# The Techno-peasant is baffled: Why does my Canon printer not recognise letter size paper? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2021, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881 "2021-05-12T01:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/1 "2021-05-12T01:46:29Z")
I’ve got a Canon inkjet printer and it’s stopped printing from my Acer chromebook. I loaded the printer driver onto the Chromebook. Worked just fine, printing away, through my wireless connection to my router. Got a lot of work done. It worked great until the paper cassette ran out of paper. I re-loaded with standard 8.5" x 11" paper, from the same package that I’d used before. And now I get this error message: > [@](#): > > You can only load plain paper of a compatible size (A4, letter, B5, A5) into the cassette. I’ve pulled the cassette out several times, taken out all the paper, re-loaded it, moved the widgets in the cassette to make sure they’re set for letter size, and nothing. Still get the error message. I’ve turned the printer on and off many times, unplugged it, let it sit overnight with no power, and still get the same message. In case it was some weirdness with my router, I went to London Drugs and got a cable, which connects to the usb port on the computer, and the port on the printer. Still nothing; still the same error message. What do I do, O Doper computer whizzes? @Bueller? @What_Exit ? @wolfpup ? ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/2 "2021-05-12T01:55:57Z")
based on experience you might have to get a new printer … something in canon printers messes up their sensors …in my case it was saying the paper was jammed so i tried everything and it even said that with no paper n it ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/3 "2021-05-12T02:13:45Z")
Faark Canada uses letter size? Well there’s your problem. Start using proper sized paper. But seriously, it _could_ be software related but sounds like a hardware issue to me. Does the printer have a procedure for some sort of hard reset? I’d try that if possible just in case there is a software glitch. But if not then the printer is misreading the size. That is likely to be a sensor issue. Personally I’d be futzing around in the place where the paper goes to look for the sensor and see if there’s anything obvious wrong with it. Have you got a different size of paper that you could put in just to see what happens? Maybe a sensible standard size like A4? What printer model? Edited to add: Is that the precise error message, word for word? I googled it and got no hits and it’s very unusual for one to be the only person in history ever to have had a particular IT issue. [ignore my jibes about A4, I am serious when I suggest you see what happens when you put in another size of paper] ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/4 "2021-05-12T02:18:30Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Does the printer have a procedure for some sort of hard reset? I’d try that if possible just in case there is a software glitch. I don’t know, says the Techno-peasant. > [@Princhester](#): > > That is likely to be a sensor issue. Personally I’d be futzing around in the place where the paper goes to look for the sensor and see if there’s anything obvious wrong with it. How would I tell what the sensor is, says the Techno-peasant? > [@Princhester](#): > > Have you got a different size of paper that you could put in just to see what happens? Maybe a sensible standard size like A4? Nope, just 8.5x11. > [@Princhester](#): > > What printer model? Aha! Something the Techno-peasant can answer! I can read, huzzah! Canon TS5320 ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/5 "2021-05-12T02:23:49Z")
It does sound like a paper-size sensor issue, so I’d try fritzing around (that’s a technical term) with the various sensors in the paper tray. Otherwise perhaps a hardware/firmware issue with the printer. I had a problem with my HP Laserjet once after it ran out of paper. But it was a different problem – the printer was just simply not recognized or operative. I ended up solving that one by uninstalling and then loading a new printer driver. However I doubt that this will be a solution in your case. One easy thing to try if you have any other computer in the house is to connect the printer to a different computer, load any drivers as necessary, and see what happens. If you get exactly the same results then it’s obviously the printer, and if the above-mentioned fritzing with sensors doesn’t help, then you can only try what it has for hard reset which may or may not do anything: [https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART177323](https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART177323) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/6 "2021-05-12T02:26:23Z")
That article has an option for re-setting paper settings. I will try that. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/7 "2021-05-12T02:26:55Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > One easy thing to try if you have any other computer in the house is to connect the printer to a different computer, load any drivers as necessary, and see what happens. Yes, tried that with Mrs P’s computer. Same result. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/8 "2021-05-12T02:27:11Z")
