Printers can be a nightmare when they malfunction. One problem that sometimes develops is a printer that won’t feed paper through. The problem may be a case where the printer is not picking up the paper at all or the paper is picked up but is not making it through.

Fix a Printer that won’t feed paper through

When you have a printer that won’t feed paper through, you should observe where the obstruction seems to be. Take notice if it is at the feed tray if the paper goes in partially, or if it goes in fully but does not exit. These will give you a clue as to the potential problem. This article will show the possible causes of a printer that won’t feed paper through and the solutions.

1. Problem with the feed tray
2. Unsupported paper
3. Humidity
4. Loading the wrong side of the paper
5. Paper fed at an angle

1] Problem with the feed tray

Printers use different mechanisms to hold and feed paper into the printer. There are feed trays that have springs under the paper, and the spring will push the papers up so that the printer can grab them. Some printers depend on the papers being held by guides while the rollers grab the papers. The feed mechanism whether at the tray or feeder is the first step to the printing process. If the printer won’t take up the paper from this point then you know that there is a problem with the feed mechanism.

If your printer uses springs to raise the papers to the feeder mechanism, check if the springs are working properly. Constant use can cause them to become worn. If the feed tray is removable, check to see that it is correctly placed where the feed rollers can get the paper. If you use a lot of matte paper, or if you are in an area which lots of dust, the print rollers can become clogged making them unable to grab the paper properly.  To clean the roller, use distilled water and cotton swabs to remove dust, debris, and ink. When they are cleaned use regular paper to run through the printer to dry off excess water. You can also use a recommended rubber roller restores to put on the rollers, to keep them from breaking down.

2] Unsupported paper

Printers have papers that they use quite easily. Printers cannot use paper that is too thin unless the printer has settings that will allow it to accommodate thin paper. If the paper is too thick certain printers cannot handle them. Printers may have problems grabbing or completing a print cycle with paper that is too glossy. If your printer grabs the paper but it is not complete the print cycle, you may have some paper that may not be appropriate for the printer or the printer’s print settings may need changing.

Paper too thin

Observe when the problem occurs, is it with all paper or with just certain paper? When paper is too thin (sometimes you can feel it), the printer may take it in but the leading edge of the paper will crumple. This will make it unable to make it through. Very thin paper is better for typewriters and may still be found in stores. Be sure to inspect your paper and choose thicker paper for your printer. Observe the gsm on the paper’s package and check if your printer supports that thickness.

Adjust print settings for certain paper

Your printer won’t feed paper through that are over a certain thickness or too glossy if certain print settings are not adjusted. If you want to print on thicker or glossier paper, you need to check if your printer has settings that will make it take those papers.

Read: What is Double Printing or Ghost Printing?

3] Humidity

Your printer may have a problem completing a printing process if the surrounding is too humid. Humidity at times affects the paper making it harder for the printer to hold it. humidity also affects the ink or toner drying quickly enough, which can make the paper get stuck. Do you notice that whenever there is rain you get more frequent paper jams?  Get devices to keep your office or print room at the proper humidity.

Read: Printer says paper jam when there is no paper jam

4] Loading the wrong side of the paper+

Some paper may look all the same, however, the instructions on the paper indicate that there is a printing side. Failure to load the paper properly may cause the paper to not go through the printer. The paper may not get picked up from the feed tray or the paper may get picked up but not make it through the printer.

Place the paper into the paper following the instructions of the paper’s manufacturer. You would need to know how your printer prints when the paper goes in. With some printers, you need to place the paper with the printing side down, and with some printers, you need to place the printing surface up.

Read: Printer not printing anything on paper

5] Paper fed at an angle

Some printers have a special feeder where you can load envelopes or special paper. When feeding by hand, there is a chance that you will feed the paper at an angle.

If you have to feed the paper manually, ensure that the paper is held properly. Ensure that both edges are equally placed in the feeder.

Read: Printer keeps pausing during printing

How do I rejuvenate printer rollers?

To clean the print rollers, the best option is to use distilled water on cotton swabs,  you can also use an alcohol-based cleaner but this is not recommended as these will dry out the rubber over time. You can purchase a recommended rubber rejuvenator and spray or rub it on the rubber print rollers.

What are signs that a printer drum needs replacing?

As the drum unit fails, images and text might gradually start to fade. After that, blank or white patches will appear on your printed documents. When the drum has failed, the entire printout will be blank. At this time, you must replace the drum unit to continue printing.