hp envy 6220 not picking up from photo tray

[rojog]

Hello. My 6220 printer has since new failed to pick up from photo tray. I have done all sorts of things ( eg removing the tray and increasing the width channel to allow glossy paper to slide through more easily. Nothing has worked. What I did yesterday was remove the photo tray altogether and now I just use the main tray for everything including photos and it works.

This is a hardware and design issue. 

1) Hardware - I notice by looking at the underside of the printer that the two  small grey feed rollers are only  anchored at one side, and one of the rollers moves very freely. These rollers look too flimsy to do the job.

2) Design - Picking up heavy photo paper and expecting it to turn 180 degrees seems a tall order especially given the weakness of the pick up rollers described above. Other manufacturers tend to have rear feed options for this.

So unless you improve this design in future models  you will get continuing complaints from users of your equipment. 

That being said the quality of photos with the 303 cartridges is impressive.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @rojog,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

You mentioned that your HP Envy 6220 printer has never picked up paper from the photo tray, despite attempts to adjust the tray and feed mechanisms. You noted that using the main tray for all paper types, including photos, works fine.

We understand your concerns regarding both hardware and design limitations:

Hardware Issue – The small grey feed rollers appear to be anchored only on one side, making one of them loose. This may reduce their ability to reliably pick up heavy photo paper.

Design Consideration – Expecting the printer to feed heavy photo paper through a 180° turn may be challenging with the current roller setup. Many other manufacturers use rear-feed options to handle heavier media.

Recommendations / Workarounds:

Continue using the main tray for photo paper to avoid paper feed issues.

Ensure the paper type and size settings in the printer driver match the paper you are using.

Keep the photo tray and feed rollers clean and free from dust or debris to maintain the best performance.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

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Best regards,

[rojog]

Hello Kuroi.

It appears that you have accepted my arguments about the design flaws in your printers.

Can you therefore show me that you have brought this to the attention of your design team heads and perhaps come back to me with a promise from your design group that the infamous photo tray system will be completely re-designed. This would alleviate much of the frustration experienced by users of your photo printers.

Regards,

John

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @rojog,

Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback and observations. I completely understand your concerns regarding the photo tray design and really appreciate you taking the time to highlight this. I’ll make sure your feedback is passed on to the relevant HP teams.

In the meantime, since your printer has consistently had issues with the photo tray from the start, I’d recommend visiting an HP Authorized Service Center for a hardware inspection. The technicians there will be able to check the feed rollers and confirm whether a repair or replacement is needed.

You can locate the nearest HP service center using our Service Center Locator:​

🔗 HP Service Center Locator

Best regards,

[rojog]

Hello.

Thank you for reply. The only issue I have now with photos is the borders which never seem to be right -  but that is down to chromebook printer driver I am sure. 

I am happy with the quality of my prints whatever size. The reason I am posting again is a technical one. I must apologise for my ignorance, in fact the two twin smaller grey pick up rollers come into action regardless of the choice of photo tray or photo size. So sorry for my mistake. 

The one remaining serious issue with the printer is really the photo tray. I urge HP to improve this feeder system before I replace my printer with a newer one!

Regards,

John