MFP 3302 Default Tray

[Artomen]

After owning an MFP178 without any issues for a good number of years, I was looking at upgrading it, but at the same time, recommended an MFP 3302fdw for a friend's business (this was back in November).

About 3 weeks ago, I finally made it up to their business and I downloaded the latest drivers, did a full install of HP software and also HP Smart. It was set up as a network printer (for use by two laptops). After the first install, everything was printing fine, so I set it up on the second laptop. It printed fine from MS Office files (Word, Excel and Outlook) and from a Chrome browser on both laptops. The printer then updated itself to the newest firmware, before it was properly shut down and disconnected, whilst waiting for the old printer's cartridge to run out. Like I say, that was about 3 weeks ago.

On Sunday, I went back to theirs and plugged it in and turned it on, but now it refuses to print from anything other than Tray 1, from any laptop, except when printing from a Chrome browser (most of the time). I spent ages looking online through potential solutions, checking paper sizes, matching them to what was configured in the printer, choosing default printing options, logging into the printer via a web page, I even did a full re-install on both laptops and a factory reset on the printer, but all to no avail. 

I ran out of time on Sunday and ended up having to switch it off and disconnect it, plus I had to pay for new cartridges for their old printer (as I'd recommended the HP to them). I'm now 300miles away (from their business) and they're now sitting on a £500, rather large, brick!

Are there actually any solutions to this problem, other than check paper size? I'm almost begging HP, please sort this out, I don't understand the logic of having a single sheet feed as the default tray.

Edited: Both laptops use Windows 11 and both users are a bit technophobic, so I can't try anything until I am back at theirs.

[Hawks_Eye · Accepted solution]

Hi @Artomen 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

Thank you for the incredibly detailed breakdown and for all the effort you've already put into setting up and troubleshooting the MFP 3302fdw. 

I completely understand how frustrating it must be to go from a smooth experience with the MFP178 to this unexpected tray behavior, especially after investing your time and recommending it to someone else. You’ve done a thorough job already, and I truly appreciate your persistence.

Let’s walk through a few targeted steps that can help resolve the issue with the printer defaulting to Tray 1:

 

1. Set Tray 2 as Default on the Printer Panel

• On the printer’s control panel, go to Menu > Paper Setup > Tray 2.
• Set the Paper Size and Paper Type to match exactly what is loaded (e.g., A4, Plain).
• Then go to Default Tray and ensure Tray 2 is selected.

 

2. Update Printer Preferences on Each PC

On both Windows 11 laptops:

• Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
• Right-click the HP Laser MFP 3302 printer > Printing Preferences.
• Under the Paper/Quality tab:
  • Set Paper Source to Tray 2 (or Main Tray if that’s how it appears).
  • Ensure Media Type matches what’s set on the printer (e.g., Plain Paper).
• Click Apply and OK.

 

3. Check HP App Settings

• Open the HP App on each laptop.
• Go to Printer Settings > Advanced Settings (this opens the Embedded Web Server).
• Navigate to System > Paper Handling.
• Confirm that Tray 2 is enabled and set as the default for all paper sizes.
• Under Print Settings, ensure Source is set to Automatically Select or Tray 2.

 

4. Disable Manual Feed Prompt

• On the printer’s control panel or via the Embedded Web Server:
  • Go to System Settings > Copy/Print Setup > Tray Behavior.
  • Set Prompt for Tray to Only when loaded or Use Requested Tray.
  • Disable any setting that forces manual feed or prompts for Tray 1.

 

5. Driver Mode Check

• Ensure the correct driver is installed:
  • Use the HP Laser MFP 3300 Series PCL-6 V4 driver.
  • Avoid using the Class Driver or Universal Print Driver unless needed.
• You can verify this in Devices and Printers > right-click printer > Printer Properties > Advanced tab.

 

6. Application-Specific Overrides

Some applications (like Word or Excel) may override system defaults:

• In Word, go to File > Print > Printer Properties and confirm the tray selection.
• Save the settings as default if needed.

Once you're back at their location, these steps should help bring the printer back to its intended behavior. If the issue persists even after these adjustments, we can explore further configuration options within the Embedded Web Server or consider a firmware rollback if necessary.

You're doing a fantastic job supporting your friend’s setup, and I’m here to help you make sure that printer earns its keep. Let me know how it goes when you're back on-site.

If my response helped, please mark it as an Accepted Solution! ✅ It helps others and spreads support. 💙 Also, tapping "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" makes a big difference! Thanks! 😊

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[Artomen]

Hi @Hawks_Eye

Many thanks for this detailed set of instructions, I will print them off and will follow through them when I'm next back up there. It could be a few weeks, but thought I'd at least have the courtesy of replying now. Having a quick look at them, I didn't come across the "Default Tray" option in the Printer Panel, so hopefully, it is something as simple as that (keeping fingers crossed).

Kind Regards

Artomen (Derek Liversidge)

[Hawks_Eye]

You are very welcome @Artomen 

You’re very welcome, Derek. I appreciate you taking the time to reply even though you won’t be able to test things right away—that kind of courtesy goes a long way.

Keep me posted.

Cheers!

Hawks_Eye