How to Clear a Printer Paper Jam
When your printer indicates that it is jammed, this does not mean that you need to contact a costly repair technician. As long as you treat your printer carefully, you can easily clear even the most difficult paper jams on your own. Different error codes indicate different problems on various brands of printers, so consult your user manual if you are unsure what a particular error code means.
Items Needed:
- Old newspaper
Instructions:
- Turn off the printer and unplug it from the power supply.
- Open the lid or doors and look for jammed paper or the edges of paper. In some printers, you may need to remove the toner cartridge in order to see the paper path. If this is the case with your printer, remove the toner cartridge and place it on some old newspaper to protect your carpet and other surfaces.
- Grasp the paper firmly with both hands and gently pull. The paper should slide out. Carefully check the entire paper path to see if other papers are jammed as well. Remove each jammed paper that you find in the same manner.
- Replace the toner cartridge if you had to remove it and close the printer lids or doors.
- Plug the printer back into the power supply and turn it on.
- Allow the printer to run through any self-diagnostic tests that it normally goes through when you power it on.
- Check the printer's display to see if the printer is still indicating a paper jam. If the printer is still indicating a jam, start over from step one to find the jam.
- Print a test page from your computer to make sure the jam is fully cleared and the printer is operational again.