Every Laser printer is equipped with a toner cartridge that is instrumental in printing your documents or images. It is not necessary to buy a new toner cartridge since you can easily refill laser printer toner yourself by following DIY refill steps.
Although the toner used here is HP 12 A toner, you can refill similar toner cartridges of other laser printers by following the same steps.
Tools needed to refill laser printer toner Cartridge
Before you start refilling the toner cartridge, it is important to buy quality toner ink. Be prepared with a star-cut screwdriver, a newspaper sheet or any waste sheet, soft cloth, any sharp-edged driver, and a quality toner ink bottle.
Step by Step Instructions
Step-1. After pulling the toner from a laser printer the first step is to open the screw of the side cover as shown below:
Step-2. Now take the side cover off:
Step-3: After you have taken outside cover, the next step is to take out the drum unit. Hold it from a white portion(gear) and pull it in the direction instructed.
Step-4. This is how the laser toner cartridge will look after plugging out the drum unit:
Step-5. Now you need to plug out PCR roller as shown below:
Step-6. Slightly push PCR rod to right-side with some sharp-edge tool and then move PCR slightly upward and take it out leftwards
Step-7. The next step is to separate the waste unit and ink unit, which are joined together with the help of pins. So you have to take out the pins which are on both sides of the cartridge.
Step-8. After pushing the pin from inside, it’s time to get it out from the outer side since it has plunged out after being pushed from inside as you can see in the picture below.
Step-9. After you remove pins from both sides of the toner cartridge, you have to remove a spring as shown:
Step-10. The next step is to set-apart two main units of the cartridge. One unit is a waste unit and the other is called an ink unit. Hold the toner as shown in the picture and pull both units apart.
Step-11. View of Waste Ink Unit and closer view of Spring which is to be removed to open waste ink unit.
Step-12. Remove spring and then remove the plastic cover as shown:
Step-13. Now remove the screws of the waste unit to get apart the wiper-blade and then remove the waste-Ink which was collected in this unit.
Step-14. Now that you have managed to open up Wiper-Blade , you should clean the waste collector unit and Blade part. Wiper-Blade should be cleaned with a soft cloth and not with a brush as the brush can put scratches on the blade.
Step-15. Next, you have to re-assemble the waste-unit part. First, fit the wiper-blade and then the plastic cover as shown:
Step-16. Re-fit plastic cover so that it fixes into the cut/groove as shown:
Step-17. Now Fit the spring back to its position as shown in the image below.
Step-18. Now what you have done so far is that you have opened the waste ink unit, cleaned it, and then closed that unit. Now begins the main part that is to refill the laser printer toner cartridge. So now, take the other unit where the ink resides. Open it and fill the Ink (dry) in it then close it and finally re-assemble the two units which were separated earlier.
Step-19. After removing the side cover, you can see a white plastic cover, you have to remove this and fill here the toner-ink:
Step-20. Remove white plastic cover, now you are ready to refill the toner but before that do not forget to “Shake the Ink Bottle before use”. After removing the cap of the bottle you can apply a plastic nozzle cap which you normally get along with a bottle or you can ask for one from the vendor.
Step-21. Now it’s time to refill and close the cap as shown below:
Step-22. Now you have to join together the two units i.e Waste-Unit and Ink-Unit as shown below: Make sure to align them as shown in the directions mentioned below:
Step-23. The next step will be to RE-Insert PINS (remember..!!!!) you plugged out from both sides.
Step-24. Now after you have inserted pins (with hands ,no tool required) , it’s time to insert PCR roller as shown below:
Step-25. Time to install Drum-Unit back to its position i.e onto drum holding pin :
Step-26. After Re-installing the drum, Fit the side cover.
Step-27. And finally, re-insert Spring.
I hope you will be able to refill laser printer toner easily by following the above steps. In case you have any queries you can ask us by posting your question in the comment box.
thank you very much for the information.This will make us save a lot of cash.
good day
Better than video’s,
Thank you so very much, it will help save and make some cash
Thanks a lot
This is very helpful.
