Brother Install Starter Ink

Can you keep using it?

Contact customer support if any of these apply

!The message remains even after the starter cartridges are installed correctly.
!You no longer have the supplied starter cartridges and the machine will not finish setup.

If the printer still starts normally: Finish the first checks once, then stop if the same message repeats or the printer still cannot return to ready.

What to check first

Step-by-step checks

1
Consumable check
Remove the current cartridges only if you are correcting first-time setup.
Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.
2
Consumable check
Install the starter cartridges that came with the machine.
3
Consumable check
Complete the initial setup flow before trying other cartridges.

Background

What this message usually means

Brother shows Install Starter Ink on the MFC-J1010 and J1170 family when initial setup was completed with cartridges other than the starter set supplied with the machine. Brother's official guidance is to uninstall the current cartridges and install the starter cartridges that shipped with the printer.

Diagnosis

Likely causes

Most common

Initial printer setup was attempted with replacement cartridges instead of the included starter set.

Common

The machine is still in its first-install logic and expects the original starter cartridges.

Possible

The starter setup sequence was interrupted and the printer did not complete first-time ink initialization.

Service

When service or replacement is more likely

-This is a setup-state message, not a normal low-ink or replacement reminder.
-Brother's own guidance warns against unnecessary cartridge removal because it affects tracked ink quantity.

Related codes in this family

No Ink Cartridge

An ink cartridge is not installed correctly.

Wrong Ink Color

An ink cartridge is installed in the wrong color position.

Source notes

Brother's official Install Starter Ink article says the message appears when initial setup uses cartridges other than the supplied starter set and advises installing the starter cartridges to continue.

Built around official Brother support articles that explicitly include MFC-J1010DW and MFC-J1170DW in the same message families. Exact wording can vary a little by region and sibling model, but the message meaning stays close across this inkjet group.

Printer error codes can vary a little by firmware, region, and exact model variant. Use this guide as a family-level starting point and stop if the next step would require disassembly or service-mode changes.

Known family variants: MFC-J1010DW, MFC-J1170DW, MFC-J1800DW

Last reviewed: 2026-04-12

Reference: Open reference

Install Starter Ink - The first cartridges installed are not the starter cartridges that came with the machine.