Brother printers causing issues with third party inks

Brother Printer Firmware Lockouts & Print Degradation

Summary

Brother used to be known for allowing third-party toner use & being less consumer hostile than companies such as HP. In recent years, they've implemented firmware updates that deliberately degrade print quality when using non-OEM toner. These updates disable color registration & other features which coerces consumers into buying expensive genuine Brother toner.

Nature of Exploitation

• Post-Sale Function Removal – Firmware updates retroactively remove previously available features, such as automatic color registration, for users using non-OEM toner.
• Vendor Lock-in via DRM – Printers continue to function with third-party toner but print at degraded quality unless OEM toner is installed.
• Anti-Consumer Software Practices – Firmware updates cannot be easily rolled back, preventing consumers from restoring lost functionality.
• Deceptive Practices – Printers do not outright reject third-party toner but instead engineer a failure, misleading users into thinking their toner is defective.

How It Works

1. Consumers purchase a Brother laser printer that previously accepted third-party toner.

2. A firmware update (e.g., W1.56) is pushed, which does not notify users of any major functional changes.

3. After updating, users notice that:

• Color registration fails automatically, misaligning prints.
• Brother support admits that installing OEM toner will resolve the issue instantly.
• Older firmware versions are removed from Brother’s servers, preventing downgrades.

Real-World Impact

• Customers who used to save money buying third-party toner are now forced into expensive OEM purchases.
• Brother’s positive reputation for allowing third-party toner is tarnished.
• No prior warning was given to consumers before these updates were installed.
• Workarounds involve blocking firmware updates or attempting risky firmware downgrades, both of which Brother actively discourages.

User Evidence & Reports

Hacker News Discussion (2025)

• Users noticed that Brother printers accepted third-party toner but deliberately degraded print quality.
• One user stated:

Brother seems to be apparently accepting the ink, but then purposefully making the print quality poorer.

Reddit Reports (r/printers)

• A firmware update on the Brother MFC-3750 disabled automatic color registration when third-party toner was detected.
• A Brother support agent confirmed that installing OEM toner would "fix" the issue instantly, proving that the printer was being artificially restricted.

GitHub Developer Investigation

• A project analyzing Brother firmware updates discovered that older firmware versions were removed from Brother’s servers, making it impossible for users to roll back to a working version.
• Another github discussion showed that Brother firmware updates increasingly lock out more non-Brother toner cartridges with each new update!
• This is similar to HP Dynamic Security which block non-OEM cartridges.

Comparison to Other Industry Abuses

Company	Tactic Used
HP	"Dynamic Security" firmware updates blocking non-OEM ink
Epson	Ink expiration DRM, even when cartridges are full
Canon	Firmware updates that disable scanning when ink is low
Brother	Print degradation for non-OEM toner users

Potential Legal Implications

Deliberate function removal after purchase may qualify as deceptive trade practices in multiple jurisdictions

How Consumers Can Fight Back

1. Avoid Firmware Updates – Disable auto-updates to prevent forced function removal.
2. Try to downgrade – Some users have managed to roll back firmware, though this is increasingly difficult.
3. Use pen & paper – Do you really need a printer?