How to Stop Epson Printer Firmware Updates: Printer, Computer and Router Blocks

You can stop Epson printer firmware updates in three places: the printer’s own settings, the Epson software on your computer or phone, and your router. The printer setting takes two minutes. The router block is the backstop that catches what the settings miss.

Why Epson firmware updates can stop non-Epson cartridges

Firmware is the software inside the printer. Among other things, it runs the chip check on every cartridge you install.

Epson says this openly. Its user guides for cartridge printers state that Epson “periodically provides firmware updates to address issues of security, performance, minor bug fixes,” and that “these updates may affect the functionality of third-party ink.” The same note says non-Epson or altered Epson cartridges that worked before an update “may not continue to function” (Epson user guide, files.support.epson.com, checked October 2026).

Owners have reported it for years. In 2018 an Epson spokesperson told WCPO-TV that many Epson printers “are designed for use with only genuine Epson-brand cartridges.” A 2019 US class action claimed updates made WorkForce WF-3640 and Expression XP-830 printers reject third-party cartridges (The Register, October 2019).

Not every update changes the cartridge check, but you can’t tell in advance which one will. And once one is installed, Epson offers no official way to undo it. Prevention is the only sure fix.

Where an Epson firmware update can come from

An update can reach the printer by three routes. Close all three.

1. 1The printer. Network models can check Epson’s server on their own.
2. 2Your computer or phone. Epson Software Updater, the printer driver and the Smart Panel app can all offer printer firmware.
3. 3Your router. Every network update passes through it, so a block here catches what you missed. A computer updating the printer over USB bypasses it.

How to turn off firmware updates on the Epson printer

Start here. Menu names differ between models and years, so treat these paths as a guide and check your printer’s online user’s guide if yours looks different.

1. Turn off the update notice on the control panel Free

   On many home and small-office models, including many Expression, WorkForce and EcoTank printers, go to:

   Settings > Firmware Update > Notification > Off

   On larger WorkForce Pro and office models the same menu sits deeper:

   Settings > General Settings > System Administration > Firmware Update

   Epson says Notification makes the printer “regularly check for available firmware updates.” Turn it off to stop those checks and the one-tap install prompt. Don’t press Update. That’s the manual “check now” button.

2. Turn off Automatic Firmware Update if your model has it Free

   Some office models can install updates on a schedule, under Settings > General Settings > System Administration > Firmware Update > Automatic Firmware Update. If it’s on, turn it off. Most home models don’t have it.

3. Check the same settings in Web Config Free

   Web Config is the settings page built into networked Epson printers. Print a network status sheet from the printer, find its IP address, and type that address into a browser on the same network. A certificate warning is normal here, according to Epson.

   Click Log In. The default administrator password is on the printer’s label; on many models it’s the serial number. On office models, check the Device Management tab for Automatic Firmware Update. Don’t click Start on the Firmware Update page. That begins an update check.

4. Set an administrator password and panel lock Free

   In a shared home or office, someone else can still accept an update. An administrator password plus the panel lock (where offered) keeps the update settings from being changed.

Stop Epson Software Updater, Smart Panel and Epson Connect

The printer setting doesn’t stop your computer from offering firmware. Epson says Software Updater checks “drivers, utilities, firmware, etc.” for your printer.

1. Set Epson Software Updater to never check Free

   Open EPSON Software Updater. On Windows, search for “Software Updater” or look in the Epson Software folder of the Start menu. On a Mac, it’s in Applications > Epson Software. Click Auto Update Settings in the bottom-left corner, choose the never option, and click OK. If you have several Epson printers, each can have its own setting.

2. Never tick the firmware item Free

   When you want a new driver, run the updater by hand. Firmware is listed as its own item: Firmware Updater on Windows, Epson Firmware Update on a Mac. Leave it unticked.

3. Turn off the driver’s own update check (older Windows drivers) Free

   On some older drivers, right-click the printer icon in the Windows taskbar, choose Software Update Settings, set Check every to Never, and click OK.

4. Ignore firmware prompts in Epson Smart Panel Free

   Epson says its Smart Panel app can update firmware on selected Wi-Fi printers. If it offers one, back out. We found no setting that turns these prompts off, so the router block is your safety net.

5. Suspend Epson Connect if you don’t use it Free

   Epson Connect handles email printing and remote printing through Epson’s servers. If you don’t use those features, Epson’s Connect guide says you can open Web Config, click Epson Connect Services, and click Suspend. Epson doesn’t say whether this affects firmware checks, so don’t rely on it alone.

How to block Epson firmware updates through your router

Settings can be undone by a factory reset, a new app, or someone tapping “Yes.” A router block keeps working regardless. There are two ways to do it.

Option 1: Cut the printer’s internet access (most reliable)

Printing over your home Wi-Fi doesn’t need the internet. If you don’t use Epson Connect, remote printing or scan-to-cloud, block the printer from the internet entirely.

1. Give the printer a fixed address Free

   In your router’s app or admin page, find the printer in the list of connected devices and reserve its IP address. Routers call this “DHCP reservation,” “address reservation” or “static lease.”

2. Block that device’s internet access Free

   Most home routers can block one device. Look under parental controls, access control, or the device’s page in the router app. Choose a permanent block, not a schedule.

3. Test it Free

   Print something from your computer and phone. Then run a manual update check on the printer (Firmware Update > Update). It should report that it can’t connect. If it finds an update instead, back out without starting it, and recheck your router rule.

