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Canon Pixma MG5220: Scan Without Ink

Canon Pixma MG5220: Scan Without Ink

by 86 Comments

Users have complained about not being able to scan documents when the Canon Pixma MG5220 is out of ink. However, there is a way around this issue. All you have to do is reset the ink detection, and the scanner will work again.

  • To reset the ink detection, simply press and hold “Stop” (button with orange circle and triangle) for 5 seconds. The Alarm should clear, and the printer will allow you to scan once again.

This trick works with many Canon Pixma models including the MX340.

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Comments

  1. Charlie says

    How incopetent it is you can’t use other functions once the other and not related has not resources. Printing doesn’t colide Scanning. Suppose you need to scan some documents quickly and what Canon does for you? They say you can’t, but others solution say here on this web say you have to trick the device as by default you can’t just scan. I don[t recommend Canon.

  2. Kevin says

    Thanks a lot, Mitch. Just tried it on my TR4527 and it worked! You saved my Sunday afternoon.

  5. Tom says

    I have an MG3250which wouldn’t scan when it ran out of ink. I managed to scan using Windows10 Fax and Scan app rather than the Canon app. However, I saw ,above, that someone had scanned with output and input trays closed and I had mine closed when I used the Windows app, so that might have been the solution. If you are stuck, try both.

  6. Robert The Engineer says

    Is there any solution for the MG2540 or MG2540S ? I would throw mine off the window it’s really useless…

  7. Philip Fulman says

    I hate the people at Canon more than words can ever describe. I hate these people so unbelievably much.

  9. Luke says

    Nope. This trick does NOT work on every MX340.
    It did not work on the one I found on the sidewalk a few days ago.
    I had hoped to use it for just the scanner.
    But no trick I’ve seen on the web works to make it scan.
    I suspect the firmware had been updated, wherein Canon disabled all possible hacks.

  10. Duncan says

    Thank you so much, you saved me having to buy a dedicated scanner :-) My printer is the Canon Pixma MG7160

  11. Diane Hawkins says

    I spent one whole day trying to get my Canon scanner working with a new laptop. As soon as I read your comment, I pushed that Stop button and everything was OK! Thank you so much. I was tearing my hair out!

  13. Jay S says

    My Canon Pixma MP970 suddenly stopped functioning-‘Error U052 incorrect print head”. Tried everyone’s suggestions with no luck. Not sure what else to do.
    Any new ideas? Thanks

  14. Clive Jackson says

    Brilliant, thank you so much. I spent hours reading other peoples contributions on other websites when all i had to do is press a button!

  15. Steve says

    Great tip. Thanks – works on MG7150. A truly idiotic feature to not scan by default when ink has run out / is missing.

  20. Louis Charpentier says

    What to do with my PIXMA MG5220 printer. I have a B200 error on my printer screen and it tells me to unplug the power cord and contact the service ash.

  21. MsD says

    Thank you thank you thank you! was so stressed by my printer not scanning due to ink
    This worked for my Canon TS3100

  27. Luiz says

    Hi,
    I have a MG 5220, but I’m not sure it is still working (I’ve got it a long time ago and I haven’t used it in the last year). I want to use it again, but I need to buy new inks, I want to know if it is possible using the printer just with the black ink. I don’t want to buy the color ink before make sure it is really working. Thanks

  28. Oly says

    When I closed both the input and output trays of the printer, then I could scan even with the ink cartridges removed. Holding down the orange circle+triangle did not work on my Canon MX320.

  29. Tamas says

    I do have PIXMA 5450, and the printer part (ink) completely gave up, the printer head is wrong.

    Is it possible to COMPLETELY switch off the printer functionality and use only the scanner?

  30. Mark says

    Nope with the MG2540. Tried absolutely everything. Just going to open the window to throw the Canon out….

  31. Howard says

    Oh gee – THANKYOU! Yes your fix worked on my new MG3650, with iMac High Sierra. More than can be said for the pdf manual. Can scan and print/copy in black and white even though colour is totally empty. Why are printer makers so user-hostile?

  32. Ami Kelly says

    I’ve had nothing but problems with my Canon Pixma MG6821. Won’t connect to WiFi 90% of the time, won’t scan with no ink. Pressing and holding stop didn’t work.

  33. Mystica says

    To reset the ink detection, simply press and hold “Stop” (button with orange circle and triangle) for 5 seconds. The Alarm should clear and the printer will allow you to scan once again.
    This trick works with many Canon Pixma models including the MX340.

    YES, it works for me. But I have to try at least couple times before it actually worked. Power off and power it back on, as soon as you press the power back on, keep pushing the STOP button for at least 10 seconds, then press Scan and it will work magically. Thank you!

  34. Ian says

    Pressing Stop for any amount of time does NOT allow to scan on Pixma 5650. Never buying one of these products again.

  35. Sharon J Thomas says

    I removed my cartridges some time back in order to buy the right ones. The damned cartridges cost as much as the printer/scanner. What???? I just want to scan some hospital records to my son’s P.O. so they don’t arrest him for having an EMERGENCY GALLBLADDER SURGERY!! Blasted thing DOESN’T NEED INK TO SCAN TO MY COMPUTER. I will NEVER buy a Canon product again.

