Reset the Epson L380 waste ink pad counter
The L380 can be reset in software. VNIT Reset Tool reads its counters for free over a USB cable, runs one free trial reset, and resets to 0% with a US$6 key.
Windows or Mac · reading the counter is free · one free trial per printer
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On Windows, install the L380 with Epson's driver, not Microsoft's. Download it from Epson's website for this model. If Windows set the printer up by itself with a Microsoft driver (Windows Ready Print or Microsoft IPP Class Driver), it may still print, but the tool often can't read or reset it over USB. How to get the Epson driver back.
Where the L380 has been reset
12 L380 printers have been reset with VNIT Reset Tool between 28 August 2026 and 26 October 2026, in 4 countries. Counted by printer serial from the reports the app sends after a reset; we publish no serial numbers or personal data.
Countries, most first: India, Argentina, Kenya, Mexico.
Connection used: USB cable · computers: Windows.
Waste ink counters on the L380
VNIT Reset Tool reads and resets these counters on the L380. The printer stops when a counter reaches its limit.
| Counter | What it is | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Main pad | The main absorber pad inside the printer body | 6,207 points |
The tool shows each counter as a percentage of its limit. 100% means full.
How the L380 tells you
The L380 has no screen. Epson's L380 guide says flashing ink and paper lights mean the ink pads need to be replaced, and printing stops. It has one counter, the Main pad, and connects by USB.
What the L380 lights mean
Not every blinking light is the ink pads. Only the rows marked “Yes” are fixed by resetting the counter.
| Lights | What Epson says it means | Fixed by a reset? |
|---|---|---|
| Ink and paper lights flash | The ink pads need to be replaced | Yes |
| Paper light on | No paper, or several sheets fed at once | No |
| Power and ink lights on | Initial ink charging may not be complete | No |
| Ink and paper lights on (not flashing) | A firmware update failed. Update again over USB | No |
Source: Epson L380 User's Guide (PDF): product light status. Reading the counter for free tells you which counter is full.
Use a USB cable for the L380
Reading and resetting over Wi-Fi works on a few models only. Connect it with a USB cable. If the tool finds the printer on Wi-Fi but cannot read the counter, the tool is not broken: plug in the cable and press Check Printer again.
Reset the L380 on a Mac
The same app runs natively on macOS 11 or newer, on Intel Macs and Apple silicon (M1 and later), so you do not need Windows, Boot Camp or a virtual machine. Connect the L380 with a USB cable (MacBooks with only USB-C ports need an adapter). The first time, macOS asks you to confirm in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. Mac guide with screenshots · Which Epson reset tools run on a Mac.
Looking for the Epson L380 Adjustment Program?
The Epson Adjustment Program for the L380 is Epson's service software for repair technicians: one program per model, Windows only, with many functions besides the counter (EEPROM settings, head ID, alignment). Copies passed around online come from unknown sources and may be for the wrong model or region. If the L380 stops with the ink pad error, you only need its waste ink counter set back (Main pad). VNIT Reset Tool does that one job, on Windows and Mac, and reading the counter is free. What the Adjustment Program is · How to spot an unsafe download.
Epson L380 reset key
A reset key is the code that takes the L380's waste ink counter to 0% in VNIT Reset Tool. It costs US$6, arrives by email in about a minute and does not expire. One key is one full reset on one printer, and it is used only when the reset has been written. Try the free check and the free trial first, so you know the tool can reach your L380 before you pay. Keys for other tools, such as WIC Reset Utility, do not work here. Buy a key · How reset keys work.
How to reset the Epson L380 ink pad counter
- 01Download VNIT Reset Tool and unzip itWindows 7–11 or macOS 11+. Unzip it first: running it from inside the zip causes errors. Screenshots of every step: on Windows · on a Mac.
- 02Connect the L380 and press Check PrinterPlug in the USB cable. Wi-Fi works on a few models only, so use the cable. Switch the printer on. The tool shows the model, serial and each counter. The computer needs internet.
- 03Run the free trial, or enter your keyThe trial drops a 90%+ counter to 80%. A US$6 reset key takes it to 0%.
- 04Switch the printer off and on againSkip this and the printer still shows the old error.
What you will see
Screens from the tool's demo mode for the L380. The serial number and counter values on your printer will be different.
After the reset: deal with the pads
The reset changes the counter, not the pads. If the L380 has printed a lot, wash or replace the pads, or fit an external waste ink tank, so ink cannot overflow. How.
L380 questions
Why are the ink and paper lights blinking on my Epson L380?
Epson's L380 guide lists flashing ink and paper lights for ink pads that need replacing, which this tool resets. Reading the counter for free confirms it.
Which counter does the L380 have?
One: the Main pad. The tool resets it to 0% with a key, or to 80% with the free trial.
Is this the Epson L380 Adjustment Program?
No. The Adjustment Program is Epson's Windows service software for technicians, one per model, with many service functions. VNIT Reset Tool only reads and resets the L380's waste ink counters, on Windows and Mac, which is all the ink pad error needs.
The free trial worked. Do I still need a key?
Not straight away. The trial leaves the counter at 80%, so the error comes back sooner than after a full reset to 0% with a key.
My Epson L380 stopped printing. Is it the ink pads?
It can be. When a waste ink counter reaches its limit, the printer stops printing until the counter is reset. Press Check Printer in VNIT Reset Tool to read the counter for free: if it is at or near 100%, that is the cause. If the counters are low, look elsewhere, such as the driver, the print queue or the print head.
Is this the same as "reset ink levels" or a factory reset on the L380?
No. Resetting ink levels is about the ink tanks, and a factory reset puts settings such as the network back to default. Neither clears the waste ink counter. This page is about the waste ink counter only.
Same reset family as the L380
These models share the L380's counters and reset the same way.