HP 'Refer to printer documentation' error
'Refer to printer documentation' or 'Refer to the device documentation' appears on HP ENVY, OfficeJet and DeskJet models when a hardware condition stops the printer and the firmware cannot display a more specific message. On the ENVY 4500 and 5000 families it is most commonly a carriage stall or a paper feed fault, and HP's documentation for the message leads you through the same checks as a paper jam or carriage jam.
What causes it
- Paper fragment or obstruction stalling the carriage
- Paper jam in the rear path or duplexer
- Cartridge not seated or its contacts dirty
- Service station on the right side stuck with dried ink
- Intermittent electrical fault in the carriage
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.
Turn the printer off and unplug it
Power down with the button, then pull the cord. This de-energises the carriage so you can move it safely and also clears the error state.
Open the cartridge door and clear the carriage path
Look for torn paper, labels or foreign objects across the whole carriage travel. Slide the carriage gently by hand and remove anything it catches on.
Remove the rear door or duplexer
On ENVY models press the buttons on the rear panel or duplexer and lift it off. Clear any paper, check the rollers for scraps, and refit the unit so it clicks into place.
Remove and reinstall both cartridges
Check that the tape and orange pull tabs are gone, wipe the contacts with a dry cloth, and seat each cartridge until it clicks. Close the door.
Clean the service station
With the printer unplugged, slide the carriage left and look at the right-hand side where the cartridges park. Dried ink on the caps or wiper can stop the carriage returning home. Wipe it with a damp cotton swab.
Plug in and power on
Reconnect the power cord directly to a wall outlet and turn the printer on. Let it run its start-up routine and print a test page.
Reset the printer
If the message returns, restore factory settings from Setup, Tools or Printer Maintenance, Restore Factory Defaults, then set up wireless again.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the documentation HP wants me to refer to?
The message points to the HP support page for the error on your model. The checks it lists are clearing jams, reseating cartridges and resetting the printer, which are covered in the steps above.
Why does the ENVY 4500 show this message instead of a code?
Its firmware uses this generic message for carriage and paper path stalls. There is no underlying code displayed to the user.
Will HP Smart show more detail?
Sometimes HP Smart or the printer's embedded web server will show a more specific error code under Printer Status or Event Log, which can help decide whether it is a paper or carriage fault.
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