Can you keep using it?
Can you keep using it?
Contact customer support if any of these apply
- !The warning appears far too early alongside obvious toner-detection problems.
- !The machine shows low-toner warnings even after a confirmed good replacement process.
What to check first
Step-by-step checks
- 1
Safe first step
Keep printing if output quality is still acceptable.
Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.
- 2
Consumable check
Have a genuine Brother toner cartridge ready for the next replacement step.
- 3
Consumable check
Replace the toner only when print quality drops or the stronger replace message appears.
Background
What this message usually means
Brother shows Toner Low or Prepare New Toner Cartridge when the toner is approaching end of life on this office laser family. It is a warning-stage supply message, not an immediate hard stop, so the normal next step is to keep printing if quality is still acceptable and have a genuine replacement ready.
Before the message
What users usually notice first
Messages like this often appear after the printer fails one of its normal startup, supply, or paper-path checks and cannot return to ready state cleanly.
Diagnosis
Likely causes
The installed toner cartridge is nearing its expected life.
Heavy print coverage or high-volume jobs shortened usable toner life.
The printer is warning before Replace Toner appears.
Service
When service or replacement is more likely
- -This warning is about toner life, not the drum unit.
Avoid wrong turns
Common misreads of this message
- -Treating the message like a confirmed failed part instead of a support clue about which system has stopped the printer.
- -Assuming any supply-related wording means the next step is automatically to buy a cartridge, toner, drum, or printhead.
See also
Related codes in this family
Explore more
More Brother printer families
Read this next
Helpful guides for this problem
Guide
Most common Brother printer messages and what they usually mean
The Brother messages that show up most often across home and office printers, and what they usually point toward.
Guide
When a printer says paper jam but there isn't one
What a false paper-jam warning usually points to, from hidden scraps and tray issues to faults that are no longer simple jams.
Guide
Common Brother printer messages that usually mean stop and check support
The Brother messages that usually mean it is time to stop retrying and treat the fault more seriously.
Boundary
When to stop troubleshooting and move to support
Use the message once to classify the problem, then move to support if the printer still cannot return to ready after the first safe checks.
Keep browsing
Where to go next
Back to MFC-L5700 / L5800 / L5900 / L6700 / L6900 office laser family
Browse the rest of this printer range and compare nearby messages.
More Brother families
Move sideways into related printer ranges from the same brand.
Browse all printer guides
Search across brands, families, and common printer error messages.
Source notes
Brother's official article says Toner Low or Prepare New Toner Cartridge means the toner is near end of life but can usually continue in use until print quality becomes unacceptable or Replace Toner appears.
Built around official Brother support pages for the MFC-L5700, L5800, L5900, L6700, and L6900 office laser family. Exact message wording can vary a little by model and region, but the core troubleshooting stays close across the shared platform.
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-L5700DW, MFC-L5800DW, MFC-L5900DW, MFC-L6700DW, MFC-L6900DW
Last reviewed: 2026-04-12
Reference: Open reference