A paper jam means a sheet, or a piece of one, is stuck somewhere between the tray and the output bin. Sometimes it's a whole page crumpled like an accordion. Other times it's a strip the size of a fingernail that tore off on the first pull, and that scrap is why the error won't go away.
Doors, levers, and trays sit in different places on different Xerox models, so treat the steps below as the general routine and let your control panel point you to the exact spot. This guide is independent and not affiliated with Xerox. If your model's own instructions say something different, follow those.
How to Clear a Paper Jam on a Xerox Printer
Read This First
- Heat. The fuser, the heated part near the rear exit, can burn you if the printer has been running. Let it cool before you reach into the back. Xerox tells owners of some models, such as the VersaLink B405, to wait at least 40 minutes, and its WorkCentre 6655 guide says the same when a sheet is wrapped around the heat roller.
- Tools. Leave the tweezers, pliers, and screwdrivers in the drawer. Xerox warns that clearing a jam with tools can permanently damage the printer, and one of its guides says never to push an object into the fuser while the printer is plugged in.
- Toner. Jammed pages can carry loose toner, so hold them by the edges. If it gets on your skin or clothes, use cool water, not hot.
Step 1: Read the Screen, Then Power Down if Needed
Look at the control panel before you open anything. A message on the display normally names the jam location, and some models show a short video or animation of the fix. Make a mental note of where it says to look.
If the message points to a paper tray, you can often leave the power on and follow the prompts. If you'll be reaching into the rear door, the fuser area, or behind the toner cartridge or imaging unit, turn the printer off and unplug it first. Some Xerox instructions call for powering down before that kind of work.
Step 2: Open Every Door and Slide Out the Trays
Open the front door, the rear door, and any side door, then pull the paper tray all the way out. If your machine has an optional second tray or a duplex unit (the part that flips a page to print the back side), check those too.
Don't pull anything yet. Just get the machine open so you can see inside. Jammed sheets tend to sit at the tray feed area, under the front cover near the toner cartridge, behind the rear door at the fuser, or up by the exit slot. Sometimes one long sheet runs through two of those spots at once.
Step 3: Pull the Paper Out the Way It Travels
Grab the sheet with both hands, as close to the stuck point as you can, and pull slowly in the direction it normally moves through the printer. Steady pressure works. Yanking tears the page, and the strip that stays behind is the one that keeps the error alive. Xerox says even a small piece left inside can cause another jam.
A flashlight helps here. Check the rollers, the gap under the toner cartridge or imaging unit, and the back edge of the tray slot for corners and scraps.
If the sheet won't budge at the fuser, don't fight it. On the VersaLink B400, B405, C400, and C405, you raise two green levers and lift a green handle at the back to loosen the fuser and paper guide. Other models use different releases, so follow the labels inside the door.
Once the sheet is out, throw it away. Xerox says not to load a jammed page again.
Step 4: Double-Check, Then Close Everything Firmly
Before you shut anything, take one more look through each area you opened. Torn corners and small scraps are easy to miss, and a leftover piece can keep the error on screen.
Put any levers and handles back where they started, then close the doors and slide the tray in until it seats fully. A door that's almost closed can keep the message up too, which is why Xerox lists closing every lever, cover, and door correctly as part of clearing a jam.
Step 5: Power On and Print One Test Page
Plug the printer back in, turn it on, and give it a minute to warm up and clear the message. Then load fresh, flat paper. Xerox suggests swapping in fresh sheets when jams keep coming back, since curled, damp, or damaged paper is a common cause.
Print a single page before you send the big job. If it comes out clean, you're done. If the jam message is gone but nothing prints, try our guide to a Xerox printer not printing. If it jams in the same spot again, the causes below will help you narrow down why.
Why Your Xerox Printer Keeps Jamming and How to Stop It
Most repeat jams come down to the paper or how it's loaded, not the printer itself. Work through this list before you assume something is broken.
- Overfilled tray or badly set guides. Load paper only up to the fill line, then slide the side and rear guides in until they lightly touch the stack. Guides that are too tight or too loose cause misfeeds, and Xerox warns that poor guide adjustment can damage the printer.
- Curled, damp, or wrinkled paper. Swap it for dry, flat sheets, and fan the stack before you load it so the sheets separate.
- The wrong paper settings. If the tray says plain paper and you loaded heavy stock, or the size is off, the printer feeds it wrong. Set the paper size and type on the control panel and in the print driver, and don't mix sizes, types, or weights in one tray.
- Paper the printer wasn't built for. Xerox specifically says to avoid coated paper made for inkjet printers. Labels and envelopes usually belong in the bypass tray, if your model has one, facing the way your model's guide shows.
- Air that's too damp or too dry. Humid rooms make paper wavy. Dry rooms build static, which makes sheets cling together and feed as a pair. Keep reams sealed until you need them, stack them flat, and store them away from direct sunlight. Paper handles best at roughly 68 to 76°F and 35 to 55 percent humidity.
- Dirty or worn rollers. Dust and paper fiber reduce the grip of the feed rollers, and over time the rubber wears out. Cleaning steps are in the FAQ below.
