Reset a Zebra ZD421 to factory defaults
The ZD421 has two separate resets: one for the printer settings and one for the network settings. You start either with a button combination at power-up, or with the RESET button under the printer. Both are quick, so reset only what you need.
Before you reset
What each reset clears
| Reset | How to start it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Printer settings | Hold PAUSE + FEED while switching on, or press RESET for 1–5 seconds | Returns the printer settings to factory defaults. The button combination leaves the network settings unchanged. Calibrate again afterwards. |
| Network settings | Hold PAUSE + CANCEL while switching on, or press RESET for 6–10 seconds | Returns only the network settings to factory defaults. Set up the network connection again afterwards. |
Try the simple fixes first
Many problems that look like a settings fault are cured without a reset. If labels skip or the printer reports media out, run SmartCal first (see our calibration guide). If the lights show an alert, look it up in ZD421 lights and errors.
Important
ZD421 printers bought in Europe from 1 August 2025 can ship with Protected Mode for the EU Radio Equipment Directive (see our setup guide). On a printer with Protected Mode enabled, the protected settings need the Protected Mode password and a reset does not change them. A forgotten Protected Mode password cannot be recovered. Check with your IT team before you reset a printer they manage.
Print a configuration report
Print the current settings before you reset, so you can restore them afterwards. Load labels, close the cover and wait until the STATUS light is steady green. Then hold FEED + CANCEL for 2 seconds. The printer prints its configuration report, and a network report if it has Ethernet or wireless. Keep both: they show values such as darkness, speed, print method and the IP address.
Video: Zebra Technologies
Reset the printer settings
- Switch the printer off: hold POWER, at the left of the control panel, for about 5 seconds until the printer turns off.
- Press and hold PAUSE and FEED together.
- Keep holding both buttons and switch the printer on.
- Release the buttons when STATUS is the only light that is on.
The network settings stay as they were. Zebra recommends calibrating the printer after this reset.
Reset only the network settings
Use this when the printer has wrong IP or Wi-Fi settings, or after it was moved to another network.
- Switch the printer off.
- Press and hold PAUSE and CANCEL together.
- Keep holding both buttons and switch the printer on.
- Release the buttons when STATUS is the only light that is on.
All other printer settings stay as they were. The printer does not print a report after this reset.
Or use the RESET button
The ZD421 also has a dedicated RESET button on its underside. Press it with a straightened paper clip or a similar small tool. Keep labels loaded and the printer switched on, so it can print the report that confirms the reset.
| Hold RESET for | Result |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 second | Nothing happens |
| 1–5 seconds | Factory reset of the printer, then a configuration report. Networked printers also print a network report |
| 6–10 seconds | Network reset: the printer leaves the network, restores the network defaults and prints both reports |
| More than 10 seconds | The reset is cancelled; no settings change |
Calibrate and set up again
- Load labels, and ribbon on a ZD421t or ZD421c, and close the cover.
- Wait for steady green STATUS, then hold PAUSE + CANCEL for 2 seconds to run SmartCal.
- Print a new configuration report and compare it with the one you printed before the reset.
- Set the values you need again, for example darkness and print method in the driver's printing preferences.
- After a network reset, connect the printer to your network again. On a printer with Protected Mode, you need the Protected Mode password to change protected network settings.
Setting up from scratch? Follow the ZD421 setup guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I factory reset a Zebra ZD421?
Switch it off, hold PAUSE + FEED, switch it on and release when only STATUS is lit. Or press the RESET button underneath for 1–5 seconds.
Does a factory reset delete the network settings?
No. The PAUSE + FEED reset leaves the network settings alone. To reset them, use PAUSE + CANCEL at power-up, or hold RESET for 6–10 seconds.
Where is the RESET button on the ZD421?
On the underside of the printer. Press it with a paper clip or a similar small tool.
I forgot the Protected Mode password. What now?
It cannot be recovered, and the button resets do not remove it. Zebra's route is to decommission the printer with a command sent over USB, after which you set a new password. Contact us and we will help.
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