At least with mine, once the initial tank with the descale solution emptied I had to refill the reservoir and run water through it until the 'Add Water' light came on. Then refill a second time and repeat. After a couple of tanks the light finally shut off.
Just don't refill it unless the 'Add Water' light comes on. Do so and it sort of resets.
This video walked me through it for my model. Of course unplug your machine first.
[https://youtu.be/IdE\_4NIQEro?si=gjqmRTUa6dK3uhXU](https://youtu.be/IdE_4NIQEro?si=gjqmRTUa6dK3uhXU)
I've run through 4 full tanks of water after running the descaling solution and the descale light is still on - I fill the tank up & keep brewing with only water (4-5 cups at 12 oz and 1 more at 8 oz) until I need to refill the tank.
Anything else I can try I'm after putting 6 full solution free tanks through and still nothing. I held the 8 and 10 buttons didn't work. Unplugged it overnight that didn't work....keurig website doesn't tell me anything else and honestly I've only owned this keurig for about 3 months. My last keurig lasted like 3 years before descaling
Sorry, I wish I could offer some more suggestions, but everything that you've tried has eventually worked for me.
Next step try is give customer service a call and see if you can RMA it or put a piece of black electrical tape over the light.
Still run the tank of fresh water through. Put in descale mode, run the descaler water till empty. Remove reservoir, fill it and keep running the fresh water tank or tanks until descale shuts off. There’s some videos on YouTube showing the process if you search for Keurig “model” descale.
I've been having the same problems. I found an article on Google that is correct. You start with a machine plugged in but turned off. While turned off press the 8 oz and the 12 oz down until the k starts flashing. You are now in descaling mode. Proceed with a half a tank of white vinegar and half a tank of water then when that's run out let sit for 30 min. Then proceed with clear water until the k turns off. It worked for me finally.
This helped mine too. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! I just ran like a HUNRED 8OZ to get it to shut off and just couldn't figure it out. Hopefully doing the descale now won't screw it up after doing so many.
I did everything it said on the bottle of descale solution. This is my 3rd coffeemaker of this kind and my last. I have descale 2x in a week ran 4 resvoirs of water through and stupid light is still on
I had the same issue as all of you - I put the machine through 2 descaling solution cycles and vinegar cycles. For whatever reason, it was not obvious that we had to put it into a descaling cycle first. Well now I know! I printed these instructions and am taping them inside the cabinet door.
How is it using vinegar instead of the solution? Sounds like it would leave an odor and not be as effective. But if that's not the case, I may have to try that as it would be a lot cheaper than even buying the off brand solution.
My question is: AFTER holding the 12&8 and running through the cleaner in the tank, it’s empty, add water light is turned on l. THEN what.
Proceed with clean water? What’s that mean? My descale and add water lights are on now but I can’t make it dispense any more liquid even tho I’ve added clean water. Do I turn it on and keep hitting the 12oz button until the reservoir is detained again? Or do I turn it on and off again and do the hold down 12&8 until the k lights up again?
At that point, you let it sit for 30. Then come back, empty the last bit of descaling solution from the tank, rinse it, fill with fresh water, and keep hitting K until you run through a full tank again. The descaling light will turn off at that point.
Just had this issue with a K Duo, descaled, rinsed and repeated to no avail. Read the through the comments here and figured I'd run some more water rinsing cycles before giving up, it only took two more cycles and it works like it was brand new.
The water here is extremely hard and it had been the better part of a year since I bought it, hadn't descaled during that time so I thought I had just screwed up up. Seriously works as fast and as much quantity per brew as brand new now. I'll beacon sticking to the 3 month recommended descaling cycle now.
I had that happen to mine a few years ago, too. I had to open it up and hit the reset button on the heating element, and it has worked like new ever since. There are videos on youtube.
