Canon Printer Error E46 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Error E46 means the ink absorber inside your Canon printer is nearly full. The ink absorber is a sponge pad that collects waste ink from printhead cleaning cycles. After years of use, this pad fills up. Canon's printer stops automatically to prevent waste ink from leaking into the machine or onto your desk. You need to reset the absorber counter or replace the pads.

Affected Models

Canon PIXMA TS5120
Canon PIXMA TS6120
Canon PIXMA MG3620
Canon PIXMA TR8520
Canon PIXMA TS and TR series

Common Causes

Ink absorber pads have reached their designed capacity from normal use over several years
Frequent printhead cleaning cycles used more ink than normal, filling the pads faster
Running many prints per day over an extended period accelerating absorber fill rate
Previous absorber resets without physically replacing the pads — pads are truly saturated
Using lower-quality inks that require more frequent cleaning cycles

How to Fix It

Download Canon's free 'Ink Absorber Counter Reset Tool' (also called the Service Tool) for your printer model from Canon's support website or a trusted source. Install and run it on Windows or Mac.

Search for 'Canon Service Tool' followed by your model number. Different models use different version numbers of the tool.
In the Service Tool, connect to your printer and find the ink absorber counter reset option. Click reset and follow the prompts. Confirm when asked.

This resets the printer's internal counter to zero. The printer will behave as if the absorber is empty again.
After the reset, test print a page to confirm E46 is gone and the printer works normally.

The reset typically takes under 2 minutes. Do not turn off the printer during the reset process.
Understand that the reset only clears the counter — the physical pads are still full of ink. Minimize unnecessary cleaning cycles going forward to extend the time before the pads fill again.

Avoid clicking 'Clean Printhead' unless you genuinely have print quality problems. Each cleaning cycle uses ink and fills the pads faster.
For a permanent fix, open the printer and physically replace the ink absorber pads. This is an advanced DIY repair involving partial disassembly. Replacement pad kits are available online for $5 to $15.

After replacing the pads, reset the counter using the Service Tool. This gives you a true fresh start.

When to Call a Professional

You can reset the ink absorber counter yourself using Canon's free Maintenance Tool software. However, resetting the counter without replacing the physical pads is a temporary fix. A truly saturated pad can leak waste ink. Canon service centers can physically replace the absorber pads for $50 to $100. For older printers, this cost may approach or exceed the printer's value.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to keep using the printer after resetting E46?

For a limited number of prints, yes. But if the pads are truly saturated and you only reset the counter, waste ink can eventually overflow inside the printer. This can damage circuit boards or leak onto your desk. Physically replacing the pads is the safest long-term fix.

How long do ink absorber pads last?

On average, 3 to 7 years depending on how heavily the printer is used and how often cleaning cycles are run. Heavy users and those who frequently run cleaning cycles fill pads much faster than light users.

Does Canon offer absorber pad replacement under warranty?

No. Ink absorber pads are considered a consumable item subject to wear, similar to ink cartridges. They are not covered by Canon's standard warranty. Canon service centers offer pad replacement as a paid service.