How to Know Which Toner Your Printer Needs (in 30 Seconds)

Why getting it right the first time matters

The wrong toner means two things nobody wants: a printer down in the middle of the week and a parcel that has to go back. According to the Office Printing Behaviour report Quocirca published in 2024, 31% of technical incidents in office environments come from incorrect or incompatible supplies, not from hardware faults. Ordering the wrong part number can also void the device warranty if installing an incompatible cartridge damages the drum or contaminates the optical assembly.

The good news: identifying the right toner has never been a technical problem, it is a reading problem. Every manufacturer prints the reference on the cartridge label, in the device manual and on an internal sticker under the front cover. As soon as you know which code format your brand uses, the search resolves in under a minute. And once you have the reference, you can buy it the way you buy a book by ISBN: with no risk of confusion. At Startoner we handle thousands of "which toner do I need" enquiries every year and 83% of them are solved simply by reading the old cartridge label correctly.

The five foolproof methods to find your reference

Ordered from the quickest to the most thorough. Any one of them lands on the same code, but if you are standing in front of the printer right now, start with the first: it saves you reaching for tools or hunting down the manual.

1. Read the printer's own label

Almost every laser printer carries a discreet sticker on the front, under the cover or on the side that lists the original toners it accepts. On modern HP LaserJet machines it usually sits on the inside of the front cover; on Brother, on the input tray; on Kyocera, beside the control panel. If the device has been in your office for a short time, the label is still legible and you'll clear up the question in thirty seconds.

2. Pull the current toner out and copy its reference

This is the lowest-error method. Open the printer, lift the cartridge out carefully, and the label shows the exact code in large type. Copy the main code letter by letter and, if there is one, the colour or capacity suffix. Real example: an HP cartridge may show CF283A as the main reference and CF283A/CRG-137 if it is a dual-market unit. Always write down the first part.

3. Search by your printer's exact model

The model is printed on the front of the device ("HP LaserJet Pro M404dn", "Brother HL-L2375DW", "Canon i-SENSYS MF445dw"). With that information any catalogue tells you which toners fit. In our HP toner catalogue every product lists the full set of compatible printers, so you can cross-reference your model and see all possible part numbers on a single screen.

4. Print the configuration page

Every laser printer can print a status or configuration page from its on-device menu. On HP: Setup → Reports → Configuration page. On Brother: Menu → Machine info → Print settings. That sheet shows the model, the serial number and, in many cases, the original toner references for the unit. It is the most reliable method when the outer sticker has faded over time or the label has gone tacky.

5. Check the printer software

If you have the manufacturer's app installed (HP Smart, Brother iPrint&Scan, Canon MF Toolbox, Kyocera Net Viewer), the device dashboard shows the exact supply the printer expects. Windows and macOS also show the toner name in the supplies tab of the print queue. Useful for networked devices, especially when they sit on another floor.

Interactive finder: Toner Finder

Type your printer model and click on the suggestion. We return the cartridge reference, the typical page yield (ISO/IEC 19752) and the direct link to the collection so you can order it. Use the ↑ ↓ arrows to navigate the suggestions and Enter to select.

Quick brand matrix

Seven links, one glance. Each brand with its code pattern and a direct route to the matching collection.

HP: CE, CF, W and Q codes

HP holds most of the installed base in Spain. According to IDC EMEA Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker (Q4 2024), the brand keeps roughly 35% of laser-print share on the peninsula. Its toners follow four highly recognisable code families, each one tied to a specific generation of devices.

• CE###classic LaserJet Pro family (e.g. CE285A for M1132 / P1102w, CE278A for P1606dn).
• CF###later generation, still dominant (e.g. CF283A for M125/M127/M201, CF259A for M404/M428, CF217A for M102/M130).
• W####new naming with dynamic chip (e.g. W1103A for Neverstop 1000/1001, W1106A for 107/135/137).
• Q####older LaserJet 1000/1200/3000 series (e.g. Q2612A, Q5949A, Q5949X).

To read an HP code, look for the two-letter + digits string at the start of the cartridge's main label. If you see CF283A, that is the full code; the characters that follow (/CRG-137, EUR, batch numbers, dates) are metadata and are not part of the commercial reference. You can browse the whole HP family at HP compatible toner, cross-referenced by printer model.

Canon: CRG and CART series

Canon uses two notations depending on the market. In Europe, CRG dominates (from cartridge); in Asia and on some global models, CART. They are equivalent and live on the same label. Rule for Spain: always look at the CRG code.

• CRG-0## and CRG-0###current i-SENSYS and LBP range (e.g. CRG-046 for LBP650C, CRG-067 for LBP631/633, CRG-071 for LBP122/124).
• CRG-7##historic LBP series (e.g. CRG-728 for MF4410/4550, CRG-725 for LBP6000/MF3010).
• CART-0##parallel codes (e.g. CART-067, CART-057). If your label shows both, use the CRG.
• CRG-057 / CRG-057Hhigh-yield series for LBP228/226 and MF443/445/449.

The Canon multifunction colour devices (MF) add a colour suffix at the end: CRG-067BK for black, CRG-067C cyan, CRG-067M magenta and CRG-067Y yellow. You need all four if you print in colour. Browse the full range at Canon compatible toner, with cross-compatibility by model.

Brother: the TN series

Brother is the most predictable brand: every laser toner starts with TN- followed by three or four digits and, optionally, a suffix. The number grows with each generation and the suffix flags the colour or the capacity. It's the easiest naming to remember among the seven brands covered.

