Xerox Error 016-799 — What It Means & How to Fix It
By Ryan Green · Updated August 2026 · Independent guide · PrinterCare USA LLC (not affiliated with any printer manufacturer)
Error 016-799 on Xerox printers is frustrating because your document looks ready to print, but the system detects an incompatibility between what you're asking the printer to do and what it's actually capable of doing in that moment. This mismatch usually stems from outdated drivers, conflicting page setup configurations, or corrupted print jobs stuck in the queue.
The good news is that this error is almost always fixable without calling a technician. Most businesses and home users resolve it within thirty minutes by following these straightforward steps, which address the three most common causes we see in the field.
How to fix it — step by step
- Clear the Print Queue Completely. On Windows 11, open Settings, navigate to Devices, then Printers and Scanners, select your Xerox printer, and click Remove Device. On macOS, go to System Settings, Printers and Scanners, select your printer, and click the minus button. After removal, restart your computer entirely before proceeding to the next step.
- Power Cycle Your Xerox Printer. Turn off the printer using the main power switch and wait for a full sixty seconds while it powers down completely. Turn it back on and wait for the device to complete its startup cycle, which typically takes two to three minutes. This clears temporary memory issues that often cause the 016-799 mismatch error.
- Check Your Document Page Setup Settings. Open your document in its native application and go to File, then Print or Print Settings. Verify that the paper size matches what is actually loaded in your Xerox printer, that the orientation is correct, and that you are not requesting color printing if your model only handles black and white. Many 016-799 errors disappear once these basic settings align.
- Uninstall the Current Printer Driver. On Windows 11, go to Settings, Apps, Apps and Features, search for your Xerox printer driver, and select Uninstall. On macOS, navigate to Applications, Utilities, and open the Printer Setup Utility, then remove your Xerox printer from the list. Do not skip this step, as corrupted drivers are the most common cause of this error.
- Download and Install the Latest Driver from Xerox. Visit the official Xerox support website, enter your exact printer model number, and download the most current driver available for your operating system version. Run the installer and follow all prompts, then restart your computer when installation completes. Using outdated drivers frequently triggers the 016-799 error.
- Re-add Your Printer to Your Computer. On Windows 11, go to Settings, Devices, Printers and Scanners, and click Add a Printer or Scanner, then select your Xerox device from the list. On macOS, open System Settings, Printers and Scanners, click the plus button, and choose your printer. Allow the system a few moments to finalize the connection.
- Test with a Simple Print Job. Send a basic text document to your Xerox printer, such as a Notepad file on Windows or a TextEdit file on macOS. Do not attempt to print a complex document with images or special formatting yet. If this simple job prints without error 016-799, your problem is solved.
- Verify Firmware and Advanced Settings if Error Persists. If the error continues after all previous steps, access your Xerox printer's web interface by typing its IP address into a browser and checking for available firmware updates. Look in the Network or Device Settings menu on the printer's physical panel to find the IP address. Outdated firmware occasionally causes persistent 016-799 errors that driver updates alone cannot fix.
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Frequently asked questions
What does error 016-799 actually mean on a Xerox printer?
Error 016-799 indicates that the print job settings you have selected on your computer do not match the printer's current configuration or capabilities. This could mean you are requesting a paper size the printer cannot handle, asking for color output on a black and white machine, or sending a file type the printer does not support. The error prevents the job from printing to protect both your document and the hardware.
Will error 016-799 go away on its own if I just wait?
No, error 016-799 will not resolve by waiting. The mismatch between your settings and the printer configuration must be actively corrected by you or a technician. However, restarting both your computer and printer is often enough to clear the error, since it frequently results from temporary memory glitches rather than permanent hardware damage.
Can outdated printer drivers really cause this error?
Yes, outdated drivers are one of the most common causes of 016-799 errors in our experience. Older drivers may not properly communicate your print settings to newer printer firmware, or vice versa, creating the exact mismatch that triggers this error. Always ensure you have downloaded the driver version that matches both your printer model and your operating system version.
Should I try network troubleshooting if my Xerox is connected via WiFi?
If your Xerox printer connects via WiFi and error 016-799 persists after following these steps, temporarily connect the printer using a USB cable or Ethernet cable to rule out network communication problems. If the error disappears with a wired connection, your WiFi connection may be dropping packets, which corrupts the print job settings in transit. Move your printer closer to your router or contact your network administrator for support.