How To Reset Epson Waste Ink Pad Error

Essentially, your printer has a built-in counter that estimates how much ink has been absorbed by the waste pads at the bottom of the machine. When this counter hits a certain limit, the printer locks up to prevent ink from leaking out.

Only run a printhead cleaning cycle if your prints actually show missing lines or faded text. Running consecutive cleanings dumps massive amounts of ink straight into the waste pads.

Unscrew the outer casing to locate the white felt/sponge pads at the very bottom. how to reset epson waste ink pad error

Most modern Epson EcoTank printers have a user-replaceable maintenance box. You can buy these online and swap them in seconds.

Set up a "Waste Ink Tank" (a small bottle connected to the waste ink tube) to collect the ink externally. Alternative Solutions (Older Models) Essentially, your printer has a built-in counter that

Resetting without pad replacement eventually leak sticky ink inside, possibly ruining the mainboard, power supply, or causing paper jams from soaked rollers.

Before resetting any software counters, it's best practice to address the physical pad. While resetting the counter alone will get the printer working again, it simply tells the printer's software that the pad is new without actually cleaning or replacing it. This approach can create a risk of real ink overflow and potential damage to the printer's internals in the future. Running consecutive cleanings dumps massive amounts of ink

To prevent the waste ink pad error from occurring in the future, follow these tips:

: The physical pads must eventually be replaced or cleaned so they do not physically leak ink.

Every time your Epson printer runs a printhead cleaning cycle, primes its ink system, or prints borderless photos, excess ink is generated. To keep this liquid ink from leaking onto your desk, Epson places porous absorbent felt pads at the bottom of the printer framework.