Brother HL-1110 and HL-1112 lights: what each pattern means

11 light patterns of the Brother HL-1110 and HL-1112, from Brother’s own guide What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110). Mono laser, two LEDs (Error, Ready); the Error LED counts its errors in blinks. Count the flashes before the lamp goes off, then find the number below.

Models covered, as Brother lists them: HL-1110, HL-1112.

1. Ready LED dimmed

   Error LED off; Ready LED dimmed. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 2 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Sleep

   The machine is in Sleep mode. It can still receive data; a print job wakes it and it prints.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Deep Sleep

   The machine is in Deep Sleep mode, which uses less power than Sleep mode. A print job still wakes it.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

2. Ready LED on

   Error LED off; Ready LED on. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 2 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Ready

   The machine is ready to print.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Printing

   The machine is printing.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

3. Ready LED blinking (every 1 or 1.5 seconds)

   Error LED off; Ready LED blinking. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 4 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Please Wait

   The machine is warming up.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Cooling Down

   The inside of the machine is extremely hot; it pauses the print job and cools down.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Wait until the machine is back in Ready mode.

   Receiving Data

   The machine is receiving data from the computer or processing data in memory.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Data Remaining

   There is print data left in the machine’s memory.

   What Brother says to do

   1. If the Ready LED blinks for a long time and nothing prints, press the power button to print the remaining data.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

4. Error LED blinking once every 1.5 seconds, Ready LED on

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED on. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 2 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Toner Low

   The toner cartridge will need replacing soon.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Buy a new toner cartridge and have it ready for when Replace Toner is shown.
   2. If prints are faint, hold the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly level with both hands and gently shake it from side to side a few times to spread the toner.

   Replace Toner (Continue mode)

   The machine keeps printing until the LEDs show Toner Ended.

   Brother’s page gives no step for this.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

5. Error LED blinking once every 1.5 seconds, Ready LED off

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED off. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 3 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Replace Toner (Stop mode)

   The toner cartridge needs replacing, and the machine is set to Stop mode.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Replace the toner cartridge with a new one.

   No Toner

   The toner cartridge is not seated in the drum unit correctly.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Take out the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly and reinstall the toner cartridge in the drum unit.

   Toner Ended

   It is time to replace the toner cartridge.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Replace the toner cartridge with a new one.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

6. Error LED blinks 4 times, then off for 1 second; Ready LED off

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED off; 4 flashes, then off, repeating. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 3 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Cartridge Error

   The drum unit and toner cartridge assembly is not installed correctly.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Reinstall the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly.

   Cover is Open

   The top cover is open.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Close the top cover of the machine.

   Out of Memory

   The machine’s memory is full and it cannot print full pages of the document.

   What Brother says to do

   1. See Brother’s linked FAQ on printing the full pages of a document.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

7. Error LED blinks 3 times, then off for 1 second; Ready LED on

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED on; 3 flashes, then off, repeating. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Drum End Soon / Replace Drum

   The drum unit is near or at the end of its life.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Replace the drum unit with a new one, then reset the drum counter.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

8. Error LED blinks 3 times, then off for 1 second; Ready LED off

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED off; 3 flashes, then off, repeating. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 2 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Drum !

   The corona wire needs cleaning.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Clean the corona wire on the drum unit.

   No Drum

   The toner cartridge is in the machine without the drum unit, or the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly is not installed.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Install the toner cartridge and drum unit assembly.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

9. Error LED blinks twice, then off for 1 second; Ready LED off

   Error LED blinking; Ready LED off; 2 flashes, then off, repeating. Colour not stated by Brother.

   Brother gives 4 causes for this pattern; the message on the computer or the printer software tells them apart.

   Jam Tray

   Paper is jammed at the paper tray.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Clear the jam. If the machine does not start printing, press the power button.

   Jam Inside 1, 2 or 3

   Paper is jammed inside the machine.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Clear the jam. If the machine does not start printing, press the power button.

   Wrong Paper Type

   The paper in the tray is not suitable for printing.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Put A4 or Letter size paper in the tray.

   No Paper

   There is no paper in the tray.

   What Brother says to do

   1. Put paper in the paper tray.

   Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

10. Error and Ready LEDs lighting alternately

    Error LED flashing alternately; Ready LED flashing alternately. Colour not stated by Brother.

    Job Cancel

    The machine is cancelling the job.

    Brother’s page gives no step for this.

    Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

11. Error and Ready LEDs both blinking

    Error LED blinking; Ready LED blinking. Colour not stated by Brother.

    Service Call

    There is an error the user cannot clear.

    What Brother says to do

    1. Brother’s linked Service Call FAQ lists the kinds of error this covers.

    Source: What do the LED indications mean? (HL-1110) (Brother), checked 2026-09-29.

Find a pattern by which light and how it blinks, on any brand →