When you know how to reset a printer, you can save a lot of money and avoid unnecessary inconveniences.
A printer is always a faithful office assistant until that moment it suffers machine dementia. And then it rebels and resists all your efforts to restore normalcy.
No internet connection, paper feed error, Wi-Fi won’t start, won’t recognize new cartridges, poor print quality, and other general errors – when a printer develops a problem, it can really go on the loose. No troubleshooting always seems to work.
The only option to restore its normal operation, in this case, is by taking it to default settings. Fortunately, like all modern digital appliances, you can always restore the machine to how it was when it was first designed in the factory.
Together, let’s see how to do a factory reset to restore a printer to its default settings, and therefore override whatever existing problems your machine may be having.
What Is a Printer Reset?
Resetting a printer is, after all, a process for the printer to recognize or continue to use its ink or toner cartridges optimally. By resetting the printer, all the elements return to the point when it was just manufactured, when it just came out of the box, just before you started to use the printer.
Before learning how to reset a printer, whatever the brand, you must bear in mind that not all have this process.
When Is a Printer Reset Necessary?
You will know that you should reset your printer when warnings about any of these elements begin to appear, such as toner or the drum. Sometimes you can get the error message, “Waste ink pad is full,” especially on an Epson printer.
It may be that these errors are because the toner has remained in a position that indicates exhausted consumables due to a factory error or due to a bad turn, for example.
A reset can be made if your printer has hung up and is no longer working properly due to an error message.
You can carry out the normal reset on all common printers on which, for example, an error message can no longer be corrected or deleted.
How to Reset a Printer from the Display Screen
Most inkjet or laser printers have a small screen on the front of the device. In addition to being able to manage print jobs, the screen is also very useful for resetting the printer, especially if the problem is network or computer-related.
To reset the printer, the first turn on the printer, navigate to the printer screen and use the directional buttons or finger keys (if the printer screen is touch-sensitive) to reset the printer settings (also known as options, tools, or similar items).
In the menu, navigate between the elements until you find the Restore Defaults, Reset, or any element that has Reset in its name.
With a large number of printers on the market, it is impossible to guess in advance the name that the manufacturer gave the function. So it is advisable to check all the setting items with the buttons, and screen or the touch screen. After you find the item, press it and confirm OK: the process of resetting the printer will start automatically and reset to the original factory settings.
You can also reset the network settings on some printers. If the problem with the printer is the connection to the modem or PC, you can use this mode instead of a full reset to reset all the parameters related to the TCP/IP and solve log without losing all other printer settings.
It is important to know the IP address of your printer. If you have a printer that you use for printing, it is a good idea to keep track of its IP address.
How to Reset a Printer Without a Display Screen
Some inexpensive or old printers either don’t have control screens or just have a couple of buttons and a monochrome screen to show general error messages. Some only show how many pages you want to print.
These printers are a little more difficult to restore as they inevitably have to be handled from the computer.
To reset them, first, you have to connect the printer to the PC with a USB cable. If you have already installed the drivers, the printer will be recognized immediately and the reset process can be started without any problems.
Note: We’re avoiding the Wi-Fi connection or the Ethernet connection for this procedure: it may not work or it may cause other problems.
As soon as the printer is connected to the PC via USB, switch it on.
Open the printer management application (often supplied with the driver CD or downloadable from the Internet). You can also enter the name of the printer’s control panel into the browser (varies depending on the size of the printer).
Next, go to the Settings menu and search until you find the Restore Defaults or similar items.
Once you’ve identified the correct menu or item, press the button or item indicated on the page and restore your printer to being like new in minutes.
Also, in this case, you can find an item to reset network settings. This will be very useful when you have had problems with the Wi-Fi connection or with the connection via an ethernet cable.
How to Reset a Printer Using the Physical Buttons
If you do not have a PC to connect the printer, on some models, the recovery procedure can be activated via physical keys present on the printer itself.
If you hold down certain keys for a few seconds, you will automatically start the recovery process without a PC.
Performing a Printer Reset: This Is How It Works for Popular Brands
Printers have come a long way. Many models now have their apps and built-in displays from which you can control and reset the device. In the following points, you can read how a factory reset works for the most common manufacturers and models, whether you have a LaserJet or inkjet or a printer for heat transfers like these models.
Epson, Brother, HP, and Canon have some of the best printers for easy, everyday, and the most tasking jobs. This is why we’ve gathered information on how to reset printers of these brands, among others.
Information on resetting the printer can also be found in the operating instructions for your device and on the manufacturer’s website.
Epson
With the manufacturer Epson, the reset is usually carried out using the free software Epson SSC Service Utility. In the program, you will find a separate menu item to carry out a reset.
If your printer does not support this version, then depending on your model, you will have to look for another alternative on the Internet.
Epson printers that work with ink cartridges have a very simple reset process. We just have to follow the following steps.
Unplug the power cord from your printer and wait a few minutes.
Then reconnect the printer to power while pressing the start button for about 15 seconds.
After turning it on, you will have to press the start button for another 15 seconds, approximately.
In theory, your Epson printer would already be reset, although it will always depend on the model.
Brother
Making a reset is easier with Brother printers. Brother printers are divided into HL, DCP, or MFC types. Therefore, we explain how to reset a Brother printer based on the model.
If your Brother printer has the HL suffix, you will only have to open the printer cover and press the “go” button the number of times indicated in the user manual for your printer model. If you don’t have the manual, you can download it from the manuals section of the manufacturer’s website.
On the other hand, if you have a DCP printer, you must press and hold the “cancel” button. You will get a warning to replace the drum. If it is affirmative, choose accept. Otherwise, go to number 11 to change the toner.
To perform a reset of a Brother MFC printer you will have to hold down the “ok” button for a few seconds, at which a warning will appear as in the previous case. You can fix warnings and errors with the toner.
Alternatively, the factory settings can also be restored with the “BRAdmin” program.
Canon
You can also easily reset most Canon models. To do this, press Setup, and then navigate to Device settings using the arrow keys. Then press OK.
Next, navigate with the arrow keys to Reset All, press OK, then Yes, and your printer is reset.
If the process is successful, an audio signal sounds from the printer.
Pixma Printers
There is also a key combination for the reset with Pixma printers. To do this, you have to switch off the printer and hold down the On button while switching it on.
Simultaneously press the stop button five times. You can then release all buttons. The printer will now automatically reset to factory settings.
HP
The situation is different with HP because not all models have the option of resetting the counter via the built-in software.
However, a soft reset is possible using the “HP Print and Scan Doctor” software.
Tip: To learn more, you can also do a Google search by typing “printer reset” followed by the printer model you own (to find out the dedicated reset procedure) or the manufacturer’s name (to get the general procedure for all printers).
Conclusion:
In the vast majority of cases, printer problems can be resolved with a reset. If the procedure is successful, the printer will reset to factory settings and you can then print again without any problems.
Luckily, misprints are rare these days thanks to new technologies but you never can tell. Keep this guide close at hand (by saving it in your bookmark) so that you can reset it whenever the printer has a non-mechanical problem and no longer works properly.
