HP Printer Paper Jam: How to Clear It and Stop It Coming Back

Your HP printer stopped halfway through a page, and now it says there's a paper jam. Sometimes the problem is obvious, like a crumpled sheet sticking out of the tray. Other times it's a torn strip the size of a postage stamp tucked under the carriage, or there's no paper anywhere and the message still won't go away.

This guide follows HP's own jam-clearing documents for DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet Pro, Smart Tank, and LaserJet printers. It shows you where to look on your kind of printer, what the jam codes mean, how to handle a jam that isn't really there, and what to change so the next one doesn't happen.

The short version: press Cancel or OK once. Then check every spot HP lists for your printer: the input tray, the output tray, the cartridge area, the rear door or duplexer, the underside on some models, and the document feeder. Pull paper out slowly with both hands, do a 60-second power reset, and clean the rollers if jams keep coming back.

Before You Start

A minute of prep here keeps you from tearing the sheet and turning one jam into three.

• Read the screen. Many HP printers name the spot ("Paper is jammed in Tray 2") or play a short animation showing which door to open. Write down any code you see.
• Grab a flashlight. Most leftover scraps get found with a light, not with your fingers.
• Leave the tools in the drawer. HP specifically says not to use tweezers, needle-nose pliers, or anything sharp to remove a jam. Use both hands and pull slowly.
• Unplug before your hands go inside. On an inkjet, open the ink cartridge door while the printer is still on and wait for the carriage to stop moving. Then unplug the power cord. HP is firm about this: disconnect the power before you reach inside, to avoid injury or an electric shock.
• Let a LaserJet cool. Turn it off first. The fuser, the part that melts toner onto the page, sits just above the rear door on many models and gets hot. Don't reach into that area until it has cooled.
• Keep Smart Tank printers level. HP warns that tilting an ink tank printer can spill ink. Only tip yours if HP's steps for your model say to, and close the ink tank caps first.
• Leave the input tray shield alone. If your DeskJet or Smart Tank has a flap over the paper slot, don't take it off. HP says it keeps debris from falling into the paper path and causing more jams.

HP Paper Jam Codes and Lights: What Your Printer Is Telling You

HP printers don't all report a jam the same way. Find what you're seeing, note where it points, and jump to that step below.

The smaller LaserJet Pro MFP M28 to M31 uses Er/04, Er/05, and Er/06 for the same three spots: the input tray, the toner cartridge area, and the output bin.

Business LaserJets (Enterprise and Managed models) use longer codes, such as 13.B9 for a jam in the fuser or 13.D3 for the duplexer, and the screen plays an animation of the door to open. Codes ending in .FF, like 13.A2.FF, mean a scrap is still in the paper path and the printer can't push it out by itself.

Not a paper jam: "Carriage Jam" or E3 means the ink carriage can't move. A scrap of paper can cause it, but the fix is different. Our HP printer error codes guide covers it, along with every other HP code.

How to Fix an HP Printer Paper Jam

Work through these in order and try printing after each one. HP's advice is the same for every model: if you can't find the paper in one spot, move on to the next until you do. Not every printer has every area, so skip what yours doesn't have. The model table further down shows which spots apply to popular HP printers.

Step 1: Press Cancel or OK and let the printer try

On many DeskJet, ENVY, and Smart Tank printers, HP's first step is just pressing the Cancel button (the X). The printer tries to clear the jam by itself, and sometimes that's all it takes. On a printer with a touchscreen, follow the prompts and touch OK. If the error stays, keep going.

Step 2: Clear the input tray

1. Take out the loose paper, or pull the tray out if it slides out.
2. Shine your flashlight into the slot. Pull any jammed sheet out slowly with both hands so it comes out in one piece.
3. Throw away any sheet that's creased, torn, or curled. Don't put it back in the stack. HP's LaserJet paper guide warns that reusing jammed paper can damage the printer.
4. Reload a neat, flat stack. Slide the guides in until they rest against the edges of the paper, and keep the stack under the fill marks. On LaserJet Pro M404 and M405 trays, the rear guide should click into the notch for your paper size.

On LaserJets with a front-loading tray, such as the LaserJet MFP M232 to M237 and the Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3300, HP advises against pulling jammed paper back out through the front. It tends to tear and leave pieces behind. Clear it through the toner door or the rear door instead.

Step 3: Check the output tray

If a sheet is stuck where pages come out, hold the edge that's showing and pull it gently toward you with both hands. Then shine the flashlight into the slot, because a sliver of paper on the output rollers is easy to miss. On a LaserJet Pro M404 or M405, HP's steps for output bin jams (13.10, 13.11, 13.13) send you to the rear door next if you can't reach the sheet from the front.