  36. John Robertson says

    My MG6800 also wouldn’t scan while it displayed the low ink ‘stopping’. I first tried holding the STOP button for around ten seconds, but nothing happened, then I noticed there was an “OK” button on the touchscreen – pressed that and the error message went away and I could then scan and even print B&W docs (two colours were low).
    Not sure if the problem was I jus tdidn’t notice the “OK” button prior to pressing the STOP button, so if you see the “OK” touch that first and then try.

  37. Nor Parn says

    I want to use my scanner without color cartridges installed. Finds no work around on this problem. Canon MG6350 wireless on Windows 10.
    Get Error 1688 & Conde 2,140,21. How to fix this? Stop bying Canon seems to bee the best sollution!

  39. Deb says

    Sadly, Canon must have seen this and updated software b/c this method is not working for me either. I will be purchasing a new printer NOT from Canon SMH why is everybody so greedy???

  40. Samantha Hovey says

    For some reason my alarm light is not responding to holding down the cancel button, no matter how long I hold it for.

  41. Dan says

    Thanks so much!!! I was about to take a hammer to this printer for trying to make me buy new ink cartridges just to scan…

  45. David Johnson says

    Saved my day, made me happy; the 5 second stop hold did the trick; allowed me use my scanner even with a ink cartridge error message

  48. Daniel B. says

    I have a Canon MG2520 and this trick did not work for me, however, I’m wondering if it is because I only have one ink cartridge. I have tried holding down the Stop button for 5 seconds (and longer), as well as the Power button for 5 seconds (and longer) and neither option helped. I really do feel like this is a terrible operational error on Canon’s part. I shouldn’t have to go out and buy ink just to scan a document. Definitely never buying a Canon printer/scanner again.

  49. Mark says

    For my MP 560, in the case where more than one ink cartridges were dry, I had to hold Stop and OK at the same time to reach a “cleared” condition. Then I could scan.

  50. David B. says

    Thanks a million! Holding down the Stop button didn’t work for me, but holding down the Power button did. I have ink but it’s refilled cartridges, so the printer thinks they are empty. I have the MG3620. The software on this printer is very poor. I will not buy another Canon printer for that reason. The printer works well mechanically, but is a pain to use.

  51. regina casimiro says

    Have you experienced the same issue with canon MP610 ?
    I didn’t sorted the issue…

  55. Sherri says

    It worked! Was able to scan a document that I really needed – good when you always have to order your ink by mail.
    This was a Canon MP560

  59. Barnegat Pollyanna says

    Didn’t work for me. AAAH! This is so frustrating!
    I have a Canon PIXMA printer/scanner. A piece bent where the ink cartridge goes in and it can’t read that the ink cartridge has been replaced.
    Now nothing works on this pain in the butt thing! Ready to trash it.

  63. V Saxena says

    Dude, HAH. I’ve stopped using my scanner for like TWO YEARS because of the ink problem. And now, finally, after two years, I can use it again. You’re DA MAN!

  64. SooperOoser says

    I read somewhere if the STOP button trick doesn’t work for your model, try holding down the POWER button for 5 seconds or more instead. I hope it helps.

  65. Jaroslav VYdra says

    Thanks for your pages! I have a Canon MG6250 printer/scanner, and want to use it as a scanner only, since I do not have all the ink cartridges. But your hint for mg5220 does not work, the scanner says error U043 “Can’t recognise ink cartridge…”.
    Is there some way to use the Canon 6250 as a scanner only?
    Thank you for your help.

  66. Shamshuddin says

    Thanks a lot, It worked on MG2470 printer, although there was no beep sound after a long press of stop button. was trying for so long…

  69. LAURA says

    Awesome, I only need my MX492 for scanning. Simply help STOP for about 5 seconds+ and it overwrote it. Thank you!!

  70. Almost Convicted Fellon says

    NICE !!! Worked…and it was very important. Have to scan and e-mail some last min. documents for my lawyer. It’s about 5 am and court is in a couple hours. Really, thank you.

    *** I have the Canon MX922 also ***

  75. Virtual Dragon says

    Did not work for my Canon MG 5350.

    What a scam! It is a completely ridiculously expensive and very slow printer – and now this. Never Canon again!

  77. Adrian Haar says

    Didn’t work on my MG6150. Got as far as “scan” and then the original message – that the grey ink cartridge needed replacing. From Canon – “buy some more of our ink and we will let you scan”. Thanks Canon.

  79. auntie says

    I found a video on YouTube to reset the ink error for a canon mg5220 ,first turn printer off then press the stop button then while pressing the stop button press the power button for two seconds then let go of stop button while still pressing the power button. then while still holding power press the stop button 5 times should reset the printer. A blank screen will show up but that’s fine he said you might have to turn off then back on.

  80. Virtual Gaz says

    nice one – mg 3260 scanning again!
    Naughty Canon – Epson next time because of this.

  86. Mr G says

    Didnt work on my printer – PIXMA MG5220 with the U043 error message (The following ink tank cannot be recognized)

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