A tilted or half-seated unit feeds unevenly and mimics an empty one. If the pale band persists on a test page after reseating, the cartridge itself is spent.

What cover does this cartridge carry?

It is backed by a 1-year warranty, together with 1-year free returns. If a cartridge arrives damaged or fades far too soon, call us Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CST and we will sort it out.

Which work drains a magenta cartridge faster than people expect?

Anything warm-toned. Reds, pinks, oranges and natural skin tones are all built substantially from magenta, so presentations with warm graphics, event flyers, product photos and portrait-heavy documents draw the TK897M down much faster than a page count alone suggests. Even offices that think of themselves as light color users are often surprised: a modest daily flow of color handouts with warm imagery can work through the 6,000-page rating steadily, because the magenta content hides inside colors nobody names as magenta.

How should I verify the color is truly back after fitting a new magenta?

Reprint a document whose colors you know by heart — a page with a strong red element and, if you have one, a photograph with faces. With a healthy TK897M in place, the red should return to full strength rather than orange, and skin tones should lose the gray, lifeless cast they take on when magenta fades. Verifying on a familiar page matters because magenta errors are comparative: you spot them against how the document is supposed to look, not in isolation.

Is one spare magenta enough for an office that prints color daily?

Generally yes, provided the spare is ordered as soon as it is fitted. Magenta announces its decline visibly — reds drifting orange is hard to miss once you know the sign — so a single sealed TK897M on the shelf, replaced in stock each time it is used, keeps a daily color printer covered without tying up money in deep reserves. Offices running several of the FS-C8520MFP, FS-C8525MFP, TASKalfa 205c or TASKalfa 255 machines may prefer one spare per machine simply to avoid a walk across the building.

How should the spent magenta cartridge be handled after replacement?

Leave it in its carton beside the machine until the new TK897M has proven itself on your real work. After that, it can go out with local recycling or general office waste — toner cartridges are dry and sealed, so a spent unit is not a messy item to store or transport. If the fresh cartridge fades far too soon, keep the old one and call support Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM CST; the 1-year warranty and 1-year free returns cover the unit, and having the spent cartridge available helps the diagnosis.

About This Kyocera TK897M Magenta Cartridge

Color that has quietly gone wrong — reds drifting orange, faces looking gray — usually traces back to this one station, and at $83.61 the TK897M is the single-cartridge fix. It is the magenta unit for the FS-C8520MFP, FS-C8525MFP, TASKalfa 205c and TASKalfa 255, replaced on its own without disturbing the other three. Your order ships from one of our four warehouses — IL, PA, GA or CA — and delivery and returns details live on our shipping & returns page. You can browse the remaining TK897 colors and the full Kyocera-Mita catalogue on our site.