Canon PIXMA G1020: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Canon PIXMA G1020 right for you?

The G1020 is the India and Asia-Pacific version of the budget single-function MegaTank, a hugely popular choice for Indian homes, coaching centres and small shops that print hundreds of pages a month. It uses GI-71 bottles rather than the GI-21 sold in North America, and it is USB-only with no screen. Its printheads are user-replaceable, which matters in markets where service centres are far away.

Best for: High-volume budget printing in India and Asia-Pacific

Setting up the Canon PIXMA G1020

Fill all four tanks to the line and install the black and color printheads before the first power-on, then let the charge complete. Download the driver from Canon India (in.canon) and connect USB when prompted. Print a nozzle check after setup and keep the printer on so it can perform periodic automatic cleaning.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink bottles (fill each tank to the upper line), 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 PIXMA G1020 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• GI-71 Black
• GI-71 C / M / Y
• MC-G02 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