How to Get Notebook Paper Out of a Jammed Printer

You must remove jammed paper carefully, or you can damage the printer.

Printer paper is specifically designed for use in printers. If you use paper that is not designed to make its way through the many rollers and other internal parts of a printer, the printer can very easily become jammed by the paper. This is especially true if you are using notebook paper that has any tears or hanging tabs of paper on one margin. While paper jams are not convenient, many times they are simple to remove yourself.

Instructions

1. Turn off the printer and unplug the power cord from the wall. If you leave the printer turned on once the jammed paper is removed, it could start to print again, injuring your fingers.

2. Open the paper drawers on your printer if it has any. If your printer is equipped with a paper tray, remove all the paper from the tray.

3. Check the paper feed area, near the paper tray or door. If you see any paper hanging out of the machine, pull on it lightly to remove it from the feed rollers.

4. Open the back door on the printer, or the side door if there is no back door. Firmly pull out any stuck paper. Turn the rollers with your hands and check for loose bits of paper, which you should remove.

5. Open the front or top cover on the printer. Remove any stuck paper, grasping it firmly and pulling until it releases. Also look for bits of paper by turning the rollers with your hands. If the printer is an ink jet, check around the ink cartridge carriage to make sure no paper is blocking its path.

6. Plug the printer's power cord back in. Place printer paper instead of notebook paper in the printer's paper tray or door. If the printer still says there is a paper jam, repeat the steps to remove any stuck paper. If you cannot find the jam, take the printer to a repair shop.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use a foreign object such as a screwdriver or knife to remove paper stuck in a printer.

• Some printer parts can be extremely hot. If you are using a laser printer, it is a good idea to let it sit without using it for 15 minutes or so before opening it up.

References

• Simmons University: Best Practices for HP Laserjets
• Computer Hope: How to Fix a Printer Paper Jam