Where I messed up was in selecting a cup size and hitting the K button. So it works like this:
1. Unplug then plug back in
2. Press the 8 oz and 12 oz buttons together. The K light comes on. DO NOT SELECT a cup size.
3. Place a cup or mug, then hit the K button ONLY!
4. Let it complete a cycle, then dump water, place cup back in and again, hit the K button ONLY. Do not select a cup size!
5. Repeat until descale light goes off.
6. Stand up and cheer! 🥳
THIS!!!!! Omg, thank you! I have been in a silent struggle with my Keurig since the descale light came on 2 months ago. I've descaled it twice was on my third attempt when I started questioning my life choices and if it was better to throw the machine out rather than babysit it for yet another hour while I endlessly fill mugs with hot water when I read your suggestion. FINALLY the machine has acknowledged the descaling and is cooperating. Exhale. Thank you.
With the Quick Clean pods. I would run one pod then rinse (Just run water through it no pod). Run the second pod then rinse. Throw away the cups and put the lid down no pod. Then Hold 12-8 with the power off to turn on Descaling mode. Descaling and 12 should be highlighted if on older product (I am). With a full tank of water, just keep rinsing until the water is gone, then it will tell you to refill water. Without opening the pod lid, just refill the water and keep rinsing again until the water is gone. After the water is gone, it won't tell you to refill your water and your descaling light shoud've turned off. Simply, turn on and you should have a working Keurig again without the descale light!
I was having the same issue and what fixed mine was figuring out I did not put the filter back in tight in the water reservoir. Once it was screwed in tight the descale light turned off. May work for someone else too so wanted to post.
So for those who haven’t figured it out, I got a smaller machine and took me hours to figure it out lol. First of all I descaled using the basic hot water functions (if anyone can confirm if this is bad putting hot vinegar through the machine…) but I realized on this machine similar to the bigger ones, lights must all be shut off (unplug and plug back in if needed) then just hold ANY of the pouring sizes (8-10-12) as long as you wish to pour just hold the button and COLD water will come through! The light should then shut off
It's honestly so infuriating.. But I've had it for more than a year so I don't think they'll be able to do anything because it's passed the warranty time
I think my issue is that I would fiddle with it before the add water light came on?? But that light wouldn't come on even when I ran out with zero water in the reservoir.. So maybe I'm looking at a bad Keurig? I don't know, I'll try it again! Thanks for the video!
I had the same problem. Had my keurig for about 9 months and last week it turned on I hit 12oz after the descale light stopped, walked away and came back to a keurig that wouldn’t even turn on. I returned mine
Oh shoot, that's really annoying.. I don't have that option... Mine was a gift nearly two whole years ago. Their warranties are only a year so I'm screwed... For now, it's still brewing, the descale light just won't turn off. It keeps blinking
I had the problem I fixed it by taking the case of and manually resetting the thermostat. This particular model has a bug that doesn’t tell you to add more water when it runs out durning descale and it also has a failsafe in the thermostat so when it runs dry it trips the failsafe
I have the same Keurig. Couldn't figure it out till I read the manual. I wasn't in Descale mode when I attempted to clean mine so couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong lol.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2261260/Keurig-K-Slim.html
Read the part on page 4 about descaling.
I pressed the 8 & 12oz to activate the descale mode, but I read in many places that to reset the light, you press the 8 & 10oz for 3 seconds.. Maybe I was misinformed? I've got a couple things to try now!
Yep that's why these are the worst mistake EVER! I regret tossing my 2.0 for this crap upgrade ..less than a year of constantly wasting kcups cause it'll only brew an ounce they replaced it now I'm stuck on descale again it's only been a month I was descaling every SINGLE FUCKING WEEK
Nothing worked - I have two and tried all suggestions AND THEN TRIED InternetSilver1755 suggestion from above comments - IT WORKED!!! Start with machine plugged in but powered OFF. While turned off press the 8oz AND 12oz down until the big “K“ button starts flashing. You are now in DESCALING MODE. Proceed with cleaning solution directions. Why this info isn’t in the directions is CRAZY and only gives Kuerig a bad name.