Step 4: Open the cartridge access area

On inkjets (DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, Smart Tank):

1. Open the ink cartridge access door (the front door on Smart Tank models) with the printer on. Wait for the carriage to stop moving.
2. Unplug the power cord.
3. Look under and around the carriage with your flashlight. If it moves freely, slide it gently left and right by hand and pull out any paper or debris.
4. On the OfficeJet Pro 9010 and 9020 series and the ENVY 6000 and 6400 series, there's a removable paper path cover behind the carriage area. Take it out and check underneath. On the ENVY models, also lift the small flip gate on the duplex rollers and look under it.
5. Put everything back. If the access door won't close all the way, the paper path cover probably isn't seated. Press it down until it snaps into place.
6. Plug the printer back in and turn it on.

If the carriage won't budge, don't force it. HP warns that forcing a locked or stuck carriage can damage the printer. On Smart Tank printers, don't open the printhead cover unless HP's instructions for your model tell you to.

On LaserJets:

1. Turn the printer off.
2. Open the front door or toner cartridge door and take out the toner cartridge. Set it on a sheet of paper. If it'll be out for more than a minute or two, cover it with another sheet, since HP says light can damage the cartridge.
3. If there's a jam-access cover or a green handle, lift it.
4. Pull out any paper slowly with both hands.
5. If you see a black, spongy roller inside, leave it alone. On models like the LaserJet Pro P1100 series, HP warns that touching this transfer roller can damage the printer.
6. Put the cartridge back and close the door.

Step 5: Open the rear door, duplexer, or paper path cover

Two-sided printing sends every sheet through this area, so check it carefully if the jam happened on a two-sided job.

• Most models: Open the rear access door (some have tabs to press first), pull out any paper with both hands, and close the door until it latches.
• OfficeJet Pro 8720, 8730, and 8740 series: Behind the rear door there's also a paper path cover. Press its two tabs inward to remove it, clear the paper, and put it back. These models also have a duplex door above the input tray. Pull the input tray out, pull the duplex door toward you, press down to open the inner door, and check in there too.
• OfficeJet Pro 9010 and 9020 series: HP's rear door steps are for 9020 models only. On the 9010 series, you clear jams from inside the printer and the trays.
• Smart Tank 790 and 7600: Besides the rear door, there's a duplexer plate in the gap left when you remove the input and output trays. Pull it out, check for paper, and push it back in.
• LaserJets: Open the rear door and pull jammed paper straight out. On many models, including the Color LaserJet Pro M454, the fuser sits just above the rear door and it's hot. Don't reach up into that area until it has cooled. On the LaserJet MFP M232 to M237, Er/42 points here.

Step 6: Check underneath (some models)

Several HP printers have a cleanout door on the bottom. Use it only after you've checked everywhere else.

• DeskJet 2700 to 5800 series (the E4 models): Turn the printer off and unplug the power cord and any other cables. Close the trays. Hold the scanner lid and input tray shut with your hands while you turn the printer to reach the underside. Pull the tabs on both sides of the cleanout door, clear any paper (the flashlight helps), and close the door until both latches snap.
• ENVY 6000 and 6400 series: With the printer off and unplugged, hold the top with one hand and turn the printer on its side. Slide the input tray up to reach the cleanout area, and check the paper pick rollers while you're there. Once it's upright again, open the ink cartridge door and remove anything that shifted while it was on its side.
• Smart Tank 5000 and 5100 series: HP treats the bottom access door as a last resort. Make sure the ink tank caps are firmly closed, then follow HP's steps for your model exactly, since they involve parking the carriage and resting the printer on its front for a short time. HP warns not to leave it tilted for long.
• LaserJet MFP M232 to M237: Turn the printer off and set it on its side. Hold the green latch to release the bottom panel, clear any paper, and lock the panel back in place. An Er/04 can point here.

Step 7: Clear the document feeder (all-in-ones)

If the jam happened while you were copying or scanning from the top tray, the paper is in the automatic document feeder (ADF).

1. Take the loose originals out of the feeder tray.
2. Lift the feeder cover (some models call it the jam-access cover) and pull the stuck page out of the rollers with both hands.
3. Lift the feeder's input tray and check underneath, where originals come out.
4. On some models, such as the Color LaserJet Pro MFP 3300, also open the scanner lid and check behind the white backing.
5. Close everything firmly until it clicks.

Before you feed originals again, take out staples and paper clips. HP also notes that originals on heavy or glossy paper jam more often than plain paper.

Step 8: Do HP's 60-second power reset

Once the paper is out, reset the printer. HP says a reset can clear a jam error that lingers after the paper is gone.

