Can you keep using it?
Can you keep using it?
Contact customer support if any of these apply
- !You need borderless printing restored.
- !The printer is used heavily enough that delaying service will create workflow problems.
What to check first
Step-by-step checks
- 1
Safe first step
Switch to bordered printing if you must keep printing temporarily.
Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.
- 2
Escalate
Plan Epson service for the borderless pad replacement.
- 3
Safe first step
Avoid assuming this is a standard low-ink or maintenance-box prompt.
Background
What this message usually means
Epson uses E-12 when the borderless-printing ink pad needs to be replaced on the ET-4700 and L5190 family. Epson says borderless printing is no longer available until service is completed, although regular bordered printing can still remain available.
Diagnosis
Likely causes
The borderless-printing waste-ink pad reached its service limit.
Heavy borderless printing shortened the remaining service life of the borderless pad area.
The printer's service counter has disabled borderless mode.
Service
When service or replacement is more likely
- -E-12 is narrower than E-11 because it specifically affects borderless-printing capability first.
See also
Related codes in this family
Source notes
Epson's ET-4700/L5190 status table identifies E-12 as a borderless-printing ink-pad replacement condition and says bordered printing remains available.
Built around Epson ET-4700 and L5190 official status-message guidance. The same LCD code meanings generally apply across this family, but exact button labels can vary by region and control-panel layout.
Printer error codes can vary a little by firmware, region, and exact model variant. Use this guide as a family-level starting point and stop if the next step would require disassembly or service-mode changes.
Known family variants: ET-4700, L5190
Last reviewed: 2026-04-12
Reference: Open reference