How to Reset an Epson Ink Cartridge Chip

By Chris Moore

  • Overview

    Many Epson ink cartridges come with an installed chip. When the cartridge runs out of ink, the chip is tripped and the cartridge won't work in the printer anymore. One might think this means refilling the cartridge is pointless and a whole new one is needed. But it is possible to reuse this cartridge again. Many shops and online vendors offer Epson chip resetting devices that sell for around $20 to $25. With one of these devices, you can refill and reuse your Epson cartridges, and the cost of a resetter will be made up after reusing the cartridge twice.

    • Step 1

      Refill the Epson cartridge with ink. This usually involves poking a hole in the label on top of the cartridge and injecting new ink into the chamber through the hole with a plastic syringe. You must tape over the outlet holes on the bottom before refilling, and tape over the holes you make afterward.

    • Step 2

      Take your Epson chip resetter and find the ridges or notches on it. These are the resetting pins, and they should be located on the bottom of the device. They will likely be of different sizes for each individual cartridge type. Remove any plastic film covering the pins (see Resources below).

    • Step 3

      Find the chip on the cartridge. It should be in the back of the cartridge, above the outlet holes. Line this chip up with the pins on the resetter.

    • Step 4

      Press the resetter firmly against the cartridge so the pins firmly touch the chip. At this point, a LED light on the resetter should flash green. If it flashes red, separate the cartridge and resetter and try connecting them again.

    • Step 5

      Hold the two together and wait for the light to start blinking and then go out. This should only take 3 to 6 seconds. The cartridge's chip should now be reset.

    • Step 6

      Test the cartridge in the printer as recommended by your refill kit's instructions. This usually means running one to three cleaning cycles with the outlet holes still taped over. If you didn't do this before resetting the chip, letting the cartridge sit for 24 hours will help the ink settle within it.
    • Skill: Moderately Easy
    • Ingredients:
    • Epson ink cartridge
    • Epson chip resetter
    • Ink refill kit
    • Tip: Resetters are not recommended for Epson printers with continuous flow systems. In this case, you should get an "auto reset chip" that you can replace the cartridge's original chip with (see Resources below). This chip will automatically reset whenever the printer is turned off and then on again.

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