I think that is WAY too many steps for the average home usefr. And I’m very mechanically capable. Id have to do all that 4 times for my color laser printer! I think I will go with a quality refilled set of cartritges at $10/each. Its a savings of $240 and save alot of lost little pins and springs and spare my family the cursing and screaming – but well done info.
Not all the toners are mechanically same. This article focuses the steps to refill HP toners and HP12A in particular. Color laser toners should not be refilled at home. We tried it but the quality is not upto the mark. So either you buy new ones or get it machine-refilled at vendors place.
Hi, John. These are the exact same words that came out of my mouth!
DOESNT TONER NEED TO BE MIXED IN A SPECIAL WAY BEFORE USED?
No, You just need to shake it well.
Good stuff
Thanks for the instructions and did with my cartridge without any difficulties.
Cheers
Feroz Cassim
Sri Lanka
Can we refill the same waste tank powder back ?
No, you should not use waste ink at all. Neither it should be mixed with new ink.
I am a raw hand in this field but after going through programs of technical knowledge launched by you on net, I have really become an IT engineer. I am really very much thankful for your vigorous efforts in providing this education. It will definitely fulfill dream of our P M to make Digital India.
I really enrich my knowledge in IT sector,that is all due to your untireble endeovers Thanks a lot.
tnks alot what if the carterage start printing black pages….?
The problem seems to be with magnetic rod.
Thanks a lot of for your informative instructions. I wonder if 17a that I have in my new laser printer can be filled up the same way with no damage and how many paper can be printed after this process.
Thanks in advance
what is the quantity ” grams” of powder needed to refill the toner
thanks in advance
100 grams is sufficient for 12 A toner
i am a little confused which ink ( dry ) do i fill at step 18. and which one to fill at step 20 where it is mentioned that i refill toner. do i have 2 bottles here ( dry ink and liquid toner )? help me since i am new in this field.
It’s only one type of ink used to refill laser toner. In both the steps I am referring to dry ink. Liquid ink is used to refill Inkjet cartridges.
Hi, I refilled the ink in 12a toner but after refill, i’m having 2 issues. 1. Printing is dark on right side of the page as compared to the left side. 2. Backgroud of printed page is grey. I have already changed the wiper blade, doctor blade, pcr, drum and magnetic rod.
I think one spring that is between the two units of the toner is missing. I have sent the photograph of spring position on your mail ID. Kindly Check it.
how can I refill a 55A toner cartridges
Please how can I refill hp laser jet 1320, it seems I am not getting It right.
Is it mandatory to clean waste unit. Can I simply refill ink unit.
yes, you cannot mix old ink with new ink as due to heating, the properties of old ink are changed.
Thank you so much I’m having this problem
Thank you so much for this helpful information.
However after a refill my printer is printing fade one side and accurate the other side. What can I do? My catridge is 131A.
Secondly here Malawi we don’t have shops where you can buy original refill tonner. Refills are done with untrusted vendors who can easily cheat with feque Tonner. Where from can I order an original tonner?
how many times can a toner cartridge be refilled?
Is there any different type of ink (dry) for different type of laser printer… ( I mean magnetic ink powder and non-magnetic ink powder) ?
how to know which powder for which type of printer?
Yes, there are magnetic and non-magnetic inks. For example you need magnetic ink for 12A toner and non-magnetic for 36A and 88 number toners.
can this method use for canon 725 ,toner?
Thank you so much.
hi, new hp cartridge 05a and the printing is having black line on it, what should I do to resolved this problem
The problem is with the wiper blade of the toner
is the toner powder same for all the cartridges ? or different for Hp, Canon , etc
There are two types of inks, magnetic and non-magnetic. So toner inks are different for different cartridges.
Thanks brother you are awesome and
Your trick to refill cartridges
Send me your more videos about technical support
how much quantity toner in ink powder say in grms
can i refill 19A ink
can i refill 19A ink
because it has too compatible toner 17A and 19A so which can i refill
by how?
Oneside page coming complete dark
any mistake from my side
Nice
Afternoon engineer, please what is the best ink for 05a and what quantity of gm needed for a cartridge of 05a?