The “Ink Absorber Full” / service required message on Canon iP4980 is common after many cleaning cycles. In most cases, a counter reset restores printing.

During head cleaning, surplus ink is routed to internal absorber pads. Canon iP4980 monitors this via a counter and can lock printing at a threshold.

This page is prepared for Canon iP4980. Service mode instructions are shown only when a matching series procedure is known.

Common Symptoms

• Service / maintenance warning on the screen or driver
• Printer refuses to print even with ink available
• Blinking lights and queued jobs fail
• Error reappears after restart

Finalize the Reset and Restore Printing

After service mode is enabled (if required), the waste ink counter can be reset using a supported reset procedure/software.

Maintenance Reminder

If absorber pads are truly saturated, ignoring maintenance can lead to ink leakage inside the printer. The counter reset only removes the software lock.

Download & get started

Use a reliable USB connection and follow the steps in order.

If It Doesn’t Work

• Close other Canon printer utilities while resetting.
• Power-cycle the printer and try again.
• Try a different USB cable/port if using PC software.
• Repeat the service mode steps carefully (timing matters).
• Use the correct Stop/Reset press count for your series.

Frequently Asked Questions