VNIT Reset Tool user guide — reset the Epson waste ink pad counter step by step
Updated 2026-08-09 · VNIT — 10 years repairing printers & laptops · Nationwide support
Your Epson printer has stopped printing and shows a waste ink pad message, and you have downloaded VNIT Reset Tool. This guide walks you through it — from unzipping the file to the printer working again. In a hurry? The four steps at the top are all you need.
The short version — four steps
- Unzip the file to a folder, then run VNIT_Reset.exe. Do not run it from inside the zip.
- Connect the printer with a USB cable and switch it on. The app detects it and shows the model at the top.
- Click Read counter to see how full the waste ink pad counter is. Then click Reset all (if you have a key) or 🎁 Free trial (if you do not).
- Switch the printer off and on again — mandatory. Skip this and the printer keeps showing the same error.
After the reset, check the waste ink pad: a reset only sets the counter back to zero — the waste ink itself is still inside the printer. If the pad is not saturated yet, there is nothing to do. Once it is soaked, it can usually be washed, dried completely and refitted, or replaced with a new one. Left full and untouched, the ink can overflow onto the mainboard. See when a reset is enough and when the pad needs washing or replacing.
Download and open the app
Download the build that matches your Windows from the VNIT Reset Tool page. It runs on Windows 10/11 (64-bit), which covers almost every current machine. If your computer runs 32-bit Windows, message VNIT and we will send you that build.
You must extract the zip to a real folder before running it. Double-clicking a zip only lets Windows preview the contents — running the app from there means it cannot store its licence and you get confusing errors. Right-click the zip → Extract All… → choose a location → Extract.
There is no installer and no administrator rights are needed. Copy the whole folder to another computer and it still runs.
Windows shows a blue "Windows protected your PC" box? Click More info → Run anyway. Windows shows this for any application that has not bought a code-signing certificate; it is not a virus warning. If you want to be certain, check the published SHA-256 checksum.
Connect the printer and read the counter
Connect the printer with a USB cable, switch it on, wait until it stops moving, then open the app. This version works over USB only — Wi-Fi is not supported yet. If several Epson printers are connected, the app asks which one to work on.
On the Dashboard, click Read counter. There are two gauges:
- Main Waste Ink Pad — the main absorber inside the body
- Platen Waste Ink Pad — the absorber under the platen / paper path
Below 80% is normal. 80–99% means it is filling up, so get a pad ready. 100% means the printer has stopped printing and needs a reset. Some models that have not been calibrated show raw points instead of a percentage — they still reset normally.
No key yet? Use the free trial once
The 🎁 Free trial button appears when no key has been entered. Click it and the counter drops to 85% — the printer stops showing the error and prints again immediately.
The point is to let you see with your own eyes that the software works on your exact printer before paying anything. Because it only goes to 85%, it will fill up again after a while; clearing it all the way to 0% needs a key.
- One trial per printer — counted on VNIT's server, so reinstalling the app does not give you another one.
- The counter must already be at 90% or above. If your printer is at 60–70%, the 85% target is higher than where you are, so nothing would happen and you would waste the trial. The app blocks it for you.
- An internet connection is required for the trial.
- If the reset fails halfway, the trial is not consumed.
Using a reset key
VNIT offers two kinds of key:
| Reset key | Technician key | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Home and office — occasional use | Repair shops working on many printers |
| Covers | One reset, one printer | Unlimited resets for a year |
| Locked to | Each single use | One computer |
| Needs internet | Yes | No |
Steps: open the Licence screen → type the code into the RESET / LICENSE KEY field → click Activate. Go back to the Dashboard → click ⟳ Reset all → read the warning → Confirm reset. To clear one counter only, use Reset Main Pad or Reset Platen Pad.
To buy a technician key, send VNIT the Machine ID shown on the Licence screen.
Power cycle the printer — do not skip this
After the reset the app walks you through two steps: Step 1/2 — switch the printer off, then Step 2/2 — switch it back on.
The printer only reads the new counter after a power cycle. Skipping this is by far the most common reason people think the software did not work.
Once it is back on, read the counter again to confirm: 0% with a key, or 85% after a trial reset.
Troubleshooting
| What the app says | What to do |
|---|---|
| Communication error | Check the USB cable and power, switch the printer on and let it settle, unplug and replug the cable, then try again |
| The printer is held by the system | Open Settings → Printers & Scanners, select the Epson printer, click Pause, then try again |
| Model not in the database | That model is not supported yet — send VNIT the exact model name and we will add it |
| Written, but the read-back does not match | Do not switch the printer off — try the reset again |
| Nothing happens when you click | Read the System log panel at the bottom — the app writes the reason there |
| The app closes by itself | There is a loi.txt file next to VNIT_Reset.exe — send it to VNIT |
Printers with a maintenance box (L6550, L8050, L18050…) cannot be reset in software — the box or its chip has to be replaced. See chipped maintenance boxes.
Download is free, and reading your printer's model, serial and waste ink pad counter costs nothing — you only pay when you decide to reset. A single reset key is US$6 — good for one reset on one printer. Supports 1115 Epson models, no installation needed.
VNIT has its own reset tool and zeroes the waste ink pad counter directly for most common Epson models — you do not need to buy a WIC key. Our technician connects via UltraViewer/TeamViewer, resets safely and advises you on the pad — From 150,000₫, with warranty. Available anywhere in Vietnam, no need to carry the printer to a shop.