Noticed a drop in print quality lately? You might need to buy printer ink, which means checking your printer ink levels. Although you can often check ink levels on the printer’s dashboard, here’s how to check your printer ink levels on a Mac or Windows computer, whether you’re running a Brother, Canon, Epson, or HP printer.
Brother Printer Ink Levels
If you have a Brother brand printer, it’s easy to view printer ink levels on both Windows and Mac devices.
Windows
Do you have the Status Monitor enabled? Launch the Monitor from your toolbar and check the ink levels from there. Otherwise, here’s what to do.
- Windows 7/10/XP/Vista: From the Start menu, go to Brother, then Brother Utilities. Simply choose your printer and click Tools from the Status Monitor menu.
- Windows 8: Access the Status Monitor by clicking Brother Utilities, selecting your printer model, and going to Tools.
Mac
- First, go to System Preferences.
- Go to the relevant option, i.e. Print & Scan, Printers & Scanners, etc. The option depends on your OS.
- Open the Printer Utility by clicking Options & Supplies, then Utility.
Canon Printer Ink Levels
Whether you have a Mac or Windows device, Canon printers come with IJ Printer Utility software, making it very simple to check the printer ink level for your device.
Mac
- Go to System Preferences.
- Choose the option relating to printers, e.g. Print & Scan.
- Open Canon IJ Printer Utility. You can do this by selecting your printer from the list or the Utility tab.
- Once you open the app, simply select Ink Level Information, then click Ink Details.
Windows
- From the Control Panel, right-click the relevant printer.
- Select Printing Preferences to open the IJ Utility app.
- Check printer ink levels from the pop-up screen or click Ink Details to view more detailed information.
EPSON Printer Ink Levels
Checking ink levels for a printer brand like EPSON couldn’t be easier. Usually, you’ll see a pop-up warning you about low ink levels. Simply click the pop-up to see which cartridge needs replacing. However, if you want to check printer ink levels in the meantime, here’s what to do.
Mac
- Head to System Preferences.
- Select the printing option, e.g. Printers & Scanners or Print & Scan.
- Click on Options & Supplies, then click Utility and Open Printer Utility.
- Finally, click on the EPSON Status Monitor to view ink levels.
Windows
- First, open your printer driver from the Control Panel.
- Next, go to Maintenance, then open the EPSON Status Monitor.
HP Printer Ink Levels
HP printers offer a variety of ways for users to check printer ink levels.
Windows
- Go to your Control Panel, open your printer driver, and click Estimated Ink Levels when the HP Printer Assistant pops up.
- Alternatively, go to your HP Smart app and check printer ink levels.
- If you have a laser printer, go to the Easy Printer Manager and click Supplies Information.
Mac
- After clicking on the Apple icon, click on System Preferences.
- Go to Printers & Scanners, Print & Scan, or Print & Fax.
- Select the relevant printer from the list.
- Finally, go to Options & Supplies, then hit Supplies.
Buy Printer Ink Online
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