Attention required Canon

Canon Error 1700

What the code means · Diagnosis at a glance

Canon support code 1700 means the printer's ink absorber (the internal pad that soaks up ink flushed during head cleaning) is almost full. It is a warning, not a hard stop: Canon's manual says you can press the OK button to continue printing, but service will be required soon. It often appears alongside 1701. When the absorber actually becomes full the printer shows 5B00 instead and stops printing altogether, so 1700 is your chance to plan a repair before that happens. There is no safe on-panel reset: the absorber has to be replaced and the counter reset by a Canon service centre.

Jump to the fix ↓ Canon: Support Code 1700 (Ink absorber is almost full) ↗
Ink can stain1700 is a waste-ink warning: the absorber pad is nearly full, not the ink you print with.
Safe to tryPressing OK to keep printing is safe for now; it just does not empty the pad.
May need a technicianReplacing the absorber and resetting the counter is a Canon service job.
Model-specificIf ignored until the pad is full, the code becomes 5B00 and printing stops.

Affected brands & models

Canon PIXMA inkjet seriesCanon PIXMA G-series refillable-tank modelsMAXIFY office inkjetsMany models that also report 1701

Diagnosis at a glance

Likely causes ranked, with severity and the recommended action.

The waste-ink absorber pad is nearly full Attention Likelihood: This is the causeAction: Press OK to continue; plan a Canon service visit
Heavy head cleaning has filled the pad faster Info Likelihood: ContributingAction: Avoid unnecessary cleaning cycles
The pad is genuinely full (code becomes 5B00) Service Likelihood: If ignoredAction: Canon service to replace the absorber and reset

What the code means

Support code 1700 is Canon's early-warning message that the ink absorber is almost full. Every time the printer cleans its print head it flushes a little ink into an internal absorber pad; over the life of the printer that pad slowly fills. When it approaches its limit the printer shows 1700 (and often 1701) to tell you a service visit is coming, while still letting you print. Canon's manual is explicit: press the printer's OK button to continue printing, and contact your nearest Canon service center to request a repair.

The important thing to understand is what happens next. 1700 is the "almost full" stage; when the absorber is completely full the printer switches to code 5B00 and refuses to print until it is serviced. So 1700 is not an emergency, but it is a countdown. There is no safe way to reset the absorber counter from the panel. The pad physically holds waste ink and has to be replaced by a service centre, which also resets the counter. Third-party reset utilities do not empty the pad and can leave waste ink with nowhere to go, so they are not a real fix.

Most frequent causes

  • The ink absorber pad, which stores ink flushed during head cleaning, is close to full.
  • Frequent or repeated head-cleaning cycles have filled the pad more quickly.
  • The printer has reached the point in its life where the absorber is near capacity.

Quick fix: try this first

  1. Press the printer's OK button to clear the message and continue printing for now.
  2. Avoid running extra head-cleaning cycles, which fill the absorber faster.
  3. Contact a Canon service centre to plan the absorber replacement before it becomes a 5B00 stop.

Step-by-step solution

0 / 4 done

Tick each step as you go. Your progress is kept while you work.

Before you start

  • Have your exact PIXMA / MAXIFY model number ready for Canon service.
  • Note whether you also see code 1701, as it is part of the same absorber warning.
  • If the printer stores faxes, print or save them before unplugging, as unplugging clears fax memory.

What not to do

  • ×Do not rely on third-party waste-ink reset tools. They reset a counter but do not empty the pad.
  • ×Do not run repeated cleaning cycles hoping to clear the message; that fills the absorber faster.
  • ×Do not tilt or lay the printer on its side while moving it, because waste ink can leak.

When to stop & call support

1700 itself does not stop the printer, but it is the point to arrange service. If you keep printing until the absorber is full, the printer will show 5B00 and stop completely. The absorber cannot be safely emptied at home, so contact a Canon service centre to replace it and reset the counter.

If the error comes back

The 1700 message will keep reappearing because the absorber does not empty on its own. Pressing OK only dismisses it for the current session. Each time it returns it is a reminder that the pad is filling. The lasting fix is a Canon service visit to replace the absorber; until then, minimise head cleaning to slow how quickly it approaches the 5B00 full stage.

Related parts & consumables

Ink absorber padStores waste ink from head cleaning; replaced by Canon service when full
Waste-ink counterTracks absorber use; reset by the service centre when the pad is changed

Questions about Canon 1700

Can I keep printing after a 1700 error?

Yes. Canon's manual says to press the OK button to continue printing. 1700 is an "almost full" warning, not a stop. But the absorber will keep filling, so plan a service visit.

What is the difference between 1700 and 5B00?

1700 (with 1701) means the ink absorber is almost full and you can still print. 5B00 means it is completely full and the printer stops until a service centre replaces the absorber.

Can I reset the 1700 counter myself?

There is no safe on-panel reset. The absorber physically holds waste ink and must be replaced by a Canon service centre, which also resets the counter. Third-party reset tools do not empty the pad.

PrinterErrors editorial team

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Related error codes

5B00 Ink absorber full, printing stops
See all error codes Canon ›