What does Windows error code 28 (ERROR_OUT_OF_PAPER) mean?

ERROR_OUT_OF_PAPER

The print path needs media before it can continue

ERROR_OUT_OF_PAPER is a printer-state result, not a statement about paper formats or document layout. The print provider or device reports that the paper source required by the current job has no usable media, so the job cannot make forward progress until that device condition changes.

What to verify

• Identify the exact printer, queue, job, requested paper size, and input tray.
• Check the device or spooler status for an empty tray, a tray configured for another media size, or a sensor that still reports empty after loading.
• If automatic tray selection is enabled, confirm that another loaded source is actually eligible for the job's DEVMODE settings.

Recovery boundary

Load or select compatible media and let the same queued job resume. Reinstalling a driver or repeatedly resubmitting the document is not the first response unless the physical printer has paper and the reported tray state is demonstrably wrong.

References

• Microsoft: System Error Codes
• Microsoft: Retrieving the last-error code