If your printer indicates it’s out of paper, it implies you need to feed sheets of paper into the printer’s input tray. When the input tray contains paper sheets yet your printer indicates it is out of paper, you have a printer problem. If you are experiencing this issue with your printer, don’t worry; we are here to assist you. This tutorial will teach you how to fix a printer that continually reports “out of paper,” as well as the reasons for this problem and viable solutions.
Why is the printer reporting that it is out of paper?
When you face this printer problem, you may be certain that anything associated with your printer, either software or hardware, is failing. However, there might be multiple explanations for this mistake, and you must understand each one individually before you can solve it. Let’s have a look at the most common reasons for this printer problem.
Incorrectly stacked paper sheets:
If you stack various sizes of paper sheets combined or if the paper sheets are not properly stacked, you may encounter an ‘out of paper’ message. This is because the paper detector on your printer has difficulty identifying a paper sheet if it is of varied sizes and not correctly stacked.
Paper Sheets of Poor Quality:
If the paper sheets you’re using for printing are too thin, your printer may struggle to pick them up properly. In this scenario, you will see the ‘out of paper’ error.
Paper Input Tray Overflow:
If you have many paper sheets in your printer’s input tray, your printer will struggle to draw the paper page inside for printing due to overload.
Print Rollers That Are Dirty:
If your printer’s print rollers are unclean, they will move very slowly or, worse, become jammed. In this case, your printer will not be able to draw paper and will display a ‘out of paper’ message.
Improper Current Distribution in Printer:
Sometimes when the printer fails to appropriately distribute current to all of your printer’s mechanisms. This might potentially be one of the reasons for the error.
Incorrect Paper Settings:
If you have specified a different kind of paper in your printing properties and are putting another type of paper into the input tray, your printer may display an ‘out of paper’ error because it is attempting to identify the paper type that you have assigned in the settings.
Currently Pending Print Jobs:
If you have any print jobs in your printer’s print queue, it will continue to try to print them, but if it fails, it will display some error, and the ‘out of paper’ message might be one of those problems.
Print Spooler Services Issue:
Spooler is a Windows service that is required for your printer to work properly. If this service is interrupted or not running correctly, your printer will display errors, including the ‘out of paper’ message.
Invalid Printer Driver:
Your printer’s drivers must be kept up to date in order to operate properly. If your printer is constantly claiming “out of paper,” an inadequate printer driver might be to blame.
We have supplied a number of explanations for the printer ‘out of paper’ problem, which you may think excessive, but the remedies provided below will assist you in addressing these errors by eliminating their underlying cause.
The majority of printer problems are caused by missing or faulty drivers. An automatic driver updater can help you swiftly resolve issues and maintain your computer up to date. We recommend that you download DriverFix.
How to Repair a Printer That Keeps Saying “Out of Paper”?
Now that you’ve determined the root reason of the printer’s out of paper warning, it’s time to consider remedies. There are several solutions to this problem since there are numerous causes. These answers have been explained one by one, and you should implement them in the order they have been stated. This will assist you in resolving the problem with the least amount of work and time.
1) Arrange and double-check paper sheets
Examine the paper sheets you’ve saved for printing in your printer’s input tray. Examine the following directions to ensure that there are no issues.
Printing paper comes in a variety of sizes. Ensures that all of the pages inside the tray are the same size and appropriately stacked. To correctly stack your papers, hold them together and tap them on a flat surface, such as a table, so that the edges of the sheets are aligned, then insert them back into the input tray.
To avoid paper overload, don’t place more than 25 sheets of paper in the input tray. Don’t push the paper towards the printer while using the slider to keep the paper sheets in place.
After you’ve completed the above steps, try printing with your printer. If your printer keeps posting that it is out of paper, proceed to the following step.
2) Reinstall the printer
When you restart your printer, its current is entirely discharged. This guarantees that the following time you start your printing, all of its parts will receive enough electricity to function appropriately. To reset your printer, follow the instructions outlined below.
- When your printer is turned on, remove the power wire from the back of the printer and then the power connector from the wall socket.
- Allow at least 15 seconds for your printers to completely shut down.
- Replace the power plug in the wall outlet and reconnect the cord to the back of your printer.
- To restart your printer, hit the power button on the back of the printer.
Try printing with your printer; if it displays a ‘out of paper’ message, go to the next remedy listed below.
3) Examine the Printer’s Rear Panel Cover
If your printer’s back panel is loose or if there is any paper trapped there, the ‘out of paper’ message may appear. To address this problem, follow the instructions outlined below.
By clicking the ‘Power’ button, you can turn off your printer.
Examine the printer’s back panel. If it’s loose, pull it out and correctly reinstall it.
Also, make sure there is no paper stuck behind the printer’s back panel. If you notice any scraps of paper, gently remove them without hurting the printer rollers.
4) Clean the Printer’s Paper Rollers
The ‘out of paper’ error might be caused by filthy paper rollers in your printer. To resolve this issue, wipe your newspaper rollers with a clean, wet lint-free cloth. To clean your printer’s paper rollers, follow the methods outlined below.
- By clicking the ‘Power’ button on your printer, you may turn it off.
- Remove the power wire from the back of your printer as well as the power connector from the wall outlet.
- As in Solution 3, remove the rear panel of your printer.
- You should now be able to view your printer’s paper rollers. Wipe each paper roller carefully with a clean cotton towel dampened with distilled water. While cleaning the paper rollers, carefully twist them upwards to ensure that the entire roller is cleaned. Finally, let the rollers dry.
- Replace the printer’s rear panel cover properly. Connect the printer’s power wire to the wall socket.
Turn on your printer and try printing some pages. If the ‘out of paper’ error persists, proceed to the next solution.
5) Examine the Print Spooler Service
You’ve tried numerous printer hardware fixes, but your printer still says it’s out of paper. As a result, the issue might be software-related. The first thing you should check is if the print spooler Microsoft service is operational. Follow the instructions below.
- To launch the run dialogue box, press the ‘Win’ + ‘R’ buttons on your keyboard at the same time. In the Run dialogue box, type services.msc’ and press the ‘OK’ button.
- In the list of services, look for ‘Print Spooler’ and see if it is ‘Running’ or not. If this service is not already operating, right-click the ‘Print Spooler’ service and select ‘Start’ from the menu.
- Wait for the service to begin.
- Finally, the Print Spooler service will be marked as ‘Running.’
- Shut off the Services window.
Now, try printing with your printer to see whether the ‘out of paper’ problem has been resolved. If the error persists, proceed to the next remedy.
6) Modify the Paper Settings
Check that the paper sheets in the input tray are the same size as the ones specified in the printer control panel. This might assist you in resolving the printer out of paper issue.
- Enter ‘control’ in the search box and select ‘Control Panel’ from the results.
- Select ‘Small icons’ in the Control Panel window, then click on the ‘Devices and Printers’ option.
- Locate and right-click on your printer in the Printers area, then select ‘Printer properties’ from the choices.
- Set the paper size for the paper sheets you intend to print with your printer in the Printer Properties box, under the ‘Paper’ option. Finally, press the ‘OK’ button.
Print some pages using your printer. If you are still experiencing the ‘out of paper’ issue, proceed to the next remedy.