Printer showing an error? Reset and common causes step by step
Most printer errors come from a paper jam, a badly seated cartridge or a temporary freeze. A cold restart and a look inside usually help.
- Most common cause
- paper jam, badly seated cartridge or frozen software
- Time
- 10–20 minutes
- Repair shop, if nothing helps
- 140–540 zł (print head, rollers, board)
Turn the printer off before you open any covers. In laser printers, don't touch parts near the fuser, because they can be hot. Warning: a factory reset deletes your Wi-Fi settings and saved configurations. Write down your network details and do it last.
Step by step
Note the message or error code
Check what the display shows and take a photo with your phone. The error code lets you find the exact cause in the manual on the manufacturer's website. If lights are blinking, count the blinks or note their color.
Do a cold restart
Turn off the printer, unplug the power cable for 60 seconds, then turn it on again. HP: unplug the cable from the back of the printer first, then from the wall socket, wait 60 seconds and plug it into the wall socket first. Canon: turn it off with the power button and don't pull the plug until the light goes out, then wait 2 minutes.
Remove the jammed paper
Open all the covers and pull the paper out slowly, with both hands, in the direction it normally travels. Check that no small scraps are left inside. Brother: open the rear cover and check the duplex unit, the tray and the rollers.
Check the cartridges or toner
Take out the cartridges, make sure the protective tapes are removed, and push them back in firmly until they click. Wipe the contacts with a dry, lint-free cloth. Epson: after changing a cartridge, leave the printer alone until it finishes charging the ink.
Resume printing
Epson: when the error lights are blinking, open the cover, remove the paper and press the resume button (OK or Start). Also check the message in Epson Status Monitor.
Update the firmware and driver
Download the latest driver and firmware from the manufacturer's website. Brother: use the Brother Software/Firmware Update tool. HP: use HP Smart or HP Print and Scan Doctor. After the update, restart the printer, and the router too if the printer is on a network.
Restore factory settings
Warning: a reset deletes your network settings and saved configurations, so you will enter your Wi-Fi details again. Write them down first. The reset option is in the setup menu, and its name depends on the printer model.
- The same error code comes back after a restart and removing the paper.
- You hear grinding, and the carriage with the print head doesn't move or gets stuck.
- Paper keeps jamming even though the rollers are clean.
- You smell burning or see smoke.
How much does a repair shop charge?
| Printer cleaning and servicing | 140–340 zł |
| Replacing the feed rollers | 160–410 zł |
| Replacing the print head | 270–680 zł |
| Motherboard repair or replacement | 340–820 zł |
Typical prices at independent repair shops in Poland, October 2026. Authorised service centres and big cities can be more expensive.
Repair or buy new?
A restart, the paper and the cartridges will fix most problems for free. If you need a new print head or board in a cheap inkjet, buying a new printer is usually cheaper. For laser and office printers, a repair usually pays off. Work it out in the calculator.
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Open the calculator →FAQ
What does a blinking orange light on a printer mean?
Usually a problem with the paper, a cartridge or a cover. The exact meaning depends on the manufacturer and model, so look in the manual under “errors and lights”.
Does resetting the printer delete the print queue?
A cold restart usually clears the current queue. A factory reset also deletes your network settings and saved configurations.
My printer doesn't recognize a new cartridge. What can I do?
Take it out and put it back in, check the protective tapes, and wipe the contacts with a dry cloth. If it still doesn't work, the cartridge may be non-original or faulty.