How to Fix a Paper Jam in a Canon Printer

Step 1: Turn the printer off

Power the printer off before touching any paper. This stops the rollers from continuing to pull the sheet while you're working and reduces the risk of tearing it further.

Step 2: Open the scanner unit or front cover

On most Canon PIXMA and MegaTank models, the paper path runs directly behind the front access point used for ink cartridges — lifting the scanner unit or opening the front cover exposes it. If paper is visible, grip it with both hands and pull steadily in the direction of normal feed (toward where a finished page would exit), never backward and never at a sharp angle.

Step 3: Check the rear tray specifically

Canon printers with a rear paper tray (common on PIXMA models) route paper through a curved path from back to front, and jams here are easy to miss since the paper isn't visible from the main front opening. Pull the rear tray out and check the feed slot behind it — this is one of the most commonly overlooked jam locations on Canon printers specifically.

Step 4: Check the output tray from the other direction

If a sheet has jammed partway through printing, sometimes the leading edge is already visible at the output tray even though the trailing edge is still caught inside. In this case, pull gently from the output side rather than trying to push it back through — going with the direction the paper was already traveling avoids creasing or tearing it further.

Step 5: Look for torn fragments before closing everything

After removing the main sheet, check carefully for any small torn pieces still caught in the rollers — a flashlight helps here. A missed fragment is the most common reason a "cleared" jam immediately returns.

Step 6: Close covers and power back on

Close the scanner unit and any trays firmly. Canon printers typically won't clear the jam error internally until every cover is confirmed shut, even if the paper itself is already fully removed.

If it keeps happening

A jam that recurs on the same Canon model usually traces back to one of: paper loaded above the tray's fill line, curled or humid paper (common with paper stored for a long time or in a humid room), or — on older units — worn feed rollers that have lost grip after years of use and may need replacing.