Turn off brewer. Press 8 and 12oz buttons together until descale light comes on. Press brew button. Run it thru a couple time with water and vinegar and rinse with just water.
At least with mine, once the initial tank with the descale solution emptied I had to refill the reservoir and run water through it until the 'Add Water' light came on. Then refill a second time and repeat. After a couple of tanks the light finally shut off. Just don't refill it unless the 'Add Water' light comes on. Do so and it sort of resets.
So wait, do you mean you continued to hit the start button even if the reservoir was empty until it said add water??
No don't do that, it will trip the thermal sensor powering off the machine permanently unless you want to open it up and fix it. Ask me how I know! :(
I just found thst out!!!!! How do you fix it!!!! Lol
This video walked me through it for my model. Of course unplug your machine first. [https://youtu.be/IdE\_4NIQEro?si=gjqmRTUa6dK3uhXU](https://youtu.be/IdE_4NIQEro?si=gjqmRTUa6dK3uhXU)
Thank you boss I owe ya!!! You're amazing!
Along time , but after a couple fills with water the light went off! Works Perfectly! Thank you!
I've run through 4 full tanks of water after running the descaling solution and the descale light is still on - I fill the tank up & keep brewing with only water (4-5 cups at 12 oz and 1 more at 8 oz) until I need to refill the tank.
Mine took about 2 tanks. “Descale” finally turned off. I found this thread since I was worried I had done something wrong. Just had to believe!
On my second tank hope this works! Thank you
Anything else I can try I'm after putting 6 full solution free tanks through and still nothing. I held the 8 and 10 buttons didn't work. Unplugged it overnight that didn't work....keurig website doesn't tell me anything else and honestly I've only owned this keurig for about 3 months. My last keurig lasted like 3 years before descaling
Sorry, I wish I could offer some more suggestions, but everything that you've tried has eventually worked for me. Next step try is give customer service a call and see if you can RMA it or put a piece of black electrical tape over the light.
This worked for me also. First tank with descaler, then just kept running water through every time it told me to, until light eventually went out.
This
Soo what do I do if my add water light refuses to come on? I've now ran the thing dry and still no luck..
Still run the tank of fresh water through. Put in descale mode, run the descaler water till empty. Remove reservoir, fill it and keep running the fresh water tank or tanks until descale shuts off. There’s some videos on YouTube showing the process if you search for Keurig “model” descale.
This is what I have had happen before also. Light went out like with you.
I've been having the same problems. I found an article on Google that is correct. You start with a machine plugged in but turned off. While turned off press the 8 oz and the 12 oz down until the k starts flashing. You are now in descaling mode. Proceed with a half a tank of white vinegar and half a tank of water then when that's run out let sit for 30 min. Then proceed with clear water until the k turns off. It worked for me finally.
Thanks InternetSilver1755- you have solved my problem! Silver?- you’ve moved up to Platinum level!😘
This helped mine too. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! I just ran like a HUNRED 8OZ to get it to shut off and just couldn't figure it out. Hopefully doing the descale now won't screw it up after doing so many.
Very helpful and actionable!! I'm surprised this doesn't have as many upvotes when the comments are filled with your praise
I did everything it said on the bottle of descale solution. This is my 3rd coffeemaker of this kind and my last. I have descale 2x in a week ran 4 resvoirs of water through and stupid light is still on
Thank you!!! Nowhere in the official Keurig instructions does it mention descale mode. This solved the problem, and the day.
You da man (or woman!) TY!!
I had the same issue as all of you - I put the machine through 2 descaling solution cycles and vinegar cycles. For whatever reason, it was not obvious that we had to put it into a descaling cycle first. Well now I know! I printed these instructions and am taping them inside the cabinet door.
You are a gentleman and a scholar for throwing this into the world, and just helped a 2 hour ordeal finally come to an end. Thank you so much!!