1. Turn the printer off, then unplug the power cord from the printer and from the wall.
2. Wait 60 seconds.
3. Plug it straight into a wall outlet, not a power strip or surge protector. HP recommends a direct wall connection.
4. Turn the printer on and print a test page.

HP Printer Says Paper Jam but There's No Paper

HP calls this a false paper jam, and its documents say the same steps apply whether the jam is real or not. In practice, a jam message with no visible paper usually comes down to a scrap you haven't found yet, something blocking a sensor, or a carriage that can't move freely. Try these after the eight steps above.

1. Look again in the places people skip. The underside cleanout door, the paper path cover behind the carriage, the duplexer, and the document feeder. Run the flashlight along the rollers, not just the open spaces. A torn corner left from the last jam is the classic culprit.
2. New printer? Check for packing material. Tape, foam, or a bit of cardboard left in or behind the tray can stop the printer with an error the first time it runs. Pull the input tray out and look at the back of the slot.
3. Make sure the carriage moves freely (inkjets). With the access door open and the power cord unplugged, slide the carriage all the way left and right. If it stops partway, something is in its path. If it won't move at all, don't force it. That's a carriage problem, not a paper jam.
4. Run a sheet of photo paper through. For the OfficeJet Pro 9010 and 9020 series, HP suggests loading one letter-size sheet of photo paper and sending a blank print or copy job. The stiffer sheet can push small bits of paper out of the path. Afterward, pull out the input tray, lift the front of the printer, and remove any debris you find. It's a reasonable thing to try on similar OfficeJet Pro models too.
5. Match the paper settings. Every time you change the paper in the tray, change the paper size and type in the program you print from as well. HP's LaserJet paper guide points out that not every LaserJet can measure the paper on its own, and a wrong size setting can cause jams or error codes.
6. Clean the rollers. Dust and paper fiber on the rollers cause both real and false jams. The next section shows how.
7. Update the printer firmware. HP fixes printer problems through firmware updates. In the HP app, click your printer, open Advanced Settings, choose Printer Update (or Printer Updates), and click Check Now. On many printers with a screen, you can also go to Setup, then Printer Maintenance, then Update Printer. Don't turn the printer off while an update is running. HP warns that can permanently damage it.
8. Check the computer side. If the printer looks fine but your computer still shows an error, run Diagnose & Fix in the HP app. It can't pull paper out, but it can clear stuck jobs and common printing problems. HP retired HP Print and Scan Doctor in May 2025 and recommends removing it, so skip any guide that still sends you there.

When it's a broken sensor. Small plastic arms sit in the paper path, and each sheet pushes them as it goes by. Repair techs call them flags. If one sticks or snaps, which can happen when a jammed sheet gets yanked out, the printer keeps "seeing" paper that isn't there. Look for small bits of broken plastic in the trays. If the jam message comes back after every reset and the path is completely clear, the printer needs a repair. See When a Paper Jam Means a Repair below.

Clean the Paper Rollers on Your HP Printer

If your printer grabs two sheets at once, grabs nothing, or jams at the same point again and again, dirty rollers are a likely reason. HP says dust, paper fiber, and other debris build up on the paper feed rollers and cause jams and feed problems. Cleaning them takes a few minutes, plus drying time.

What you need:

• A lint-free cloth, or a long cotton swab for rollers deep inside the tray
• Distilled, filtered, or bottled water. HP says tap water might damage the printer.

Use the automatic cleaning (DeskJet and Smart Tank)

Some HP printers can clean their own pick rollers with a button sequence. Use the one for your model exactly as written:

Notice the difference: HP says to empty the tray on the DeskJets but load paper on the Smart Tanks. A DeskJet makes noise for about a minute while it cleans. Wait until the printer goes quiet before you print.

Clean the rollers by hand (inkjets)

1. Turn the printer off and unplug the power cord and any other cables.
2. Raise the input tray if needed, then lift and hold the input tray shield. Don't take it off.
3. Find the gray paper pick rollers inside the slot. A flashlight helps.
4. Dampen the swab or cloth with water and squeeze out the excess. It should be damp, not wet.
5. Press it against the rollers and turn them upward with your fingers, using moderate pressure, until you've cleaned the whole surface.
6. Let the rollers dry completely. HP says about 10 minutes, or 10 to 15 minutes on Smart Tank models.
7. Plug everything back in and turn the printer on.

On front-tray printers like the Smart Tank 790 and 7600, you reach the pick rollers through the gap left when you take out the input and output trays. OfficeJet Pro models also have rollers inside the cartridge access area and, on some models, behind the rear door. Clean those the same way. On an all-in-one, wipe the document feeder rollers and the separator pad under the feeder cover too.

