Canon MAXIFY MB2120: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Canon MAXIFY MB2120 right for you?

The MB2120 was the cheapest MAXIFY, bringing pigment inks, a 50-sheet ADF, duplex and a 250-sheet cassette to home offices that wanted laser-like text without laser prices. It lacks Ethernet and the big tanks of the MB5000 series but prints fast, water-resistant documents. Pigment printheads clog if the printer sits unused, so print weekly, and note the PGI-1200 cartridges are not shared with any PIXMA.

Best for: Small home offices wanting pigment-ink documents with an ADF

Setting up the Canon MAXIFY MB2120

Set up Wi-Fi from the colour LCD on a 2.4 GHz network or via Canon PRINT, then install the MB2100 series driver from Canon so ADF scanning works. Load the cassette to the mark, set its size on screen, and run the fax wizard if you use the phone line. Replace the maintenance cartridge when prompted rather than ignoring the 1700 warning.

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 Canon'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 Canon MAXIFY MB2120 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• PGI-1200 BK / C / M / Y
• PGI-1200XL
• MC-10 maintenance cartridge

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