'Out of Paper' Error Message and the Printer Does Not Pick Up or Feed Paper

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'Out of Paper' Error Message and the Printer Does Not Pick Up or Feed Paper

Issue

The error message 'Out of Paper ' displays on the control panel and the product does not pick up or feed the paper from the tray. The product might make noises as though it is printing, but no paper moves through it.

A paper feed issue can occur for several reasons, such as dusty or contaminated paper rollers, the condition of the paper in the tray, or even issues with the software.

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Experiencing frequent or recurring paper jams?

The following recommendations can help prevent recurring paper jams in your HP product.

Before loading paper in the tray, hold the stack of paper, and then tap the bottom edge on a flat surface so that the stack is even on all sides.
Make sure that the length and width adjusters on the tray are correctly positioned, and then push the stack of paper forward until it stops in the tray.

CAUTION:Do not force the paper to move too far forward in the tray.
Do not overload the tray with paper.
Only add paper to the tray when the product is not printing.
Make sure the HP product supports the paper type. See the documentation that came with the HP product for more information.
Do not print on paper with paper clips or staples attached.
Do not use paper that is bent, torn, dusty, damp, wrinkled, curled, or paper that does not lie flat.
Use only one type of paper at a time. Do not mix different types, weights, or sizes of paper.
Do not use paper that is too thin, too thick, or too glossy for the product.

Causes

The following factors can cause paper jams:

Paper loaded incorrectly in the paper tray.
Damaged or dirty paper rollers.
Torn, wrinkled, or damp paper loaded in the paper tray.
The rear access door or two-sided printing accessory (duplexer) might not be closed or is not locked into place.
Paper was added to a stack already in the tray while the HP product was printing.
The tray contains more than one type of paper.
The paper is jammed inside the HP product where you cannot see it.
An obstruction is blocking the paper path.
Torn pieces of paper from a previous jam are stuck in the product.
The tray is too full.
If printing on an envelope, the edges of the envelope are bent.

Solutions

To resolve the issue, try each solution below in the order presented. When a solution resolves the issue, and the product successfully prints a self-test report, there is no need to continue troubleshooting.

The following video demonstrates what to do when the printer does not pick up or feed paper. The outside of the product might look different, but the steps are the same for your product.

If you have trouble viewing the video or to view the video in a different size, click here to play the video on YouTube.

Solution one: Perform a reset

Sometimes, restarting the product can clear a paper feed issue. Follow these steps to perform a product reset.

Step one: Reset the product

1. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.
2. With the product turned on , disconnect the power cord from the rear of the product.
3. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
4. Wait at least 30 seconds.
5. Plug the power cord back into the wall outlet.
6. Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the product.
7. If the product does not turn on by itself, press the Power button ( ) to turn it on.

Step two: Print a self-test report

Follow these steps to print a self-test report.

IMPORTANT : Try printing a self-test report, even if the solution resolves the issue.

1. Load plain white paper in the input tray.
2. Touch the lower-left corner of the control panel 4 times until Support Menu displays on the control panel, and then touch OK .
   

   NOTE:The OK button becomes visible when you access the Support Menu
   Figure 1: Touch the lower left of the control panel

   

   1 - Lower-left corner of the control panel
3. Touch the Menu button ( ) next to Support in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Reports Menu displays, and then touch OK .
4. Touch the Menu button ( ) in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Printer Status Report displays, and then touch OK .
   The product prints the self-test report.

If the self-test report prints , try printing the original document again. If the issue is resolved, there is no need to continue troubleshooting.
If the issue persists , continue with the next solution.
If the self-test report does not print , continue with the next solution.

Solution two: Check the condition of the paper, and then reload it

Paper feed issues might result from dusty, torn, wrinkled, wet, or folded paper in the tray. The quality of the paper can also make a difference. Use only good quality paper that meets product specifications. Follow these steps to check the condition of the paper.

Step one: Check the condition of the paper

1. Remove the stack of paper from the tray.
2. Check for obstructions inside the tray. Use a flashlight to view the mechanism inside the tray to make sure that nothing blocks the paper from engaging with the rollers. Even small pieces of paper can cause paper feed issues.
   

   NOTE:If you find obstructions in the paper path, skip to the section on cleaning the rollers.
3. Examine the condition of the paper, and then replace any ripped, dusty, curled, wrinkled, or bent paper.
4. Make sure that all the paper in the stack is the same size and type. Never load mixed types of paper in the tray. The product can only process one type of paper at a time.
5. Tap the stack of paper on a flat surface to align the edges.
6. Make sure that the stack of paper contains no fewer than 10 sheets and no more than 25 sheets of paper.
   

   NOTE:You need to use 10 to 25 sheets of paper only for purposes of these troubleshooting steps. When the issue is resolved, you can resume loading paper according to the paper tray capacity specifications for your product.

Step two: Reload the paper

1. Lower the output tray, and then slide the paper width guide out as far as it will go.
   Figure 2: Lower the output tray, and then slide the paper width guide

   
2. Load the paper into the tray with the short edge forward and the print side down. Slide the stack of paper forward until it stops.
   Figure 3: Load the paper

   
   

   NOTE:Make sure that all the paper in the stack is the same size and type and is free from rips, dust, wrinkles, and curled or bent edges.
3. Slide the paper width guide inward until it stops at the edge of the paper. Do not push the guide in so tightly that it binds against the paper.
   Figure 4: Slide the paper width guide in

   

Step three: Print a self-test report

Follow these steps to print a self-test report.

IMPORTANT : Try printing a self-test report, even if the solution resolves the issue.

1. Load plain white paper in the input tray.
2. Touch the lower-left corner of the control panel 4 times until Support Menu displays on the control panel, and then touch OK .
   