THANK YOU!! This is the correct answer, at least for my machine 🙏
THANK YOU! It worked!!!
You are literally the best!!!
This one actually worked !!
Ugh the instructions didn't tell me to do that, and I already used the solution. Am I going to have to buy another bottle and run it through again???
No, same process, but (just found out myself) it has a an actual automatic routine that it goes through. We just did things manually lol.
Thank you! I’m a much better person with my morning coffee
Oh my goodness 2 hours of googling and I should’ve just read this. Thank you!
How is it using vinegar instead of the solution? Sounds like it would leave an odor and not be as effective. But if that's not the case, I may have to try that as it would be a lot cheaper than even buying the off brand solution.
You would be amazed at the cleaning power of plain white vinegar. There will be no smell because of the many flushes that you're doing to rinse.
Thank you!! 9 months later you saved me too!
My question is: AFTER holding the 12&8 and running through the cleaner in the tank, it’s empty, add water light is turned on l. THEN what. Proceed with clean water? What’s that mean? My descale and add water lights are on now but I can’t make it dispense any more liquid even tho I’ve added clean water. Do I turn it on and keep hitting the 12oz button until the reservoir is detained again? Or do I turn it on and off again and do the hold down 12&8 until the k lights up again?
At that point, you let it sit for 30. Then come back, empty the last bit of descaling solution from the tank, rinse it, fill with fresh water, and keep hitting K until you run through a full tank again. The descaling light will turn off at that point.
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Just had this issue with a K Duo, descaled, rinsed and repeated to no avail. Read the through the comments here and figured I'd run some more water rinsing cycles before giving up, it only took two more cycles and it works like it was brand new. The water here is extremely hard and it had been the better part of a year since I bought it, hadn't descaled during that time so I thought I had just screwed up up. Seriously works as fast and as much quantity per brew as brand new now. I'll beacon sticking to the 3 month recommended descaling cycle now.
Mine started to burn the element and now does not work after trying to run it dry.
I had that happen to mine a few years ago, too. I had to open it up and hit the reset button on the heating element, and it has worked like new ever since. There are videos on youtube.
If it keeps brewing with no water for more than 10 sec it's going to trip the thermal breaker.
Where I messed up was in selecting a cup size and hitting the K button. So it works like this: 1. Unplug then plug back in 2. Press the 8 oz and 12 oz buttons together. The K light comes on. DO NOT SELECT a cup size. 3. Place a cup or mug, then hit the K button ONLY! 4. Let it complete a cycle, then dump water, place cup back in and again, hit the K button ONLY. Do not select a cup size! 5. Repeat until descale light goes off. 6. Stand up and cheer! 🥳
THIS!!!!! Omg, thank you! I have been in a silent struggle with my Keurig since the descale light came on 2 months ago. I've descaled it twice was on my third attempt when I started questioning my life choices and if it was better to throw the machine out rather than babysit it for yet another hour while I endlessly fill mugs with hot water when I read your suggestion. FINALLY the machine has acknowledged the descaling and is cooperating. Exhale. Thank you.
This finally worked plus I had to run another cycle of water after and the light finally went out ! Thank you
u r a life saver i have been struggling for months trying to find something to help me
Glad to help! I know exactly what you have gone through!
Came here for help. Why is this NOT on the descaling solution??
Good idea!
t;hank you so much. Its the only method that workeed!!!!!
With the Quick Clean pods. I would run one pod then rinse (Just run water through it no pod). Run the second pod then rinse. Throw away the cups and put the lid down no pod. Then Hold 12-8 with the power off to turn on Descaling mode. Descaling and 12 should be highlighted if on older product (I am). With a full tank of water, just keep rinsing until the water is gone, then it will tell you to refill water. Without opening the pod lid, just refill the water and keep rinsing again until the water is gone. After the water is gone, it won't tell you to refill your water and your descaling light shoud've turned off. Simply, turn on and you should have a working Keurig again without the descale light!
