How to fix a printer showing 'Incorrect Paper Size' or 'Load Paper' errors

Hardware & Peripherals KB-179

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix a printer showing 'Incorrect Paper Size' or 'Load Paper' errors. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

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Common Causes

It is common for printers to trigger a 'Load Paper' or 'Incorrect Paper Size' or 'Paper Mismatch' error when there is a discrepancy between the physical paper in the tray and the settings selected in your print dialogue. This usually occurs when a document is formatted for US Letter size instead of the Australian standard A4.

Quick Fix Steps

Before diving into deep settings, try these immediate actions to clear the error:

Clear the Print Queue: Cancel all pending documents in the print queue to stop the printer from repeatedly attempting to print the incorrect size.
Reseat the Paper: Remove the paper stack from the tray, ensure the pages are not stuck together, and re-insert them neatly.
Check the Guides: Ensure the plastic width and length guides in the paper tray are snug against the edges of the paper. If they are loose, the printer may misidentify the paper size.

Detailed Instructions

1. Matching Document Settings (Windows)

Most 'Incorrect Paper Size' errors are caused by the application (such as Microsoft Word or a PDF reader) requesting a size the printer cannot provide.

Open the document you wish to print.
Go to File > Print.
Look for the Settings or Page Setup section.
Ensure the paper size is set to A4 (210 x 297 mm) and not Letter.
Click Print again.

2. Matching Document Settings (macOS)

Open the document and select File > Print (or press Cmd + P).
In the print dialogue box, look for the Paper Size dropdown menu.
Select A4 from the list.
If the option is missing, click the Page Setup... button at the bottom of the window to define the size.

3. Adjusting Printer Hardware Settings

Some professional office printers have an internal menu that requires you to confirm the paper size loaded into the tray.

On the printer's physical control panel, navigate to Settings or Paper Settings.
Select the specific tray (e.g., Tray 1) that is causing the error.
Change the Paper Size setting to A4.
Select Save or OK to confirm the change.

Tip: If you are printing a PDF, check the box that says "Choose paper source by PDF page size" in the Adobe Acrobat print menu. Unchecking this often forces the printer to use the A4 paper currently loaded in the tray regardless of the file's original formatting.

Troubleshooting

The error persists after changing settings

Driver Conflict: Ensure you are using the correct manufacturer driver rather than a generic Windows/Mac class driver.
Manual Feed Tray: Check if the printer thinks you are trying to use the manual bypass tray. Ensure the Paper Source in your print settings is set to Auto Select or Tray 1.
Sensor Issues: If the tray is full but the printer says 'Load Paper', a sensor may be blocked by a small piece of torn paper. Check the paper path for obstructions.

Caution: Do not force the paper tray shut if it feels stuck. This can damage the internal guides or the paper pickup rollers, leading to frequent jams.

If your hardware is functioning correctly but you are still unable to connect or print, please refer to our guide on Printer not printing / offline. For other peripheral issues, you may find these helpful: Keyboard or mouse not responding or How to connect Bluetooth devices.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, please Open a Ticket for further technical assistance.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

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