When working with your computer and printer, sooner or later the printer will refuse to feed the paper needed to print your documents. It is an annoying but a very common situation. And this is especially annoying when you have just completed a large amount of work and you have to only do which is print the documents to finally be able to close your working day.
Often, you will only hear strange noises, without the printer deigning to start its work. There is then no doubt: the printer does not pick up the paper .
There can be several reasons for this problem. So keep calm and try to find the cause. Usually, it won’t take much time of your to fix the problem.
Too much or not enough paper
When you notice that your printer is not picking up paper, there are several scenarios to consider:
- a faulty carriage,
- a dirty or damaged printer
- or a paper jam .
But very often the solution is much simpler than that.
Put in enough paper
First of all, check that you have put in enough paper. It may seem obvious, but when the printer does not have enough paper, it cannot feed it properly. It does make a lot of sense. However, you may not always know how much paper is in the tray. We therefore recommend that you check the paper level first and add more if necessary.
Don’t put too much paper
Reverse situation can also happen. If you put too much paper, the paper feed can also malfunction. It is therefore advisable to take into account the graduation present in the paper tray when adding new sheets. Be careful not to exceed the marking.
What to do if there is a paper jam
The notorious paper jam is a very common cause of paper feed problems. It can be due to several phenomena. Often the paper has not been inserted correctly, causing it to jam inside the printer and block the sheet feed.
The easiest way to avoid paper jams is to check beforehand that the sheets are not stuck together. When storing at wholesalers, the paper may be strongly pressed and that the leaves stick to each other. When opening a new ream of printer paper, you should quickly fan the paper . This allows air to pass through the interstices and separate the edges of the sheets.
Often, simply ventilating the paper can prevent a paper jam. If you have stored the paper for a long time and in too humid an atmosphere, it may curls and the sheets may stick together. It is therefore important to ensure that the paper is dry and level before feeding it into the printer.
Also, be aware that some papers are not suitable for some printers. To find out what types of paper your printer is compatible with. You should see the machine’s instruction manually or the manufacturer’s website. Please take this into account to avoid paper jams.
Recognize a paper jam
Modern devices can indicate the presence of a paper jam directly. On the other hand, can also report that the paper is out of paper even though their bin is full. If you have verified that the printer has enough paper and the machine reports the opposite, it is very likely that you are dealing with a paper jam .
Clearing a paper jam is easy
1. If you have already printed but the paper does not come out of the printer correctly because of the jam. First try to open the machine and carefully remove the sheet by hand . It is important not to tear the paper because it may get stuck in the printer. Also, pieces of paper may remain in the device, which may require you to clean it.
2. Once you have removed the jammed sheet then you should restart your printer.
3. Make sure that you did not put incompatible paper in the machine .
4. Quickly fan the stuck of paper, and then put it back correctly in the printer. Then try printing again.
5. If the problem persists, you should turn off the printer then unplug it . Then open the casing of the machine’s and remove the ink or toner cartridges.
6. Check that there are no pieces of paper left in the machine. This can especially be the case in laser printers because it is difficult to remove pieces of paper from their paper feed rollers. Use a small pair of tweezers to remove the residue.
7. Thoroughly inspect the rollers of the machine. Sometimes when the rubber rollers are dirty, paper feeding is impossible. Then clean the rollers with a lint-free cloth. If they have become porous over time, you should replace them completely. This porosity is generally due to the abrasion of the paper when using thick or rigid papers.
8. The paper sensor may also be covered with dust . You can clean this sensor using a cotton swab or a lint-free microfiber cloth. Use caution when cleaning or repairing the interior of your printer because these parts are very delicate and can easily be damaged.
9. If all other measurements were unsuccessful, you can also check the operation of your printer driver. The latter is sometimes obsolete, which means that the device no longer picks up paper. In this case, update the driver and try to start printing again.
Printer does not pick up paper: other measures
Tip # 1:
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
The deciding factor is the paper . Be sure to buy high quality and flawless paper . May be you will pay a higher price but this will prevent cellulose fibers from easily detaching from the surface and edges. Indeed, this paper dust clogs the rollers, and with them the entire printer. Therefore, choose paper with a closed surface and precise edges.
While buying paper, go for quality
Tip # 2:
Your printer’s paper misfeed can be caused by things other than the paper or the device itself. Of external factors can also interfere with paper feed.
The ambient atmosphere plays a fundamental role for a perfect impression. For example, the room in which the printer is located should be at a temperature of about 20 ° C. The relative humidity of the air should be between 50 and 55%. If the air is too dry , the paper can charge with static electricity, and preventing it from being properly fed by the machine.
In case of too much humidity, the friction between the surfaces is stronger. It can also cause problems.
This is why we recommend that you place any new ream in the room where the printer is located a few hours before printing so that the paper can get used to the atmosphere there.
Tip # 3:
Strictly adhere to the maximum fill volume of your paper tray. It’s totally understandable that you want to avoid having to refill it frequently. But be aware that too many sheets will interfere with paper feeding. The maximum fill level is indicated by a line which must not be exceeded.
Please note: the heavier the paper, the fewer sheets you need to put in the tray. Photo paper, printing board and other sheets that are very thick should be fed individually.
Tip # 4:
You can avoid paper jams and other similar annoyances by setting up your device correctly. Always adapt the settings to the paper you are using to do this. Printers are set by default to feed standard 80gsm paper. If you want to use heavier or thicker sheets then you should configure your machine accordingly.
Generally speaking, modern printers can operate with a weight of up to 200 g / m². However, some devices can print on thicker paper. Just consult your printer’s manual to use the optimal paper.
Tip # 5:
The two-sided printing on the coated paper is a common cause driving problems of the paper. This problem occurs frequently on inkjet printers.
The coated paper has a smooth, slippery back . This is not a problem with normal printing. But if you use photo paper that can be printed on both sides and the surfaces do not slide well over each other. Which can cause problem with feed.
The ambient atmosphere is particularly decisive in this case (see tip no. 2). The wet paper presents strong surface friction, which causes two sheets to be fed at the same time.