RTFM! 😀 Reset setting Select this setting item from Device settings in the menu screen which appears when you press the OK button. You can set the settings back to the default. • Web service setup only Sets the Web service settings back to the default. • LAN settings only Sets the LAN settings back to the default. • Settings only Sets the settings such as the paper size or media type back to the default. • Reset all Sets all settings you made to the printer back to the default. The administrator password specified by Remote UI or IJ Network Device Setup Utility reverts to the default setting. Note • You cannot set the following setting items back to the default: The language displayed on the LCD The current position of the print head CSR (Certificate Signing Request) for encryption method (SSL/TLS) setting 198 Edited to add: Too slow! Also, bear in mind that a complete reset will delete all your connection settings etc and you have to start again. Whether you want to go through that I will leave up to you. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/9 "2021-05-12T02:28:12Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It does sound like a paper-size sensor issue, so I’d try fritzing around (that’s a technical term) with the various sensors in the paper tray. I’m really not trying to be dense (I just am) - when you and **Princhester** talk about futzing with the sensors, what am I looking for to futz with? and how does one futz with it once you find it? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/10 "2021-05-12T02:32:21Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > RTFM! I had to google RTFM to find out what it meant. They don’t include a manual anymore. The Techno-Peasant used to read manuals, cover to cover. Another joy of life destroyed by the net, along with real newspapers containing real news. Now they don’t even include a link to the manual. (This is not a pose. I really, truly am a techno-peasant. My only computer science class involved punch cards.) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/11 "2021-05-12T02:33:59Z")
Thing is, “futzing” is what us technical types do when we don’t know what we’re looking for, exactly. If we knew exactly what we were looking for we wouldn’t use the term “futzing”. But I guess I’d be looking for some sort of physical sensor like some sort of spring-loaded thingummy that would “feel” the length of the paper or perhaps more likely some sort of optical sensor doing the same thing. Take the paper tray out and look for any little doohickey that might interact with - and be capable of electronically communicating to the printer’s brain about - the length of the paper ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/12 "2021-05-12T02:34:40Z")
> **[Canon TS5320 printer manual \[Free Download / PDF\]](https://guidesmanuals.com/canon-ts5320-manual-printer-download/)** > > Canon TS5320 manual download, user guides. Help, operating instructions, installation, Wi-Fi wireless connection, how to print and scan, troubleshooting. Tada! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/13 "2021-05-12T02:35:34Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/14 "2021-05-12T02:38:13Z")
From above that you probably missed because it was a late edit: “Edited to add: Is that the precise error message, word for word? I googled it and got no hits and it’s very unusual for one to be the only person in history ever to have had a particular IT issue.” This is an important troubleshooting step. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/15 "2021-05-12T02:39:00Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Edited to add: Is that the precise error message, word for word? I googled it and got no hits and it’s very unusual for one to be the only person in history ever to have had a particular IT issue. Yep, that’s it. I took a picture of the Canon display with my iPhone (which also is causing problems for the Techno-peasant, but that’s for another thread) and copied it directly. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/16 "2021-05-12T02:43:39Z")
Hmmmm, that’s bad. I can’t find a hit on that error message anywhere. Maybe my Google Fu is failing but it is truly unusual to be the only person who was ever made a query on the Internet about a particular IT problem. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/17 "2021-05-12T02:45:21Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > when you and **Princhester** talk about futzing with the sensors, what am I looking for to futz with? and how does one futz with it once you find it? @Princhester already addressed this, but since I had composed it anyway … If your printer is complaining about paper size, it must have sensors associated with that, which are most likely mechanical sensors on or around the paper tray. I was just referring to possibly jiggling those sensors to get them reset. My own printer handles only 8½ x 11 or 8½ x 14 paper sizes, so it has fixed edge guides to provide friction (so only one sheet feeds at a time) but they are not sensors. To accommodate the longer paper size, there is a sliding contact at the end of the tray that is supposed to be snug up against the trailing edge of the paper stack. Those sorts of things might have sensors on them. There could conceivably also be optical sensors that are obscured by dust. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/18 "2021-05-12T02:52:36Z")
Is there any option to override the message? [This probably useless bit of troubleshooting advice says you can just press “okay” and ignore it.](https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART137025) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/19 "2021-05-12T02:54:26Z")
HUZZAH! The “reset setttings” dohickey on the menu that **Wolfpup** and **Princhester** pointed me to worked! I just printed a single sheet that says “Test”, then printed the bank statement I was trying to print when the paper ran out! Thanks muchly, all! 😃 😃 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881/20 "2021-05-12T02:57:27Z")
Excellent [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-techno-peasant-is-baffled-why-does-my-canon-printer-not-recognise-letter-size-paper/941881.md?page=2)