   NOTE:The OK button becomes visible when you access the Support Menu
   Figure 5: Touch the lower left of the control panel

   

   1 - Lower-left corner of the control panel
3. Touch the Menu button ( ) next to Support in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Reports Menu displays, and then touch OK .
4. Touch the Menu button ( ) in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Printer Status Report displays, and then touch OK .
   The product prints the self-test report.

If the self-test report prints , try printing the original document again. If the issue is resolved, there is no need to continue troubleshooting.
If the issue persists , continue with the next solution.
If the self-test report does not print , continue with the next solution.

Solution three: Clean the rollers

Dust or paper residue on the rollers inside the product can cause paper feed issues. Follow these steps to clean the rollers.

Step one: Clean the rollers in the rear of the product

1. Gather the following materials:
   A clean, lint-free cloth, or any cloth that will not come apart or leave fibers
   Distilled, filtered, or bottled water (tap water might damage the product)
   Clean, lint-free cotton swabs
2. Press the Power button ( ) to turn off the product.
3. Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the product.
4. Press the tab on the left side of the rear access door, and then pull the door outward to remove it.
   Figure 6: Remove the rear access door

   
5. Lightly dampen a clean, lint-free cloth with bottled or distilled water, and then squeeze any excess liquid from the cloth.
6. Press the cloth against the rollers, and then rotate them upward with your fingers. Apply a moderate amount of pressure to remove any dust or dirt buildup.
   Figure 7: Rotate and clean the rollers

   
7. Lightly dampen a cotton swab.
8. Locate the two internal pick rollers just inside the rear of the product.
   Figure 8: Location of internal pick rollers

   
   Figure 9: The two internal pick rollers

   
9. Place the swab against the internal pick rollers, and then rotate them upward with your fingers to remove any dust or dirt buildup.
10. Allow the rollers to dry for 10 or 15 minutes.
11. Gently push the rear access door into the product until it snaps firmly into place.
    Figure 10: Reattach the rear access door

    
12. Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the product.
13. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.

Step two: Print a self-test report

Follow these steps to print a self-test report.

IMPORTANT : Try printing a self-test report, even if the solution resolves the issue.

1. Load plain white paper in the input tray.
2. Touch the lower-left corner of the control panel 4 times until Support Menu displays on the control panel, and then touch OK .
   

   NOTE:The OK button becomes visible when you access the Support Menu
   Figure 11: Touch the lower left of the control panel

   

   1 - Lower-left corner of the control panel
3. Touch the Menu button ( ) next to Support in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Reports Menu displays, and then touch OK .
4. Touch the Menu button ( ) in the upper-right corner of the control panel until Printer Status Report displays, and then touch OK .
   The product prints the self-test report.

If the self-test report prints , try printing the original document again. If the issue is resolved, there is no need to continue troubleshooting.
If the self-test report prints, but the original document does not , continue to the next solution in this document.
If the self-test report does not print , try printing the report again. Listen for the rubber paper-pick rollers; you should be able to hear them rotating. Then, try slowly pushing the paper farther in until the roller engages to pick up the paper. Be careful not to push the paper in too far, which can cause paper jams.
If the self-test report does not print when slowly pushing the paper farther in , repeat the previous steps to clean the rollers again. If the issue continues after repeated cleaning, skip the next solution in this document, and then service the product.
If the self-test report prints when slowly pushing the paper farther in , try printing the original document again. The paper might not be loaded far enough into the product. If the issue is resolved, there is no need to continue troubleshooting.
If the paper only feeds through the product when you slowly push it farther in , repeat the previous steps to clean the rollers again. If the issue continues after repeated cleaning, skip the next solution in this document, and then service the product.

Solution four: Adjust the paper settings in the print driver

The product might not pick up paper if the paper size and type in the paper tray do not match the size and type settings in the print driver. Follow these steps in the order presented to make sure that the driver paper settings match the paper in the tray.

1. Return to the document you were trying to print when the issue occurred.
2. Click File , and then click Print . The Print window opens.
   Figure 12: Click File, and then click Print

   
3. Click the button that opens the Properties dialog box. Depending on the software program, the button might be Properties , Options , Printer Setup , Printer , or Preferences .
4. Click the Features tab.
5. From the Paper type drop-down list, select the paper type that matches the paper in the product.
6. From the Size drop-down list, select the paper size that matches the paper in the product.
   For example, if you have 101.6 x 152.4 mm (4 x 6 inch) photo paper loaded in the paper tray, select 4x6in. or 4x6in. (tab) .
   If the required paper size is not in the drop-down list, follow these steps to create a custom paper size.
   Select Custom from the Size drop-down list or the Custom tab.
   In the Name dialog box, type a name for the new custom size.
   In the Width and Length boxes, type the dimensions.
   Select the unit of measurement, and then click Save .
   Click OK to close the Custom Paper Size dialog box, and then click OK again to close the Properties dialog box.
   

   NOTE:You must exit the Properties dialog box to apply your changes.
   Open the Properties dialog box again, and then select the new custom size from the Size drop-down list.
7. Click OK , and then click OK again to print the document.

If the document prints , the issue is resolved, and there is no need to continue troubleshooting.
If the document prints on plain white paper , but not a special paper type, there is no need to continue troubleshooting. The problem is probably related to the paper that you were trying to print on, or possibly a connectivity problem. Review the Cause and Prevention sections at the end of this document to check other possibilities.
If the document does not print , continue with the next solution.

Solution five: Service the product

IMPORTANT : Only service the product if you have already tried all of the previous solutions and the product does not print a self-test report on plain white paper.

There might be a problem with the product hardware or a component may not be functioning correctly. The next step is to service the product.

The product needs service

If you have completed all of the steps above and the issue is not resolved, the product requires service. Click continue to view the support solutions HP has to offer.