Clean the pickup roller and separation pad (LaserJets)

On a LaserJet, the parts that pull paper from the tray are the pickup roller and the separation pad, a small pad that keeps two sheets from going through together. For a Tray 1 jam that keeps coming back (13.02), HP's advice is to clean both.

• On the LaserJet Pro 4001 to 4004 and MFP 4101 to 4104, the Tray 1 roller unclips and comes out through the toner cartridge door. Wipe it and the separation pad with a damp, lint-free cloth, then clip the roller back in.
• Try not to touch the spongy surfaces with your fingers. HP notes that skin oils and fingerprints on a roller can cause print quality problems.
• On some older models, such as the LaserJet Pro P1100 series, HP's instructions use isopropyl alcohol instead of water. Alcohol is flammable, so keep it away from any flame and let everything dry completely before you plug the printer back in. HP's advice for that series is to clean the pickup roller before you decide to replace it.
• If your LaserJet offers a cleaning page (in the printer's software or its control panel menus), run it. HP's paper guide explains that some papers shed talc and calcium carbonate that build up in the paper path and fuser, and a cleaning page can remove that buildup. Don't turn the printer off while it's running.

Where Paper Jams Hide on Popular HP Printers

HP's jam documents list different spots for each printer family. Find yours here, then use the matching steps above.

Don't see your model? Search HP's support site for your model name plus "paper jam." HP publishes a separate jam document for most printer families, usually with pictures of each door.

Why HP Printers Keep Jamming

One jam is bad luck. The same jam every few days has a cause, and the pattern usually points right at it.

How to Prevent the Next Jam

These habits come from HP's own prevention tips and its LaserJet paper guide.

When you load paper

• Use paper that lies flat, with no bent, torn, or curled edges.
• Keep one size and type in the tray at a time.
• Rest the guides against the edges of the stack, snug but not bending the paper.
• Don't overfill the tray, but keep at least five sheets in it. HP says that gives the best results.
• Don't push the stack too far into the tray.
• Don't add paper while the printer is printing. Wait until it finishes or asks for more.
• On a LaserJet, flex the stack back and forth before you load it, and don't fan it. HP's LaserJet guide says fanning traps air between the sheets, which can cause jams and double feeds.

When you switch to different paper

• Change the paper size and type in the print settings of the program you're using, every time.
• On a LaserJet, feed pages you're printing on a second time (manual two-sided printing) through Tray 1 or the manual feed slot. That's what HP recommends.
• Don't print two-sided on labels, envelopes, or transparencies in a LaserJet. HP says it can damage the printer.
• Never put transparency film made for inkjets into a laser printer. HP warns that the wrong film can melt or wrap around the fuser.
• On a LaserJet, don't reuse a label sheet with some labels already peeled off. HP's guide says the backing shouldn't be exposed.

Where you keep paper

• Leave paper in its wrapper until you need it, and rewrap an opened ream.
• Store it flat and off the floor, away from windows, vents, and direct sun.
• HP's LaserJet guide recommends 68°F to 75°F and 45% to 55% relative humidity for storing and printing.
• If paper has been somewhere much colder or warmer than the room with your printer, let it sit there in its wrapper before you open it. HP's rule of thumb is one day for every 20°F of difference.

Around the printer

• Take printed pages off the output tray regularly.
• Close the input tray, or take the paper out, if you won't print for a while.
• Keep the printer out of dusty spots, and leave the input tray shield in place.

When a Paper Jam Means a Repair

Most jams are a sheet of paper and five minutes of your time. A few are signs that a part has worn out or broken. It's time for service when:

• The jam message comes back right after every reset, even though you've checked every area with a flashlight and cleaned the rollers.
• You find small pieces of broken plastic in the tray or the paper path.
• The carriage won't move by hand, even with the paper path clear. Don't force it.
• The printer still won't pick up paper properly after a careful roller cleaning. Pickup rollers wear out with use. HP's business LaserJets show a "Replace Maintenance Kit" message, and HP notes that worn or damaged pickup rollers can be behind repeated jams on those models.
• Paper is stuck inside the fuser of a business LaserJet. On some models, HP's instructions involve removing the fuser, and HP warns that a scrap left behind it can block a temperature sensor and damage the fuser rollers. If you're not comfortable doing that, call a technician.

Your options:

• Check your warranty first with HP Warranty Check on HP's support site. HP says repair fees might apply once a product is out of warranty.
• Replace the worn parts. HP sells maintenance kits with new rollers for many business LaserJets, and your model's user guide tells you which one fits.
• Get a quote on older inkjets. For an older, inexpensive inkjet, ask for a repair price before you commit. The repair can cost close to what a new printer does.