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Knowledge Base · Troubleshooting

How to Fix "Incorrect Paper Size" or Print Cut Off at the Edges

By Kevin · Published August 28, 2026 · 4 min read

This almost always comes down to a mismatch between three things that all need to agree: what size the document thinks it is, what size the print dialog is set to, and what size paper is actually loaded in the tray.

Illustration of two mismatched paper sizes causing a print cutoff

Check all three settings agree

The document's own page size (set in the application — Word, a browser, a PDF viewer), the paper size selected in the print dialog, and the actual paper size loaded in the tray all need to match. A mismatch between any two of these is what causes an "incorrect paper size" error or content cut off at the edges. Check each one specifically rather than assuming they already agree, since applications and print dialogs don't always sync automatically.

Common mismatch: Letter vs. A4

The single most common version of this problem, especially with documents or templates created outside the US, is a Letter (8.5×11") vs. A4 (210×297mm) mismatch — the two sizes look similar but aren't identical, and printing a Letter-formatted document with A4 paper loaded (or vice versa) causes cut-off margins or reflowed content. Check your printer's regional paper settings and your document's page setup to confirm both are using the same standard.

If margins specifically are getting cut off

Every printer has a minimum unprintable margin around the edges — a small strip where it physically cannot lay down ink regardless of settings. If a document is designed with margins smaller than the printer's minimum (common with borderless design templates or documents from a different printer originally), content right at the edge will be cut off. Check your printer's specified minimum margin (in its manual or the paper handling section of the driver) and adjust the document's margins to stay within it, or use a "borderless" print mode if your printer and paper type support it.

If it's genuinely a tray size mismatch

Confirm the paper guides in the tray are actually adjusted to the paper size you loaded — a guide left in the wrong position for a previous job can cause the printer to sense the wrong size and behave unpredictably. Also check that the tray's own size setting, if your printer has a physical or menu-based tray configuration, matches what's actually loaded.

Custom or non-standard sizes

If you're printing something like a label, a small card, or another non-standard size, make sure you've selected (or manually created) a matching custom paper size in the print dialog rather than trying to force a standard size setting to work with different physical paper — this is a common cause of both cutoff and jamming.

Printing on envelopes specifically?

Envelope sizing and orientation have their own dedicated guide.

See the envelope printing guide

Read next

How to Print an Envelope Without Jamming

Loading orientation, guides, and print settings that actually matter.

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How to Print Double-Sided When Duplex Is Missing

Getting the option back, or printing manually.

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How to Print Photos at Home for the Best Quality

Why the paper type setting matters as much as the paper.

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