Canon PIXMA MG2522: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Canon PIXMA MG2522 right for you?

The MG2522 is the perennial 40-dollar Canon all-in-one stacked by the pallet at Walmart and Target: USB only, no display, but it prints, scans and copies well enough for homework. Its appeal is price and simplicity, and its drawback is that a new set of PG-245 and CL-246 cartridges costs almost as much as the printer. Because there is no Wi-Fi, nothing can be printed from a phone without routing through a computer.

Best for: Cheapest possible print-scan-copy for a single computer

Setting up the Canon PIXMA MG2522

Install the driver from ij.start.canon or the usa.canon.com support page before plugging in the USB cable, then connect when prompted. Copying works without a computer using the front buttons; the color button starts a color copy and the black button a mono copy. Use the IJ Scan Utility for scanning and run alignment once from the Printer Assistant Tool.

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 MG2522 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• PG-245 black
• CL-246 color
• PG-245XL / CL-246XL

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