How to Avoid Paper Jams On a Printer

The HP Officejet 5600 series of All-in-One printers can handle a wide variety of paper sizes and types. These printers are engineered to provide quiet, consistent service with a minimum of maintenance, but occasionally paper gets jammed in the works creating unnecessary delays and possible costly servicing. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to avoid paper jams.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A resealable bag
• HP Approved printer paper

1. Remove printer paper from its original packaging. Insert all unused paper into a large, resealable bag. Store the bag with the unused paper on a hard, flat surface away from extremes of heat and humidity to prevent curling, bending, ripping and wrinkles which can cause paper jams.

2. Remove only the amount of paper you need for a particular job from the resealable bag. Tap the paper stack on a hard flat surface to align the edges. Check the paper for rips, curls, wrinkles or bent edges. Remove and discard any unsatisfactory pages.

3. Insure all paper in the stack is the same size and type. Insure only paper types recommended for the HP All-in-One printer is being used. Recommended paper types can be found online at www.hp.com/support/inkjet_media.

4. Insure the HP Officejet All-in-one printer is not currently servicing a print job. Remove any original papers from the copier glass.

5. Insert the stack of paper into the input tray, short edge forward. Slide the stack forward until it stops. Do not force the stack beyond its initial stopping point.

6. Slide the paper width guide inward until the paper is held snugly in the input tray, but not so tightly that it bends the paper. Insure the stack of paper does not extend higher than the top of the paper width guide.

7. Observe the printer during operation. Promptly remove printed pages from the output tray.

Tips & Warnings

• The paper stop within the HP Officejet 5600 All-in-One printer may not be in place while it is servicing the print cartridges. If you try to load paper at this time you may push the paper in too far resulting in a paper jam.
• Fan labels before inserting them into the paper guide to prevent the pages from sticking together and causing a paper jam.
• Don’t print labels on sheets that are more than 2 years old. The labels may peel off inside the printer resulting in paper jams.

Resources

• HP Printers