How to Reset Nespresso Machine: Vertuo and Original Steps

Quick answer: How to reset Nespresso machine models is different for each line. On a Vertuo Next, close the head, leave the lever unlocked and press the button 5 times within 3 seconds. A Vertuo Plus uses a menu: lever plus button for 3 seconds, lever down 3 times, then the button. An Essenza Mini resets when you hold Lungo for 5 seconds while off.

A factory reset is not a repair. It wipes your custom cup sizes and clears a confused control board, and that’s all.

So before you wipe anything, I’d try the gentle version first. Honestly, it solves more glitches than people expect.

Try a Soft Reset First

Nespresso’s support FAQ lists unplugging for 30 seconds, then plugging back in, as one of the steps for a Vertuo Next that won’t brew. It costs nothing. When you think about how many “broken” appliances just needed their electronics to start fresh, it’s the obvious first move, and it leaves your programmed cup sizes untouched.

Same error straight back? Then move on to the factory reset for your model.

Why It Happens

You’d normally reach for a full reset in one of these situations:

1. An error light keeps returning after unplugging, cleaning and refilling.
2. Cup sizes are wrong because someone reprogrammed a volume. The Vertuo Plus manual points you to a factory reset to get the default volumes back.
3. The machine seems stuck in a mode such as descaling, cleaning or the special functions menu.
4. You’re selling or gifting the machine and want it back to default.

A reset won’t fix scale. It won’t fix a clogged outlet or an empty tank either. If water isn’t flowing at all, my guide to a Nespresso machine not pumping water is the better starting point.

How to Reset Nespresso Machine Models: Step by Step

Model names are printed on the base or in your manual. Find yours, then follow only that block.

Model	Starting state	Sequence	Confirmation
Vertuo Next	Plugged in, head closed, lever unlocked	Button 5 times within 3 seconds	Orange blinks 5 times (FAQ)
Vertuo Plus (lever)	Plugged in	Lever 3 s, lever + button 3 s, lever 3 times, button once	Orange blinks 3 times, then steady green
Essenza Mini	Switched off	Hold Lungo 5 seconds	Lights blink fast 3 times

Vertuo Next

From the Vertuo Next manual:

1. With the machine plugged in, open the head, then close it.
2. Leave the lever in the unlocked position.
3. Press the button 5 times within 3 seconds.

That restores factory settings. Nespresso’s FAQ says the button flashes orange 5 times as confirmation.

Vertuo Plus (Lever Models)

From the Vertuo Plus manual:

1. With the machine plugged in, push the lever down for 3 seconds.
2. Push the lever down and press the button together for 3 seconds. A steady orange light means you’re in menu mode.
3. Press the lever down 3 times, then press the button once.
4. The light blinks orange 3 times in 3 seconds, then turns steady green.

Done. You’re back to defaults.

Essenza Mini (Original Line)

From the Essenza Mini manual:

1. Turn the machine off.
2. Press and hold the Lungo button for 5 seconds.
3. The lights blink fast 3 times to confirm, then keep blinking normally while it heats.

Defaults on this little brewer are a 40 ml Espresso, a 110 ml Lungo and a 9 minute auto-off.

Other Original Line Machines

Citiz, Pixie, Inissia and the rest each have their own button combination. Don’t guess here. The trick is to download the manual for your exact model from Nespresso’s site, because a wrong combination can start a different program: on the Essenza Mini, for example, holding both buttons for 5 seconds while it’s on starts descaling mode.

How to Reset Nespresso Vertuo After Descaling

Plenty of owners hunt for this one. It’s really an “exit descaling mode” step, and it matters because a machine left sitting in that mode keeps blinking and running water programs when all you wanted was a normal cup of coffee in the morning.

• Vertuo Plus: when rinsing is done and the light turns steady green, push the lever down and press the button together for 3 seconds to leave descaling mode.
• Vertuo Next: you don’t need a separate exit step. Press the button to start the rinse; when the button stops blinking rapidly, the manual says descaling is complete.
• Essenza Mini: press the Espresso and Lungo buttons together for 5 seconds to leave descaling mode.

Two details trip people up. Vertuo units only accept descaling mode after 30 or more coffees, and the program runs about 20 minutes without any way to interrupt it.

My advice? Let it finish. Then give everything 10 minutes to dry before brewing.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Don’t reset to cure a descale alert. The alert clears when you actually descale. Nespresso’s FAQ recommends descaling every 3 months or 300 capsules, whichever comes first.
• Don’t use vinegar or citric acid. Nespresso says these can damage the machine and void the warranty.
• Don’t forget your custom volumes. After a reset, every capsule brews its default size again, so reprogram any cups you’d changed.

When to Call Nespresso

Call support if a fresh reset doesn’t clear the error, if the light pattern makes no sense against your manual, or if the brewer leaks, overheats or smells of burning. Unplug it first in that last case. I wouldn’t keep cycling resets on a machine that’s clearly faulty; a stubborn error is information, and the warranty desk wants it.

For the meaning of each warning light, see why is my Nespresso Vertuo blinking red.

Own a Keurig too? Here’s how to reset a Keurig coffee maker. More pod fixes are in our pod machines section.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reset my Nespresso Vertuo machine?

It depends which Vertuo you own. The Next uses five quick presses with the lever unlocked; the Plus uses its special functions menu. Both sequences are in the table above.

Does resetting a Nespresso delete my cup sizes?

Yes. A factory reset returns every capsule to its default volume, so any sizes you reprogrammed are lost.

Why won’t my Nespresso Vertuo reset?

Check the lever. The Next only accepts the sequence with it unlocked, and all five presses must land inside 3 seconds. When it still won’t take, unplug for half a minute and try again.

How do I get my Nespresso out of descaling mode?

On a Vertuo Plus, press the lever down and the button together for 3 seconds after rinsing. On an Essenza Mini, hold Espresso and Lungo together for 5 seconds.

Is there a reset button on a Nespresso machine?

None of the models covered here has one. Resets use the normal buttons and lever in a set sequence, which differs by model.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Nespresso Vertuo Next user manual (PDF), Nespresso Vertuo Plus user manual (PDF), Nespresso Essenza Mini user manual (PDF) and Nespresso support FAQ.