Canon PIXMA iX6820: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Canon PIXMA iX6820 right for you?

The iX6820 is the business-oriented cousin of the iP8720: five inks with a pigment black for sharp text, a 13 x 19 inch paper path and an Ethernet port, but no gray ink for photos. Small businesses, schools and crafters use it for signs, spreadsheets and 11 x 17 in posters. It has been on sale for over a decade, which says a lot about its reliability, though dried printheads after idle spells are still the main fault.

Best for: Small businesses and crafters printing 11 x 17 and 13 x 19 documents

Setting up the Canon PIXMA iX6820

Connect Ethernet for a set-and-forget installation, or use WPS / Canon PRINT for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi since there is no screen. Set the driver's paper size to Tabloid or 13 x 19 and load a single heavy sheet at a time for cardstock. Run the nozzle check monthly and keep XXL PGI-250 black on hand for text-heavy work.

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 iX6820 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
• PGI-250XL / CLI-251XL / XXL
• UK: PGI-550 / CLI-551

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