Article · Printing Blog | Startoner

Brother LC424 compatible ink cartridge: installation, chip reset and savings

July 11, 2026 Updated August 30, 2026

It is designed for anyone who prints regularly at home or in a small office and wants to cut their spending on consumables without losing sharpness.

What it is and which printers it fits

It fits and works in the following models:

Brother DCP-J1140DW
Brother DCP-J1150DW
Brother MFC-J1170DW
Brother MFC-J1180DW
Brother MFC-J1310DW

If your device is not on this list, do not force the installation: check the code printed on the empty cartridge. For other Brother series we have different references, such as the compatible LC3213 cartridge or the higher-yield compatible LC3217 cartridge.

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

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

Turn on the printer and open the cartridge access cover.
Remove the empty cartridge by pressing the release tab.
Take the new cartridge out of its packaging and remove the tab or protective seal, without touching the contacts or the ink outlet area.
Insert it into its colour slot until you hear a click and close the cover.

If, after fitting it, a message such as "cartridge not recognised" or "cartridge not detected" appears, try these steps before writing it off as faulty:

Open it and reinsert it, making sure it seats fully; most read errors are down to a poor fit.
Carefully clean the metal contacts on the chip with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Turn off the printer, wait a minute and turn it back on to force it to re-read the chip.
Remove the other cartridges and refit them one by one to rule out a positioning error.

These devices use a chip per cartridge, so you normally do not need to perform a manual "reset": on restart, the system reads the level again. If the message persists with all cartridges correctly fitted, contact us for a replacement.

Yield and savings compared with the original

With around 750 pages per unit, the compatible LC424 covers home and small-office use for weeks or months depending on your volume. The main advantage is cost per page: by paying considerably less per cartridge, the price of each printed sheet drops noticeably compared with the branded consumable. If you want to work out your own case, our article on the real cost of printing will help.

And the quality? In our tests the visual difference is minimal for everyday text and colour documents. We explain it in detail in original vs compatible, printed side by side. To check your own results you can use our CMYK test page.

Why buy it from 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.

Frequently asked questions

Will the compatible LC424 cartridge work with my Brother printer?

It is compatible with the Brother DCP-J1140DW, DCP-J1150DW, MFC-J1170DW, MFC-J1180DW and MFC-J1310DW models. If your device is not on that list, check the code on the original cartridge before buying.

What do I do if the printer says it doesn't recognise the cartridge?

Reinsert it until it clicks, clean the chip contacts with a dry cloth and turn the printer off and on again to force it to re-read. Most warnings are caused by a poor fit, not a faulty cartridge.

How many pages does the compatible LC424 print?

It offers an approximate yield of 750 pages per cartridge, according to the standard measurement norm and depending on the type of document you print.

3-year Startoner consumable warranty

No. Spanish law protects the use of compatible consumables and the manufacturer cannot void the warranty simply for using them. We explain this in our guide to the legal warranty for compatible cartridges.

See the full range: Compatible Brother LC ink cartridges