HP Error E4 — Paper Jam: Clear It So It Actually Stays Cleared
By Ryan Green · Updated August 2026 · Independent guide · PrinterCare USA LLC (not affiliated with any printer manufacturer)
Quick answer
E4 is the paper-jam code on DeskJet-class printers. Clear the visible sheet by pulling it slowly in the direction the paper travels, then check the rear cleanout and under the carriage for scraps, and power-cycle. If E4 remains with nothing inside, a scrap is still on the sensor — the phantom jam guide walks the five hiding zones with a diagram.
Clear the jam properly
- Press Cancel. Turn the printer off.
- Remove the input tray paper. If the jammed sheet shows at the front, grip with both hands and pull steadily toward you, in line with the paper path. If it tears, keep every fragment — count the pieces against the sheet.
- Open the rear cleanout cover (thumb tabs on DeskJet 2700/4100) or rear door and remove anything there.
- Open the cartridge door; check under and beside the carriage for fragments.
- Close everything, reload a squared, fanned stack no higher than the tray's fill mark, power on.
Stop repeat E4s
- Wipe the grey pick roller with a barely damp lint-free cloth; a slick roller mis-feeds.
- Width guides snug, not tight; paper flat, not curled from humidity.
- One media type at a time — mixing photo paper into a plain stack jams at the pick point.
- Labels and envelopes: feed a single sheet at a time and set the media type in the driver.
Still stuck? A technician can fix it remotely today.
Independent remote support — you watch every step, and you pay the flat $49 only after your printer is working. $0 if we can't fix it.
Frequently asked questions
E4 stays on with no paper visible.
A scrap is holding the jam sensor. Work through the five zones in the phantom-jam guide linked below, then power-cycle with the cord out for 60 seconds.
Which direction do I pull jammed paper?
In the direction of travel — toward the output — with both hands, slowly and evenly. Pulling backwards is what tears sheets and creates repeat E4s.
E4 on every third or fourth page.
That's a feed problem, not a random jam: worn or dirty pick roller, overfilled tray, or curled paper. Clean the roller and load a fresh half-ream.