• TN-2420HL-L2310D, DCP-L2530DW, MFC-L2710DW (~3,000 pages).
• TN-247BK/C/M/YHL-L3210CW, DCP-L3510CDW, MFC-L3770CDW (four colours).
• TN-2320HL-L2340, DCP-L2500 (generation before the TN-2420).
• TN-1050entry-level series HL-1110, DCP-1510, MFC-1810.
• TN-3430 / TN-3480HL-L5100DN, L6300DW, MFC-L5700 (high-yield professional).

With Brother it is common to find two versions of the same model: TN-2420 (standard, ~3,000 pages) and TN-2411 (starter, ~1,200 pages). Although they fit the same machine, the cost per page is very different. The TN-2411 ships factory-fitted in new printers; for replacements always order the TN-2420 unless you only want a starter unit. Check your model at Brother compatible toner.

Xerox: 106R, 108R and 113R codes

Xerox identifies its supplies with a three-digit numeric prefix + the letter R + five more digits. The first prefix figure tells you the type of supply, which prevents you mixing up toner and drum at the order stage.

• 106R#####standard toners for Phaser and WorkCentre (e.g. 106R02773 for Phaser 3020 / WorkCentre 3025, 106R03621 for Phaser 3330).
• 108R#####drums and imaging units (e.g. 108R01420). Don't confuse them with toner: their lifespan is different.
• 113R#####higher-yield toners and older series (e.g. 113R00730).

Xerox also distinguishes between "standard" and "high-yield" cartridges within the same printer. Always check the page yield printed beneath the code, because two 106R cartridges for the same device can deliver 1,500 or 5,000 pages. If you cannot pin down a specific Xerox reference, we can locate it through our technical support: we reply the same day during business hours.

Samsung: the MLT-D series

Although HP acquired Samsung's printer division back in 2017, supplies still ship under the original MLT-D naming and that is how they appear in today's installed base, both in homes and in small offices.

• MLT-D111S and MLT-D111LXpress M2020, M2022, M2070 (S standard, L high-yield).
• MLT-D101SML-2160, ML-2165, SCX-3400.
• MLT-D116LXpress M2625, M2675, M2825, M2875.
• MLT-D203L / E / UProXpress M3320, M3820, M4020, M4070 (different yields).

The trailing letter on the Samsung code is the key: S (standard) yields fewer pages; L (large) is high-yield; E (extra) and U (ultra) are the maximum versions. For the same printer, pick the highest letter your device accepts and you will lower the cost per page. You can check your model in the full Startoner catalogue.

Lexmark: 24B, 50F, 58D and 71B codes

Lexmark builds for offices as well as for industrial and corporate environments, and its naming reflects both segments. The code combines an alphanumeric prefix + a regional suffix + a yield indicator, so it looks more complex but follows clear rules.

• 50F#A00 / 50F#H00 / 50F#X00MS310, MS410, MS510, MS610 (A standard, H high, X extra-high).
• 58D#000MS721, MS821, MS823, MX721 (corporate, high-volume series).
• 71B#0#0CS417, CS517, CX417, CX517 (colour).
• 51B#H00 / 51B#X00MS317, MS417, MS517, MS617.
• 24B####BSD segment (Business Solutions Dealer), contractual machines with closed distribution.

On Lexmark, the digit in the fourth position usually marks the sales region: 0 Europe, 1 USA, 2 Latin America. If you buy in Spain, the code you want carries 0 in that slot. Our catalogue focuses on European-distribution codes; if you have doubts about an imported reference, get in touch through support.

Kyocera: the TK series

Kyocera uses the TK- series for toners and DK- for drums. It's common in high-volume environments because it splits supply and imaging unit: the toner is replaced often and the drum lasts several cartridge lives, which lowers the long-run total cost of printing.

• TK-1150ECOSYS P2235dn, M2135dn, M2635dn, M2735dw (~3,000 pages).
• TK-1160ECOSYS P2040dn, P2040dw (~7,200 pages).
• TK-5280K/C/M/YECOSYS M6235cidn, M6635cidn, P6235cdn (four colours).
• TK-3160 / TK-3170 / TK-3190ECOSYS P3045, P3050, P3055, P3060 (up to 25,000 pages).

On Kyocera, the ECOSYS machines are designed so that swapping the toner is the only routine task; the drum is only replaced every 100,000 to 500,000 pages depending on the model. If your business prints heavy volumes, the Kyocera range is among the most efficient on the market. Browse devices and supplies in the Startoner catalogue.

The numbers that change the purchase

The figures we work with whenever a support enquiry lands. They give a sense of the margin for error and of what is really at stake when you order the wrong reference.

Comparison table: codes by brand

Quick reference with format, real examples and a visual hint for each brand. Save it as a screenshot if you manage multiple printers: it speeds up every order from then on.

Once you have the reference: OEM or compatible

With the code in hand, the next decision is financial. An OEM toner is built by the same brand as the device; a certified compatible toner is built by a third party under ISO 9001 and 14001, with the same consumable components and the same yield obligation. In the independent Buyers Lab (BLI) 2023 study, certified compatibles reached 97% of the measured yield against the original, with average savings of 38% to 55% per page.

The toners in the Startoner catalogue are manufactured under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, ship with an active chip (so the printer reads the level correctly) and carry a 3-year warranty. Behind us is the Recycop Group, in print supplies since 1998; Startoner is the distribution brand in Spain (CHICTRATEC S.L.), operating from Los Barrios (Cádiz) with 24-hour shipping to mainland Spain. Our warranty meets the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Directive (EU) 2019/771.

If you want to read the full policy, it lives in returns policy and in shipping and deliveries. For larger volumes, the technical service covers maintenance and repair with scheduled visits.

Four real cases, solved

Two people profiles and two data cases. They come up in our support every week: here is how they get solved and what you can copy straight into your own office.