The “Ink Absorber Full” / service required message on Canon TS3480 is common after many cleaning cycles. In most cases, a counter reset restores printing.

Inside Canon printers, absorber pads collect excess ink from cleaning and maintenance cycles. The printer uses an internal counter to estimate pad saturation.

This page is prepared for Canon TS3480. Service mode instructions are shown only when a matching series procedure is known.

Typical Signs

• 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

How to Enter Service Mode on Canon TS3480

Some Canon series require entering service mode before the ink absorber counter can be reset.

1. Turn the printer OFF.
2. Press and hold Stop/Reset.
3. While holding Stop/Reset, press and hold Power.
4. Release Stop/Reset (keep holding Power).
5. Press Stop/Reset 5 times.
6. Release Power — the printer should enter service mode.

If it doesn’t work, repeat the sequence carefully. The press count depends on the series.

Clear the Ink Absorber / Waste Ink Counter

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

Warnings

Treat the reset as a maintenance step. If your printer has extremely high usage, consider cleaning/replacing absorber pads to avoid overflow.

Need a reset solution?

If your model does not show a service mode section, it means no matching procedure was found for its series.

FAQ