Third-party status
DisputedDisputed: Brother denies blocking, but its own error table says non-genuine ink may not be detected
Brother says its firmware updates are not meant to block third-party ink, and compatible LC406 cartridges are widely sold for this printer. But Brother's own manual says non-genuine ink may not be detected, and owners of other Brother inkjets report sudden rejections, so the status is Disputed.
What to do now
- If you see 'Cannot Detect', reseat the cartridge slowly and firmly until it locks, and check it is an LC406 in the right colour slot; Brother lists a badly seated or wrong-model cartridge as causes too.[2]This fixes seating problems, not a cartridge the printer refuses on purpose.
- Hold off on firmware updates while compatible ink is working, and buy from a seller that replaces cartridges if an update rejects them. The r/printers commenter suggested sending the firmware version and cartridge details to the seller and asking about updated chips.[6][7]Skipping updates also skips security fixes, and those comments were about a different model.
What to buy instead
- Genuine Brother LC406 / LC406XL. Always accepted.
- Compatible LC406XL from a seller with a firmware return policy. Ask what happens if an update rejects it.
- Account required
- No
- Cartridges
- Brother LC406 / LC406XL INKvestment ink cartridges
- Blocking firmware
- None reported
- Last checked
Also applies to: Other LC406 machines such as the MFC-J4345DW, MFC-J4535DW, MFC-J5855DW, MFC-J5955DW, MFC-J6555DW and MFC-J6955DW (per Brother's online user's guide and LC406 seller listings).
Third-party and remanufactured cartridges
- The MFC-J4335DW uses LC406 (up to 3,000 black / 1,500 color pages) and LC406XL (up to 6,000 black / 5,000 color pages) INKvestment cartridges, not LC401.[1]
- Brother's online user's guide for this model says that if you are not using genuine Brother ink, the machine may not detect the ink cartridge ('Cannot Detect') or the ink volume ('Cannot Detect Ink'), and tells you to fit a new genuine cartridge.[2]
- Brother's support FAQ for this model recommends genuine supplies and says its limited warranty does not apply to problems caused by third-party ink or refills.[3]
- In March 2025 Brother told Ars Technica its firmware updates do not block third-party supplies; Ars said the opposing claims rest mostly on owner posts it could not confirm.[4]
- A compatible LC406XL seller says the printer may show a non-Brother cartridge notice and that an OK or Continue prompt may let you print, and that the ink gauge may not read correctly. That is a seller's note, not an independent test.[5]
Brother account and subscriptions
- Brother's product page sells genuine LC406 and LC406XL cartridges at retail and mentions no account or subscription needed to print. The page now marks the MFC-J4335DW as discontinued.[1]
Firmware that blocked cartridges
- Brother's US download page for the MFC-J4335DW offers a Firmware Update Tool (tool version 1.44, released Oct 15, 2026) that pulls firmware from Brother's server. It lists no older firmware to roll back to.[6]
- On r/printers in July 2025, an owner of a different Brother inkjet (MFC-J6945DW) said compatible black cartridges he had used for about two years suddenly showed 'No Ink Cartridge' until he fitted a genuine one. A commenter blamed a recent firmware update. We found no matching dated report for the MFC-J4335DW.[7]
To see your version, print a printer status report or open the printer's web page. Compare it with the firmware list.
Workarounds that sources back up
- If you see 'Cannot Detect', reseat the cartridge slowly and firmly until it locks, and check it is an LC406 in the right colour slot; Brother lists a badly seated or wrong-model cartridge as causes too.[2] This fixes seating problems, not a cartridge the printer refuses on purpose.
- Hold off on firmware updates while compatible ink is working, and buy from a seller that replaces cartridges if an update rejects them. The r/printers commenter suggested sending the firmware version and cartridge details to the seller and asking about updated chips.[6][7] Skipping updates also skips security fixes, and those comments were about a different model.
What does not reliably work
- Rolling back firmware: Brother's download page offers only its update tool, not older firmware files.[6]
- Clearing 'Cannot Detect' on a non-genuine cartridge through Brother support: Brother's documented fix is to install a new genuine cartridge.[2]
What to buy instead
- Genuine Brother LC406 / LC406XL. Always accepted. Shop
- Compatible LC406XL from a seller with a firmware return policy. Ask what happens if an update rejects it. Shop
These are plain store links. We earn nothing from them today. Disclosure.
What we could not verify
- Any dated owner report of a compatible LC406 cartridge being blocked on the MFC-J4335DW itself.
- Which printer firmware version the MFC-J4335DW currently runs and what recent updates changed.
- Whether the printer has a setting that turns off automatic firmware updates.
Know something we missed? Dated sources beat opinions. Corrections go on the page with a date.
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Sources
- Brother USA: MFC-J4335DW product page (LC406 yields, discontinued) (read Nov 2, 2026)
- Brother online user's guide (MFC-J4335DW/J4345DW/J4535DW): Error and Maintenance Messages (read Nov 2, 2026)
- Brother support (MFC-J4335DW): Can third party ink be used to refill the ink cartridges? (read Nov 2, 2026)
- Ars Technica: Brother denies using firmware updates to brick printers with third-party ink (published Mar 5, 2025)
- myCartridge: compatible LC406XL 4-pack (fit list and 'what to expect' notes) (read Nov 2, 2026)
- Brother support: MFC-J4335DW downloads (Windows) (read Nov 2, 2026)
- r/printers: Brother is now bricking 3rd party ink cartridges! (MFC-J6945DW, July 2025) (published Jul 31, 2025)