Reset the Epson XP-860 waste ink pad counter
The XP-860 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 XP-860 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 XP-860 has been reset
VNIT Reset Tool users have reset the XP-860 in the United Kingdom, most recently on 2 October 2026. From the reports the app sends after a reset; we publish no serial numbers or personal data.
How the XP-860 tells you
The XP-860 tells you about its ink pads in words on its screen, not with a code. Epson's guide lists two messages: one when a pad is nearing the end of its service life, when you can still press the start button and print, and one when it is at the end, when printing stops. Connect it with a USB cable to read and reset the counter.
What the XP-860 screen codes mean
Not every code is the ink pads. Only the rows marked “Yes” are fixed by resetting the counter.
| Code | What Epson says it means | Fixed by a reset? |
|---|---|---|
| A printer's ink pad is nearing the end of its service life. Please contact Epson Support. | The pads are close to the end of their service life. The message stays until the pad is replaced. Press the start button to keep printing | Yes |
| A printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life. Please contact Epson Support. | The pad is at the end of its service life. Epson says to turn off the product and contact Epson | Yes |
| Printer error | Turn the printer off and back on | No |
| Fatal error | Turn the product off and on. If it continues, check for a paper jam. No jam: contact Epson | No |
| Replace ink cartridge | Replace the cartridge shown on the screen | No |
| Communication error | Check the computer is connected and the software is installed correctly | No |
| Recovery mode | A firmware update failed. Connect by USB and try the update again. If it continues, contact Epson | No |
Source: Epson XP-820 / XP-860 User's Guide: product status messages. Reading the counter for free tells you which counter is full.
Use a USB cable for the XP-860
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 XP-860 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 XP-860 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 XP-860 Adjustment Program?
The Epson Adjustment Program for the XP-860 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 XP-860 stops with the ink pad error, you only need its waste ink counter set back. 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 XP-860 reset key
A reset key is the code that takes the XP-860'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 XP-860 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 XP-860 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 XP-860 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.
After the reset: deal with the pads
The reset changes the counter, not the pads. If the XP-860 has printed a lot, wash or replace the pads, or fit an external waste ink tank, so ink cannot overflow. How.
XP-860 questions
My XP-860 says an ink pad is nearing the end of its service life. Can I keep printing?
Yes, for now. Epson says to press the start button to resume, and the message stays until the pad is replaced. Once the screen says the pad is at the end of its service life, printing stops. This is a good moment to read the counter for free and see how full it is.
Does Epson cover the XP-860 ink pads under warranty?
Epson's guide says replacing the pads, or exchanging the product, is covered during the standard warranty. Out of warranty, any Epson authorized service provider can replace them. Epson also says they are not a user-replaceable part. If your printer is still under warranty, contact Epson first.
Does a reset empty the ink pads?
No. A reset only clears the counter. The ink already in the pads stays there, so check them before you keep printing for a long time.
Is this the Epson XP-860 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 XP-860'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 XP-860 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 XP-860?
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 XP-860
These models share the XP-860's counters and reset the same way.
Not sure about another Expression printer? See which XP models can be reset.