De-agglomerated hydrophobized fumed silica is compared to corresponding traditional agglomerated fumed silica as an external additive for electrophotographic toners. The first finding is that the Tribo-Electrostatic Charge (T-ESC) of toner treated with de-agglomerated silica is as strong as that with traditional silica after agitation. Charge distribution analysis however indicates faster charge-up for de-agglomerated silica. These characteristics apply for both milled conventional toner and chemically produced toner and are explained by the superior dispersibility of de-agglomerated silica. The shelf-life (storage stability) was also tested and demonstrated that de-agglomerated silica maintained performance under normal appropriate storage conditions.