Permanent "Paper tray is empty." on macOS. Also some jobs never terminate.

[Zteve]

Printer: HP ENVY 5640

Firmware: NLM2CN1628AR (Built: 2016-07-07)

Purchased: March 2017

Operating System: macOS Sierra (Version 10.12.3 (16D32))

HP Driver: 3.5.0

The subject message "Paper tray is empty." appears on the print queue (HP ENVY 5640 series) in Mac OS.

The paper tray is certainly not empty, nor does the printer think it is.

Jobs are not held pending this status, and I can print (fairly) successfully.

Since purchase, certain jobs (printing selected pages from a website) have printed well, but have not terminated, meaning that subsequent jobs are held, pending the finish of the first job. This status does not clear until the printer is powered off and then on again.  Not all jobs display this behaviour.

This is true if I print from Chrome (my preferred browser) or from the system print subsystem (an option when printing).

PS: (Added after response.)

The "Paper Tray is Empty" message applies to *either* tray, and my Photo Paper tray had nothing in it.  By putting some photo paper sheets in that tray the message goes away (when the next job is printed). This is the simple solution to one part of the problem.

The resetting of the subsystem solved the other (more difficult) problem of jobs never terminating properly.

[Dvortex · Accepted solution]

Hello, @Zteve - Hope you are well 🙂
 

Thank you for becoming an HP Forum member. It is a great location to get help from the community, get suggestions and find what has worked for others!

I understand that you are getting “Paper tray empty” even when you are having enough paper in the printer. I’ll be glad to help you with this 🙂
 

Did you try making a copy on the printer? This will help us isolate the issue. Restart the printer and then place a document face down on the scanner glass and press the copy option on the printer control panel. Let me know if it makes a good copy or not.

If the copy comes out fine, then I would suggest reset the printing systems to completely fix this issue, here are the steps:
 

• Click the Apple menu icon, and then click “System Preferences”.
• Click “Printers and Scanner” / “Print and Scan” or “Print and Fax”.
• Right-click the blank space in the Printers list, and then click “Reset printing system”.
• Click “Reset” in the confirmation window.
• Enter an administrator username and password, and then click “OK”.
• Wait until the printing system is reset and no devices show in the Printers list

• Restart your computer and then go back to System preferences – Printers and scanners.
• Click the “Add button” (+).
• Find, and then select the name of your printer from the printer list, and then click “Add” to add your printer.
• Click “Print Using...”, and then select the name of your printer (By default “Airprint” would be selected)

Please let me know if this resolves the issue, or if you require further assistance.

Good luck 🙂

Please click "Accepted as Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!

[headsortails]

Perhaps the photo tray is empty?

[Zteve]

Thank you. I performed the steps you outlined (even though I had done all this before) and the printer was not automatically "discovered" on my local network. I had to type in the local network address for the printer and my Apple Mac then seemed to find it.

The printer is now working correctly.  Jobs now terminate successfully (when printing is finished they are removed from the printer queue).

The 'Paper Tray Is Empty' symptom was a result of there being no Photo Paper in the Photo Paper tray.  Since I wasn't trying to print photos (and have no intention of doing so) this message was extremely misleading. However, I have tested this hypothesis with the "sample" photo paper pieces supplied with the printer, and will leave them in the printer.

Thank you for your help.

[Zteve]

Your simple statement was exactly correct!  The message is extremely misleading, as it doesn't specify which paper try it is talking about.  After resetting the printer subsystem (to clear my other problem) I experimented, and if either of the trays is empty I get this message (if I print something), even if I do not wish to print on that tray's paper.  Fortunately, it doesn't stop me printing from the other tray; it's just distracting.

I have placed a few sheets of photo paper in that tray and intend never to use them.

[jashwitelaw]

I have an Envy 5546 all in one and I keep getting the paper tray is empty message when printing from my Mac.  I have had this problem before but I was advised to clean the rollers which I did and it cleared.  It has now come back again and I can't clear it.  I have tried cleaning the rollers, removing the printer, reseting the printer etc.  Please please can I have advise as this is getting ridiculous.

[Dvortex]

Hello, @jashwitelaw

Thanks for reaching out! I'd like to help 🙂

Did you try the steps mentioned above? Check the photo tray and insert paper in the tray. 

Make sure all the steps listed here is performed: http://hp.care/2ttwFlF 

Now, restart the printer and try making a copy on the printer and check. 

Let me know if that helps!

Cheers 🙂

Please click "Accepted Solution" on the post that solves your issue to help others find the solution. To show appreciation for my help, please click the "Thumbs Up Icon" below!