HP Error E2 — What It Means & How to Fix It
Updated July 2026 · Independent PrinterCare USA support guide
The E2 error on your HP DeskJet is frustrating, but it is actually your printer protecting itself from a paper mismatch situation. This error means the printer detected that the paper size you selected in your print settings does not match what is physically loaded in the input tray or what the sensors are reading.
The good news is that this is almost always fixable without service calls or expensive repairs. In my experience as a printer technician, about eighty percent of E2 errors clear up once you verify your paper settings and perform a simple printer reset.
How to fix it — step by step
- Power cycle your HP DeskJet completely. Turn off the printer using the power button on the front panel and wait for all lights to go dark. Unplug the power cable from the wall outlet and leave it disconnected for thirty seconds. Plug the printer back in and power it on to clear any temporary sensor errors.
- Remove and inspect the paper tray. Open the input tray cover and remove all paper currently loaded inside. Check the tray for torn pieces of paper, dust, or debris that might be blocking the paper length sensors located along the sides of the tray. Use a soft, dry cloth to gently wipe the sensor areas and the underside of the tray.
- Verify the paper size matches your print settings. Load a fresh stack of standard letter size paper (eight point five by eleven inches) into the input tray, making sure the paper sits flat and the stack is not bent or wrinkled. On your Windows or Mac computer, open the printer properties before printing and confirm that the paper size setting is set to Letter, not Legal, A4, or any custom size.
- Check the paper width guides in the tray. Adjust the metal or plastic paper width guides on both sides of the input tray so they rest gently against the edges of your paper stack without bending it. These guides help the printer sense the correct paper dimensions, and guides that are too loose or too tight can trigger the E2 error.
- Access the printer control panel and reset the paper settings. On your HP DeskJet, press the Home button (if your model has a touchscreen) or locate the Settings menu using the physical buttons on the printer. Navigate to Settings, then Maintenance or System Setup, and look for an option to Reset Printer Defaults or Clear All Settings. Select this option and confirm the reset.
- Test print a document to confirm the fix. Print a simple one page document from Notepad or Word from your computer and observe whether the printer feeds the paper correctly without showing the E2 error. If the document prints successfully, the error is resolved and your printer is working normally again.
- Update or reinstall your HP printer driver if the error persists. Visit the official HP website on your computer and search for your specific DeskJet model number, which you can find on the front label of the printer. Download the latest printer driver for your operating system (Windows or Mac) and follow the installation prompts to update or reinstall the driver software.
- Contact HP support or use their remote assistance service. If you have completed all the above steps and the E2 error still appears, HP offers remote diagnostic support for around forty nine dollars where a technician can access your printer settings remotely. Visit the HP support website and initiate a chat or call to arrange remote assistance, or consider scheduling an in warranty service visit if your printer is still covered.
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Frequently asked questions
Why does my HP DeskJet keep showing the E2 error even after I load the correct paper size?
This usually means the paper length sensor inside the tray is dirty or blocked by dust and paper fragments. Remove the tray completely, look for any debris along the edges and bottom of the tray where small sensors are located, and clean gently with a dry cloth. You may also need to update your printer driver if the sensor is clean but the error persists.
Does the E2 error mean my HP printer is broken and needs repair?
No, the E2 error is almost never a sign of permanent hardware failure. It is your printer telling you that something does not match between what the sensors detect and what your software is requesting. Ninety percent of the time, clearing paper jams, adjusting paper guides, and resetting the printer completely fixes this error.
Can I still print if I see the E2 error on my HP DeskJet?
No, your HP DeskJet will not allow any printing to occur while the E2 error is displayed as a safety feature. You must clear the error first by following the steps in this guide before the printer will accept or process any new print jobs.
What is the difference between the E2 error and a paper jam error on HP printers?
The E2 error specifically refers to a mismatch between detected paper size and expected paper size, while a paper jam error means the printer detected physical paper stuck inside the mechanism. The E2 error is about incorrect settings or sensor calibration, whereas a jam requires you to physically remove stuck paper from inside the printer.