Canon PIXMA iP8720: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Canon PIXMA iP8720 right for you?

The iP8720 is Canon's affordable 13 x 19 inch photo printer, still sold new after more than a decade because nothing cheaper offers six-ink wide-format output. Hobbyist photographers, crafters and small print shops use it for posters and scrapbook pages. It has no screen and no Ethernet, and the dye inks are not archival, but image quality from the gray-equipped ink set is excellent for the price. The printhead should be exercised weekly.

Best for: Affordable 13 x 19 inch photo and poster printing

Setting up the Canon PIXMA iP8720

Wi-Fi setup is by WPS or the Canon PRINT Easy wireless connect flow, because there is no display; the printer supports 2.4 GHz only. Load 13 x 19 sheets in the rear tray with the guides snug and select the size in the driver. Use Professional Print and Layout or Easy-PhotoPrint Editor with the correct Canon paper profile for accurate colors, and run a nozzle check before any large print.

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 PIXMA iP8720 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• PGI-250 PGBK
• CLI-251 BK/C/M/Y/GY
• XL sizes
• UK: PGI-550 / CLI-551 incl. gray

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