Trade-off: anything that needs Epson’s servers stops, including Epson Connect email printing, remote printing and some app features. Local printing keeps working.

Option 2: DNS filtering (keeps cloud features)

A DNS filter refuses to look up the server names you block, so the printer can’t find them. You can block just the update hostnames and leave other Epson services alone.

• Pi-hole $: free software for a small always-on computer such as a Raspberry Pi. Add hostnames to its denylist, or run pihole deny hostname on current versions.
• AdGuard Home $: similar free software. A rule written as ||hostname^ blocks that hostname and its subdomains.
• NextDNS Free: a hosted service, so nothing to install at home. Point your router’s DNS at it, then add hostnames to its denylist. The free plan covers 300,000 queries a month; past that, blocking stops until the next month (NextDNS.io, October 2026).
• Router URL filters and parental controls Free: some routers let you block a website by name. Some only filter web browsing, so test before you trust it.

Trade-off: you have to know the right hostnames, and you need to check your logs now and then in case Epson adds a new one.

Find the exact hostnames your Epson printer contacts

You’ll find lists of “Epson update servers” online, including one in an older version of this guide. We couldn’t confirm those hostnames in any Epson document or network guide, so we’ve removed them. Epson’s own port tables name its servers only as “Epson Connect Server,” with no hostnames.

Any fixed list goes stale. Server names can differ by region and model, and Epson can change them without notice. Blocking the wrong name does nothing, and you won’t know until an update arrives. Your DNS log shows what your printer actually looks up.

1. Fix the IPReserve the printer’s IP address in your router so log entries are easy to spot.
2. Route DNSSet your router to use Pi-hole, AdGuard Home or NextDNS as its DNS server.
3. WatchLeave the printer on for a few days. Filter the query log by its IP address.
4. SortNote every Epson-owned hostname it asks for. Write down all of them. A name that looks like an update server is a lead, not proof.
5. BlockAdd the suspected update hostnames to your denylist for the printer.
6. TestRun a manual update check. If it still connects, look for a name you missed.

Which method should you use?

1. 1Has your printer already updated and now rejects your cartridges?

   Yes

   Skip to what to do if the update already went through. Then come back and block further updates.

   No

   Go to question 2.

2. 2Did you turn off Notification on the printer and auto checks in Epson Software Updater?

   Yes

   Go to question 3.

   No

   Do that first. It’s free and takes minutes. See printer settings and computer and phone.

3. 3Do you use Epson Connect, remote printing, or cloud scanning?

   No

   Block the printer’s internet access at the router (Option 1). It’s the most reliable block.

   Yes

   Use a DNS filter and block only the update hostnames from your own log (Option 2).

What to do if the Epson firmware update already went through

Epson’s guides explain how to install firmware, not how to remove it. We found no official Epson way to roll back. Work through these in order.

1. Rule out a simple seating problem Free

   Reseat the rejected cartridge until it clicks, and check for leftover tape on the chip. If only one cartridge is rejected, it may be that cartridge, not the update.

2. Block further updates now Free

   Use the steps above. A later update can make things worse.

3. Contact Swift Ink before you buy anything Free

   Send us your printer model and the cartridge numbers through our contact page, or call (866) 461-3801. Tell us the exact error on the screen. We’ll tell you what we can offer for your printer. For exchange and return terms, see our returns and exchanges policy.

4. Think twice about unofficial downgrade tools $

   Third-party sellers offer paid tools that claim to roll back Epson firmware. They aren’t from Epson, don’t cover every model, and a failed flash can leave the printer stuck in Recovery Mode. We don’t recommend them.

5. Weigh genuine cartridges against your other options $$

   If no compatible cartridge works on your firmware, you can buy genuine Epson cartridges. Run the numbers in our printer cost per page calculator first.

6. Replace the printer $$$

   If the printer is old, a new one with cheap supplies may cost less overall. Ask us which models we carry supplies for, and block updates on day one.

EcoTank and ink bottle printers vs cartridge printers

The firmware risk isn’t the same for both types.

That doesn’t make EcoTank owners risk-free. Epson’s EcoTank guides say non-Epson ink “could cause damage not covered by Epson’s warranties.” Firmware still runs everything else in the printer, and future updates could change how tank models behave. Keeping updates off costs nothing, so we suggest it for every Epson printer.

We carry compatible ink bottles for many EcoTank models and cartridges for WorkForce and Expression printers. Find yours on our Epson printer page.

Cheat sheet: every way to stop Epson firmware updates

Frequently asked questions

How do I stop my Epson printer from updating automatically?

Turn off Notification (and Automatic Firmware Update, if present) on the printer, set Epson Software Updater to never check, then block the printer at your router.

Can I remove or undo a firmware update on an Epson printer?

Not with any official Epson tool we could find. Unofficial rollback tools exist, but they’re risky. Contact us first so we can tell you what works with your printer now.

Will blocking firmware updates stop my Epson printer from working?

No. It keeps printing, scanning and copying on your home network. A full internet block does stop Epson Connect features such as email and remote printing.

What are the Epson firmware update server addresses?

Epson doesn’t publish them, and the lists online aren’t verified. Check your own DNS query log and block the names your printer actually looks up.

Do firmware updates affect Epson EcoTank printers?

EcoTanks don’t use cartridge chips, so the main worry doesn’t apply the same way. We still suggest keeping updates off.

Is it safe to skip Epson firmware updates?

Epson says updates can include security and bug fixes, so it’s a trade-off. If an update fixes a problem you actually have, you can install it, knowing it may change which cartridges work.