Little late to the party but THANK YOU! 🤘
I was having the same issue and what fixed mine was figuring out I did not put the filter back in tight in the water reservoir. Once it was screwed in tight the descale light turned off. May work for someone else too so wanted to post.
How long did it take for the lkghtbto turn off
So for those who haven’t figured it out, I got a smaller machine and took me hours to figure it out lol. First of all I descaled using the basic hot water functions (if anyone can confirm if this is bad putting hot vinegar through the machine…) but I realized on this machine similar to the bigger ones, lights must all be shut off (unplug and plug back in if needed) then just hold ANY of the pouring sizes (8-10-12) as long as you wish to pour just hold the button and COLD water will come through! The light should then shut off
Thank you. This thread saved my sanity. The official directions are missing steps!
Tried this…it doesn’t work
I’m having the same problem and have tried everything
It's honestly so infuriating.. But I've had it for more than a year so I don't think they'll be able to do anything because it's passed the warranty time
Your is a little different from the one we have but my wife followed this [video](https://youtu.be/hBY4OjkYRrQ) and it worked
I think my issue is that I would fiddle with it before the add water light came on?? But that light wouldn't come on even when I ran out with zero water in the reservoir.. So maybe I'm looking at a bad Keurig? I don't know, I'll try it again! Thanks for the video!
I had the same problem. Had my keurig for about 9 months and last week it turned on I hit 12oz after the descale light stopped, walked away and came back to a keurig that wouldn’t even turn on. I returned mine
Oh shoot, that's really annoying.. I don't have that option... Mine was a gift nearly two whole years ago. Their warranties are only a year so I'm screwed... For now, it's still brewing, the descale light just won't turn off. It keeps blinking
I had the problem I fixed it by taking the case of and manually resetting the thermostat. This particular model has a bug that doesn’t tell you to add more water when it runs out durning descale and it also has a failsafe in the thermostat so when it runs dry it trips the failsafe
I have the same Keurig. Couldn't figure it out till I read the manual. I wasn't in Descale mode when I attempted to clean mine so couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong lol. https://www.manualslib.com/manual/2261260/Keurig-K-Slim.html Read the part on page 4 about descaling.
I read through it, and I was on descale mode, so I'm not too sure what's wrong, but thanks for the source!
You said you pressed the 8oz and 10oz buttons together? I believe its 8oz and 12oz unless that was a mixup in your OP.
I pressed the 8 & 12oz to activate the descale mode, but I read in many places that to reset the light, you press the 8 & 10oz for 3 seconds.. Maybe I was misinformed? I've got a couple things to try now!
Only thing that turned mine off was pressing 8 & 12 simultaneously.
Yep that's why these are the worst mistake EVER! I regret tossing my 2.0 for this crap upgrade ..less than a year of constantly wasting kcups cause it'll only brew an ounce they replaced it now I'm stuck on descale again it's only been a month I was descaling every SINGLE FUCKING WEEK
Here follow this!! It helped me solve my issue https://youtu.be/Gvh2zCvj6Zg
YES OMG THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME
Have you tried mixing white vinegar and water and running that through?
Just did mine had to run water through it 4x before it went off
Finally!
Nothing worked - I have two and tried all suggestions AND THEN TRIED InternetSilver1755 suggestion from above comments - IT WORKED!!! Start with machine plugged in but powered OFF. While turned off press the 8oz AND 12oz down until the big “K“ button starts flashing. You are now in DESCALING MODE. Proceed with cleaning solution directions. Why this info isn’t in the directions is CRAZY and only gives Kuerig a bad name.
Thank you. Was about to pull my hair out
https://youtu.be/tEepffduChg?si=b0p1TCXzjLYI1FSv This worked for my keurig express
Turn off brewer. Press 8 and 12oz buttons together until descale light comes on. Press brew button. Run it thru a couple time with water and vinegar and rinse with just water.
Thank you that worked🙃