How to Reset an Epson Printer Cartridge

One of the biggest costs associated with owning an Epson printer is paying for new printer cartridges. The Epson Company follows the printer industry practice of selling the devices at a low price as a loss leader, and then make profit off of selling new ink cartridges. To combat the practice of consumers refilling cartridges on their own, Epson has manufactured the majority of their inkjet cartridges with “smart chips” since 2000. These chips transmit a signal to the printer when empty. They will also “remember” that the printer cartridge is empty when it has been refilled forcing the consumer to learn how to reset an Epson printer cartridge to use the newly filled cartridge.

How Do You Reset an Epson Printer Cartridge?

Depending on the model and type of Epson Printer cartridge, there are three methods commonly used to reset the cartridge smart chips:

1 – Using an Epson Printer cartridge reset tool.

2 – Using software reset tools.

3 – Buying non-OEM refillable printer cartridges.

Using the Epson Printer Cartridge Reset Tool

The Epson chip reset tool is not only used to allow consumers to refill cartridges, but can also  permit cartridges to be used until truly empty. They devices work by overriding the Epson installed chip and allow the printer to function using cartridges that have been refilled or still have ink remaining when the chip indicates they are empty. When searching for a suitable reset tool, shoppers will find there are both generic and printer model specific options available in the market. The SK168, YXD268, and Epson 4 chip resetters are two commonly purchased models that support a large range of Epson printers/cartridges.

Steps to Reset an Epson Printer Cartridge (Chip Reset Tool)

Step 1 – Remove the print cartridge from the printer.

Step 2 – Line the cartridge up with the marks at the base of the reset tool.

Step 3 – Press the reset tool pins firmly against the chip contacts on the cartridge for several seconds. A blinking red light will indicate that there is solid contact between the cartridge and the device.

Step 4 – Keep the tool pressed against the cartridge until the green LED on the tool illuminates and begins to blink. This will indicate that the cartridge has been reset.

Problems with Epson Printer Cartridge Chip Resetting

When the printer cartridge is pressed against the chip resetter and no LED illuminates, the physical contact between the device and cartridge was not satisfactory. If repeating the procedure results in no light turning on, then the reset tool may be incompatible with the cartridge and a different model of device will possibly need to be used. Before spending additional money on a second chip reset tool; however, another printer cartridge should be tested with the device. The failure of the chip reset tool LED to illuminate can also result from the cartridge chip becoming corrupt. Finally, the batteries on the chip reset tool will need to be checked to make sure that they have not died.

Resetting Epson Cartridges with Software

Another option to reset older Epson printer cartridges is to use software.  The SSC Service Utility is one popular option that is released as freeware is produced to work directly with the chip in Epson Stylus printer cartridges. Although the utility supports more than 100 models of Epson printer, it may not work with newer printer cartridges. The application will support resetting or rewriting Epson chips and can freeze or reset the internal ink counters. It also supports the hot swapping of cartridges.

Buying Non-OEM Refill Cartridges

Another alternative for consumers who don’t have the time to manually reset and refill their Epson printer cartridges is to purchase non-OEM refills. These cartridges come with automatic reset chips attached and normally support several refills before a new cartridge is required to be purchased by the consumer.

Finally, the folks at spray.se have published a method for fooling your Epson printer in marking an ink cartridge as full. This method is somewhat time consuming and is not tested on newer cartridge models so use at your own risk.