Can I fix this myself?

Yes, this is routine maintenance rather than a repair. Follow the steps above using the consumable the manufacturer specifies, and if the message returns immediately after a correctly completed cycle, treat it as a service call.

Where do these steps come from?

They are transcribed from De'Longhi US official FAQ, 'Descale Light is always flashing or not turning off' (article a/570261). We do not repair machines and we do not publish a fix we cannot cite to the manufacturer.

Will this code clear on its own?

Maintenance prompts clear when the cycle they are asking for is completed in full — stopping partway usually leaves the counter running. Fault codes clear when the underlying condition is corrected, not by power-cycling past them.

De'Longhi Red descale light on or flashing: Red descale light is on or flashing — Causes and Fixes

Routine maintenanceUpdated August 3, 2026

De'Longhi

Red descale light on or flashing — Red descale light is on or flashing

Routine maintenance

What the machine is reporting

Red Descale Light is On Means: Descaling is required. If your machine displays a red descale light, flashing or still, you need to descale the appliance.

Likely causes, most likely first

The descale light appears after a set amount of time that depends on the quantity of water used by the machine and the water hardness setting
When the water used has a high hardness level, this leads to a high limescale buildup, which is why the descaling light will light up more frequently

What to do

1. Descale the appliance with a suitable descale solution. De'Longhi states: "Using an unsuitable descaler and/or performing descaling incorrectly may result in faults not covered by the manufacturer's guarantee."
2. Adjust the water hardness setting on your machine so that it matches the water you use.

Source: De'Longhi US official FAQ, 'Descale Light is always flashing or not turning off' (article a/570261). Transcribed from De'Longhi's own published documentation — we do not repair machines and do not publish fixes we cannot cite.

When to stop and call a technician

The machine trips a breaker, smells of burning, or shows scorched wiring.
Water is leaking from inside the chassis rather than from the tank, tray or portafilter.
The fault involves the boiler, a pressure valve, the heating element or the pump itself.
The code returns immediately after a correctly completed reset or maintenance cycle.
The machine is under warranty — opening it yourself usually ends that cover.

Never bypass, disable or remove a safety device — a thermal fuse, pressure relief valve or lid interlock is the part standing between a fault and a fire. Do not open a pressurised boiler or work on mains wiring.

Machines this applies to

What the fix needs

Descaler
Descaling removes the mineral scale this fault is caused by. Use a product made for espresso machines.
Find on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category searches, not product endorsements — always use the consumable your machine's own manual specifies.

Other De'Longhi codes

DESCALE — Message: DESCALE
GENERAL ALARM — Message: GENERAL ALARM
REPLACE FILTER — Message: REPLACE FILTER
PRESS OK TO CLEAN — Message: PRESS OK TO CLEAN
SET DIAL TO CLEAN — Message: SET DIAL TO CLEAN
Alarm lights on the bottom row — Alarm lights on the bottom row

All De'Longhi error codes →

Frequently asked

What does De'Longhi Red descale light on or flashing mean?: Red Descale Light is On Means: Descaling is required. If your machine displays a red descale light, flashing or still, you need to descale the appliance.
Can I fix this myself?: Yes, this is routine maintenance rather than a repair. Follow the steps above using the consumable the manufacturer specifies, and if the message returns immediately after a correctly completed cycle, treat it as a service call.
Where do these steps come from?: They are transcribed from De'Longhi US official FAQ, 'Descale Light is always flashing or not turning off' (article a/570261). We do not repair machines and we do not publish a fix we cannot cite to the manufacturer.
Will this code clear on its own?: Maintenance prompts clear when the cycle they are asking for is completed in full — stopping partway usually leaves the counter running. Fault codes clear when the underlying condition is corrected, not by power-cycling past them.