Brother MFC-L8905CDW Printing Faded or Color Issues – How to Fix It

Seeing faded text, washed out colors, streaks, or incorrect color output from your Brother MFC-L8905CDW can be frustrating, especially when printing important business documents or presentations. You may notice that black text looks gray, colors appear dull, images print with missing shades, or the printer produces uneven color across the page. While low toner cartridges or worn printer components are common causes, outdated printer software can also contribute by sending incorrect print settings or causing communication issues with Windows. Fortunately, most print quality problems can be resolved without replacing the printer. This guide walks you through the best solutions for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Quick Fix Checklist

Before moving to advanced troubleshooting, try these quick fixes.

• Check the toner levels.
• Remove and reinstall the toner cartridges.
• Verify the correct paper type is selected.
• Print a printer quality test page.
• Clean the printer using the built in maintenance tools.
• Update your printer software.
• Restart the printer and your computer.
• Install any available Windows updates.

If the print quality does not improve, continue with the methods below.

Why Is the Brother MFC-L8905CDW Printing Faded or Incorrect Colors?

Your printer relies on software to translate documents from Windows into printable output. This software controls print quality settings, color management, and communication with the printer.

If the printer software becomes outdated or damaged, Windows may send incorrect printing instructions, resulting in faded output, inaccurate colors, or poor image quality.

Other possible causes include:

• Outdated printer software
• Low or empty toner cartridges
• Dirty imaging components
• Incorrect print quality settings
• Incorrect paper type selection
• Windows update compatibility issues
• Color calibration problems

Determining the cause helps you restore normal print quality more quickly.

Method 1, Update Printer Software Automatically (Recommended)

Updating your printer software is one of the easiest ways to correct software related print quality problems.

DriverAssist automatically scans your computer, identifies outdated or missing printer software, and installs the correct version for your Brother MFC-L8905CDW.

Steps

1. Download DriverAssist here.
2. Install DriverAssist.
3. Launch the application.
4. Allow it to scan your computer.
5. Locate the Brother MFC-L8905CDW.
6. Install the recommended printer software update.
7. Restart your computer.
8. Print a color test page.

Keeping the printer software updated helps Windows communicate correctly with the printer after system updates.

Method 2, Download the Latest Software from Brother

You can also manually install the latest printer software.

Step 1

Visit Brother's support website.

Step 2

Search for:

Brother MFC-L8905CDW

Always select the exact printer model.

Step 3

Choose the correct version of Windows.

Examples include:

• Windows 11 64 bit
• Windows 10 64 bit
• Windows 10 32 bit

Step 4

Download the Full Driver and Software Package.

Step 5

Run the installer.

Step 6

Follow the installation instructions.

Step 7

Restart your computer.

Step 8

Print another color document.

Common Mistakes

• Downloading software for another Brother printer
• Choosing the wrong Windows version
• Interrupting the installation
• Skipping the restart

Method 3, Update Through Device Manager

Device Manager offers another option for updating printer software.

Step 1

Right click the Start button.

Step 2

Select Device Manager.

Step 3

Expand Printers or Print queues.

Step 4

Locate Brother MFC-L8905CDW.

Step 5

Right click the printer.

Step 6

Select Update driver.

Step 7

Choose Search automatically for drivers.

Allow Windows to complete the search.

Limitations

Device Manager may not locate the latest software available from Brother. If no update is found, install the newest version manually or use DriverAssist.

Additional Ways to Improve Print Quality

Check Toner Levels

Low toner cartridges often produce faded prints.

Replace any cartridge that is nearly empty before continuing.

Clean the Printer

Use the printer's built in cleaning function.

Cleaning helps remove toner buildup that may affect print quality.

Verify Print Quality Settings

Open the printer preferences and review the selected settings.

Make sure:

• Draft mode is disabled.
• The correct paper type is selected.
• High quality printing is enabled when needed.

Perform Color Calibration

The Brother MFC-L8905CDW includes color calibration features.

Running calibration can improve color accuracy after replacing toner cartridges.

Use Quality Paper

Poor quality paper may absorb toner unevenly, making colors appear faded.

Use paper recommended for laser printers whenever possible.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 Print Quality Issues

Windows 11

Major Windows updates may replace existing printer components or reset print settings.

Verify:

• Printer software is current.
• Color settings are correct.
• The proper printer is selected.

Windows 10

Older printer software may not remain fully compatible after Windows updates.

Installing the latest software typically restores proper communication.

Why This Problem Keeps Coming Back

If faded or incorrect colors continue appearing, one or more of these issues may still exist:

• Outdated printer software
• Aging toner cartridges
• Dirty internal components
• Incorrect print settings
• Windows updates
• Missed calibration

Routine maintenance and software updates help maintain consistent print quality.

Keep Printer Software Updated Automatically

Checking manually for printer software updates takes time and can easily be overlooked.

Automatic update tools regularly scan your computer for outdated printer software and install compatible updates, helping maintain reliable communication between Windows and your Brother MFC-L8905CDW while reducing future print quality issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Brother MFC-L8905CDW printing faded pages?

Low toner, incorrect print settings, dirty printer components, or outdated printer software can all contribute to faded printing.

Can outdated printer software affect print quality?

Yes. Outdated or damaged printer software may send incorrect print settings, resulting in faded output or inaccurate colors.

Should I replace the toner immediately?

Check the toner levels first. If the cartridges still have sufficient toner, update the printer software and run the printer cleaning and calibration functions before replacing them.

Why are my colors printing incorrectly?

Color calibration issues, incorrect print settings, outdated printer software, or low toner can all cause inaccurate color output.

Does Device Manager install the latest printer software?

Not always. Brother often provides newer software than what Windows can locate automatically.

How can I prevent future print quality issues?

Keep your printer software updated, replace toner when needed, clean the printer regularly, and perform color calibration after installing new cartridges.

Final Thoughts

Faded prints and incorrect colors from your Brother MFC-L8905CDW are often caused by a combination of printer maintenance issues and outdated printer software. In many cases, updating the software restores proper communication with Windows and improves print quality without requiring expensive repairs.

Begin by updating your printer software with DriverAssist for the fastest solution. If you prefer manual installation, download the latest software from Brother or update it through Device Manager. Combined with checking toner levels, cleaning the printer, and performing color calibration, these solutions resolve most print quality problems on Windows 10 and Windows 11.