Brother MFC-J5010DW: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Brother MFC-J5010DW right for you?

The MFC-J5010DW is one of the July 2026 next-generation INKvestment all-in-ones, launched at 279.99 dollars for small businesses and home offices. Brother quotes 28 ppm mono and 26 ppm color, a 250-sheet tray, a 2.7-inch touchscreen and the new LC506 cartridge family. Its sibling, the MFC-J5110DW, adds a second tray, a 4.3-inch screen and a 50-page duplex ADF for 359.99 dollars. Details beyond the launch announcement were limited when this entry was written.

Best for: Small businesses buying a new INKvestment printer in 2026

Setting up the Brother MFC-J5010DW

Brother Mobile Connect is the intended setup path, joining the printer to Wi-Fi from a phone; Ethernet is also available. Windows users can install the Full Driver & Software Package once Brother posts it for this model; AirPrint and Mopria work immediately. Allow the first ink charge to complete before printing.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink cartridges, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Brother's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Brother MFC-J5010DW uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• LC506 black and color ink cartridges (high page yields)

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications