Why is my Nespresso blinking red after descaling

For God’s sake, let it run dry.

Índice Show

How to Resolve Blinking Orange Light
Orange Light Blinking Two Times per Second
Orange Light Fades Off and On
Orange Light Blinks Twice Rapidly Then Long Off
Orange Light is On for 1.5 Seconds then Off for 0.5 Seconds
Orange Light Blinks Five Times over 10 Seconds
Orange Light Blinking Three Times per Second
Light Alternates Blinking Orange and White Three Times Then Steady On
How To Descale Your Nespresso
How to Fix Nespresso VertuoPlus Blinking Red Lights
To Sum Things Up
Why is my Nespresso machine still blinking after descaling?
How do I reset my Nespresso machine after descaling?
How do you reset the red light on a Nespresso machine?
How do I reset my Nespresso Vertuo after descaling?

Prologue: If I fix your machine, please consider buying me a coffee by sending a tip with the link at the end. Thanks!

If you’ve made it here, chances are you’ve become frustrated with all the advice about the “red and green” light and the confusion from Nespresso’s own customer service…

Getting ready to enjoy your first cup of the day, only to realize something’s wrong with your machine.

Why is my Nespresso blinking orange? – you ask yourself, already thinking of the worst possible scenarios.

But this is no time to panic.

Orange light can mean tons of different things, and most of them are a pretty easy fix.

Today, we’ll go over every possible reason why is Nespresso blinking orange, and how to solve it.

Let’s get to it!

Nespresso machines use light alerts to let you know it requires your attention.

Now, there are many reasons why your machine might be doing that:

You need to empty, clean or descale it
The water tank needs to be refilled
The machine is overheating
Something is not working properly

But there’s no need for guesswork.

A Nespresso machine does tell you exactly what the issue is by using a specific signal for different errors. This makes troubleshooting rather easy.

How to Resolve Blinking Orange Light

The interval between the blinking orange lights shows exactly what’s wrong with your machine. In this section, we’ll cover what each of these errors means.

Orange Light Blinking Two Times per Second

If your Nespresso machine blinks twice per second, that’s a sign it needs a thorough cleaning.

Here’s what you need to do:

First, we’ll do some manual cleaning. Open up the machine head and take out the capsules (if you haven’t done it already after the last brewing).
Grab a paper towel and clean any coffee grounds residue inside the machine head.
Next, take out the water tank and give it a proper rinse in the sink. Refill it with fresh cold water and put it back into place.
Rinse the cup support, then place a container of at least 34 ounces under the coffee spout.
Remove the capsule container and drip tray and wash them as well.
Close the head and turn the handle left to put the machine into the lock position.
At this point, the machine will start heating up, indicating that with a blinking light. Once the light stops blinking, that means it’s ready for cleaning.
To start the cleaning program, you need to push the button three times within two seconds. It can take up to two minutes for the water flow to appear. The actual program, on the other hand, will last about 7 minutes.

The cleaning program can be stopped at any time by pressing the button. Then, whenever you’re ready to proceed, just click the button again and it will continue where it left off.

Orange Light Fades Off and On

If the orange light is pulsing, that means your machine is overheating.

Now, that’s not something to panic over. Overheating is normal after brewing, let’s say, ten cups of coffee one after another.

So what should you do?

Turn the machine off by pushing the button down for three seconds.
Now push the button again to turn it back on.
Leave your Nespresso machine to cool down for at least 20 minutes before using it again.
If the machine continues blinking, then it might be in the descaling mode. In that case, press and hold the button for 7 seconds to leave this mode.

Did you know? Nespresso machine doesn’t have a power button. Instead, you need to push Espresso or Lungo button to turn it on. To turn the machine off, push both buttons simultaneously.

Orange Light Blinks Twice Rapidly Then Long Off

This light is a sign of some kind of error with the machine.

If this occurs while you’re preparing coffee, then maybe the capsule isn’t placed correctly.

Here’s what you need to do in that case:

Unlock the lever and open the machine head. Check if the coffee capsule is sitting in a proper position.
Make sure the lever is in the “locked” position.
Check if there’s enough water in the water tank to brew coffee.
If everything is correct, but your machine is still blinking, unlock the lever and open the machine head.
Replace the capsule with a new one. Close the machine head.
Unplug the cord from the outlet, then plug it back in after about 10 seconds.
Turn on the machine and start brewing again.

This kind of blinking alert can also appear during the descaling or cleaning programs. If that’s the case, try this:

Open the machine head to check if you’ve forgotten to remove the coffee pod.
Check that the lever is set to the “locking” position.
If the problem persists, restart the machine.
Still nothing? Try unplugging the cord for about 10 seconds, then plugging it back in.

Now you might be thinking – are we really using the ultimate “have you tried turning it off and on again” hack?

You may laugh all you want, but this method actually works well in some cases. Sometimes, the machine simply gets stuck somewhere during the process. In that case, it just needs a quick reset to start working again properly.

Of course, this nifty little hack doesn’t solve all the possible issues. In case you don’t fix the issue this way, then it’s best to contact Nespresso customer service for precise directions.

Orange Light is On for 1.5 Seconds then Off for 0.5 Seconds

This is how your Nespresso machine shows the water tank needs to be refilled. This means the water level is too low to make coffee.

Fixing this issue is simple.

Just remove the water tank and refill it with fresh water. And while you’re at it, give it a good rinse under hot water to remove any buildup.

Orange Light Blinks Five Times over 10 Seconds

If you see your Nespresso machine blinking this way, that means you need to do a factory reset.

This is a rather simple process:

Open the machine head and remove the used capsule, then close it.
Leave the lever in the “unlocked” position.
Push the Lungo button five times within three seconds. It should blink five times in orange, indicating the machine has been reset to factory settings.

Orange Light Blinking Three Times per Second

If your Nespresso machine blinks three times per second, then it’s time for descaling. This means there’s a mineral buildup inside, which affects the water flow and overall quality of your coffee.

Unlike the cleaning program, descaling can’t be paused or stopped at your request. Even if you unplug it from the wall, you won’t be able to interrupt the program. The machine will simply start a descaling process all over once you turn it back on.

The descaling process lasts about 20 minutes, so don’t start it if you’re in a rush to brew a cup. As for how to start this program, there are step-by-step instructions in the next section.

Light Alternates Blinking Orange and White Three Times Then Steady On

This is yet another indicator that your Nespresso machine needs descaling. But in this case, that should be done ASAP.

When this alert appears, that means you’re quite behind on your descaling schedule. The limescale built up so much inside your machine, preventing it from functioning properly.

How To Descale Your Nespresso

Every coffee maker needs to be descaled once in a while, and Nespresso is no exception. You should do this every three to four months – or more, depending on how hard the water is in your area.

Luckily, there’s no need to mark the dates on your calendar. Nespresso machines give off a blinking alert when it’s time for descaling.

This is a pretty straightforward process, although the program itself does last about 20 minutes. Now that doesn’t mean you have to sit by the machine and wait for it to finish.

Alright, here’s how to descale your Nespresso machine:

Remove the used capsule from the pod container.
Remove the drip tray and wash it with warm water.
Fill the water tank with a single unit of Nespresso descaling solution, then add 17 ounces of water.
Put a container with a capacity of over 34 ounces underneath the coffee spout.
Turn on the Nespresso machine. Turn the lever to the “unlocked” position.
Press and hold the button for seven seconds, which will turn on the descaling mode.
At this point, the light should start blinking rapidly. This means you have 45 seconds to start the descaling process. Otherwise, the machine will go back to the brewing program.
To actually start the descaling program, turn the lever to the “locked” position and push the button.
Once descaling is over, empty and rinse the water tank, drip tray and cup support.
Refill the water tank with clean water and put it back in place.
Push the button to rinse the machine.
Once done, let your Nespresso dry for about 10 minutes before using it again.

Tip: Don’t forget that your Nespresso frother needs cleaning too, or it will malfunction or even stop working!

How to Fix Nespresso VertuoPlus Blinking Red Lights

Own a Vertuo Plus model?

Well, then troubleshooting works a little differently.

This Nespresso Vertuo machine uses red lights instead to indicate there’s something wrong with the machine.

But while the alerts are different from other Vertuo models, the actual solution is pretty much the same. In this section, I’ll cover what each alert means, and you can check out the previous section to find out how to solve it.

Half green and half red steady light – your machine is ready for descaling.
Red light blinking continuously and the machine head stops moving – most likely the capsule isn’t properly set in place.
The machine does not start, the red light blinks 2 times then goes back to steady green light– the water tank needs to be refilled.
Steady red light and the machine is not running – your machine overheated.
Red light fading out – the machine is cooling down and will go to steady green once ready for use.
Red light flashes twice and goes to steady orange – special menu enabled. From here, you can start one of the maintenance functions.

To Sum Things Up

The orange blinking light on a Nespresso coffee machine indicates there’s an issue that has to be addressed.

In most cases, your Nespresso just needs regular cleaning.

Other reasons for blinking alerts might be an empty water tank, an overheated machine or an error in the capsule holder.

But whichever issue it is, this guide should help you solve it quickly, so that you can get back to enjoying your favorite Nespresso recipes.

Why is my Nespresso machine still blinking after descaling?

Q: Nespresso blinking orange light after descaling? A: This means that the machine needs to cool down before you can make espresso. Unplug the machine and let it cool down for at least 30 minutes. Then, try making espresso again.

How do I reset my Nespresso machine after descaling?

Reset to factory settings.

With machine being turned off, press and hold down the Lungo button for 5 seconds. ... .

LEDS will blink fast 3 times to confirm machine has been reset to factory settings. ... .

LEDs will then continue to blink normally, as heating up, until ready..

How do you reset the red light on a Nespresso machine?

RED steady light and the machine is NOT running..

Turn the machine OFF, unplug the power cord, wait for 15 minutes for the machine to cool down..

Plug the power cord and turn the machine ON by pressing the lever down. ... .

If the problem persists, please call our Customer Services Team and quote code WVP17..

How do I reset my Nespresso Vertuo after descaling?

Reset to factory settings NOTE: Choose special function by pressing the lever down: 1 time for "Descaling". 2 times for "Emptying the system". 3 times for "Reset to factory settings". Turn the machine "OFF" by pushing the lever down for 3 seconds.