Brother 'Jam Tray 1': clearing a jam at the paper tray

What causes it

• Several sheets pulled together because the stack was not fanned
• The paper guides set too wide, letting the sheet skew as it feeds
• Paper loaded above the fill line, pressing on the pickup assembly
• A glazed separation pad failing to hold back the second sheet
• Damp or curled paper catching on the tray lip

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.

1. Pull the tray right out and look inside

   Slide the paper tray completely out of the machine rather than part way. Look at the top few sheets to see whether one is bent, torn or half-pulled into the machine. Remove any damaged sheet and take out the rest of the stack so you can see the tray floor and the separation pad clearly.

2. Look into the empty tray bay

   With the tray out, shine a torch into the space it came from. A sheet that started to feed and then stalled is usually visible hanging down from the pickup area. Pull it out slowly in the direction it was travelling, using both hands so it does not tear halfway.

3. Check the front and rear paths too

   Open the front cover, take out the drum and toner assembly, and look into the paper path beneath it for a sheet that got further than you expected. Then open the rear cover and check there as well. Sheets that jam at the tray sometimes leave the leading edge much further into the machine than the message implies.

4. Reload the paper correctly

   Tap the stack square, fan one edge to separate the sheets, and load no more than the maximum marked inside the tray. Slide both side guides and the rear guide in until they just touch the paper, since guides that are too loose let sheets skew and guides that are too tight cause the pickup to slip.

5. Clean the pickup roller and separation pad

   Wipe the pickup roller inside the machine and the small rubber separation pad at the front of the tray with a lint-free cloth dampened with water only. Rotate the roller so the whole surface is cleaned. Let both dry for ten minutes. A glazed separation pad is the usual reason two sheets feed as one.

6. Confirm the tray size setting

   Push the tray fully home, then check Menu, then General Setup, then Tray Setting, and confirm the paper size and type match what is loaded. A machine expecting A4 and receiving Letter, or vice versa, will report a jam when the sheet reaches the sensor at the wrong moment.

7. Print a test page and watch the first sheet

   Send a single-page test print and watch how the sheet leaves the tray. A sheet that visibly goes in at an angle points to guides or a worn pickup roller; a clean straight feed means the problem is resolved. Watching it is far more informative than simply hoping.

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