Canon CC-521 compatible ink cartridge: installation, compatibility and savings

It is designed for anyone printing at home or in the office who wants to maintain the quality of the PIXMA series without paying the price of the original. Here you have the technical information to choose it, install it and get the most out of it.

What it is and which printers it works with

The CC-521 is an individual ink cartridge (one colour per unit) that replicates the format and chip of the CLI-521 series. It is compatible with the following models:

• Canon PIXMA iP3600, iP4600 and iP4700
• Canon PIXMA MP540, MP550 and MP560
• Canon PIXMA MP620, MP630 and MP640
• Canon PIXMA MP980 and MP990
• Canon PIXMA MX860 and MX870

If your device does not appear in the list, first check the exact reference of the cartridge you are removing: printers from the same family may use different series. If you are looking for more autonomy per unit, consider the higher-yield variants CC-571 XL or CC-581 XXL depending on your printer model.

How to install it and what to do if "the cartridge is not recognised"

Browse the available products and check compatibility, declared yield and price on each product page.

• Switch on the printer and open the cover so the carriage moves into the replacement position.
• Remove the used cartridge by pressing its tab.
• Take off the wrapping and protective strip of the new CC-521, without touching the chip or the ink outlet.
• Click it into place until you hear it lock and close the cover.

If an ink warning appears or a message such as "the cartridge is not recognised", it is usually down to the initial reading of the chip. Try removing and reinserting the cartridge, switch the printer off and on, or hold down the Stop/Reset button for a few seconds when the device requests it to continue printing. On PIXMA models it is common for the level indicator to be disabled with non-original consumables: it is purely informative and does not prevent printing. If the colour comes out poorly, run a printhead cleaning from the maintenance menu and a CMYK test page to check each ink.

Yield and savings versus the original

Browse the available products and check compatibility, declared yield and price on each product page.

Savings are the most obvious difference: for the price of a branded cartridge you can replace several compatible colours. If you want to calculate your real cost per page rather than focusing only on the cartridge price, our article on the real cost of printing will help. And if you have doubts about quality, take a look at our comparison original vs compatible printed side by side.

Why buy it at Star Toner

Your Startoner consumable is covered by a three-year legal conformity guarantee. Printer coverage is governed by the manufacturer’s terms and may exclude damage caused by consumables. Using a compatible cartridge does not by itself establish the cause of a fault; keep your documentation and contact us if a problem occurs.

Buy your compatible Canon CC-521 cartridge here and replace only the colour you need. If your device uses another series, check the reference first to ensure compatibility.

Frequently asked questions