If your printer says “Out of paper” despite having a lot of paper, it is most likely aglitch in the printer’s memory.

I have fixed such issues several times on my HP printer just byrestarting it. So, start by doing the same.

There are also chances your printer is actually havingissues with the papers.

For instance, youplaced the papers incorrectlyand the paper detection sensor failed to identify them. Or, youmisconfigured the paper settings, which is causing the error.

In such cases, you need to dig deeper to resolve the issue. Let’s go through the troubleshooting process in detail.

Set the Paper Type and Paper Size Correctly

An incorrectly set paper type and paper size are the major reasons behind the “Out of paper” error.

For instance, if you insert A4 size plain papers in the paper tray, you should alsoset the paper typeto Plain. Similarly, you shouldchange the paper sizeto A4. Set it otherwise and be ready to encounter the error.

To change the paper size and paper type,

If you have a printer with a display panel, don’t forget to also make changes there.

Once you’re done with it, restart your printer and see if that works.

If your printer hasmultiple paper trays, you should also ensure you’ve chosen the correct one.

My Brother MFC-J2720 printer has three paper trays—two general trays and onemulti-purpose tray. I once happened to choose the multi-purpose tray (that was empty) instead of Tray 1, where the papers were actually loaded.As such, I encountered the “Out of paper” error every time I tried to print.

you may choose the paper tray from the Printing Preferences of your printer. Simply go to thePaper Source drop-downand select the appropriate option.

For touch-enabled printers, you may also use the touchscreen to do the needful.

Do Not Over-stack or Under-stack Papers

Users often turn a blind eye to thepaper-handling capacityof the printer. But this is also a major reason for the “Out of paper” error.

For instance, myHP Ink Tank series printercan accommodate only 60 papers at a time. Inserting anything more than 60 or less than 3 papers often gives me the error. So, ensure you have not made the same mistake.

Pleaserefer to your printer’s user manual/specifications sheetto find the paper capacity.

I recommend you remove the current papers and try printing again byinserting 10-20 papersin the tray. See if that works.

Fix Paper Alignment Issues

You may not have noticed it but the papers might haveunwanted folds or rollson the anterior. This prevents the paper detection sensor from detecting the papers and shows you the error.

Kindly remove the papers and inspect if this is the case. While at it, also ensure that the papers do not have any moisture. If found, use a new set of papers.

Moving forward,put the papers correctlyanduse thepaper guidesto fit them in the tray. I have seen a bunch of cases where improper use of the paper guide has led to the error.

Lastly, do not forget to check if the paper tray is inserted properly into its slot.

Troubleshoot the Paper Detection Sensor

If anything discussed earlier didn’t work, I’m sure the paper detection sensor isn’t working correctly on your printer.

There’s nothing much you may do thanreplace the sensorif it’s a hardware failure. Yet, here are a few things worth trying before taking it to the repair center.