Brother 'Document Jam': clearing the ADF
Document Jam refers to the original you were copying, scanning or faxing, not to the printing paper. The automatic document feeder pulls originals across the scanner, and this message means one has stalled or that the feeder's sensors still see a document after the job ended. It is distinct from a paper jam and is cleared from the ADF at the top of the machine rather than from the print path.
What causes it
- An original that is creased, torn, stapled or has sticky notes attached
- Originals thinner or thicker than the feeder is rated for
- The document guides not adjusted to the width of the originals
- A dirty or glazed ADF pickup roller and separation pad
- A fragment of a previous original left in the feeder path
How to fix it, in order
Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.
Open the ADF cover and remove the original
Lift the automatic document feeder cover, which normally releases with a tab at the front left of the feeder assembly. Pull the stalled original out in the direction it was travelling rather than backwards, using both hands and even pressure, so it does not tear and leave a fragment behind.
Check the document output area
Lift the document cover and look at the flatbed glass and the output area under the feeder. Part of the original often ends up there while the rest is still gripped. Remove it fully and check the sheet you recover is complete with no torn corners missing.
Prepare originals properly before feeding
Remove staples, paperclips and sticky notes, and flatten any folds. Tap the stack square and fan one edge. Set the document guides so they touch the edges of the originals without pinching them, and keep the stack within the feeder's rated capacity, which is usually 20 to 50 sheets depending on the model.
Clean the ADF rollers and separation pad
With the ADF cover open, wipe the rubber pickup roller and the small separation pad with a lint-free cloth dampened with water only, rotating the roller so the whole surface is cleaned. Dust and ink from originals glazes these parts quickly, and cleaning them resolves most repeat document jams.
Clean the ADF scanning strip
Lift the document cover and find the narrow strip of glass at the left-hand edge of the flatbed, which is what the ADF scans through. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth. Dirt there does not cause jams but does cause the vertical black lines on scans that people often notice at the same time.
Close the cover and clear the message
Close the ADF cover firmly until it clicks and, if the message persists, press Stop or Cancel on the panel. If it still shows with an empty feeder, switch the machine off and on so the document sensors are re-read from scratch.
Use the flatbed for awkward originals
Receipts, photos, carbonless paper, heavily creased sheets and anything smaller than the feeder's minimum size should go on the flatbed glass instead. That is not a workaround so much as the correct use of the machine, and it prevents most repeat jams.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Printers that show this code
Frequently asked questions
The feeder is empty but it still says Document Jam.
A fragment is likely holding a sensor, or the sensor flag is stuck. Look inside the feeder path with a torch and power cycle the machine afterwards.
Why does it jam on receipts?
Thin, curled thermal paper is below what the feeder can handle reliably. Use the flatbed glass for those.
Is a document jam the same as a paper jam?
No. A document jam involves the original being scanned; a paper jam involves the sheet being printed on. They are cleared from different parts of the machine.
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