My Epson printer suddenly shows a message saying it needs servicing and to contact Epson support. Is it broken?
This message means your Epson printer's waste ink pads are full. Every time your printer cleans its print heads, the excess ink goes into absorbent pads at the bottom of the printer. After a certain number of cleanings, Epson programs the printer to stop working to prevent ink overflow. This is not an actual mechanical failure. You have two options. Option one is to use a free tool called WIC Reset Utility (search for WIC Reset Key). It costs about $10 for a reset key. Download the software, connect your printer via USB, run the utility, enter the key, and it resets the waste ink counter. This is what Epson service centers do. Option two is to contact Epson support and ask for a remote reset — they may do it for free if your printer is still in warranty. After resetting, the pads will eventually fill up again after heavy use. Some users replace the pads themselves with aftermarket kits, but this requires disassembling the printer.
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