Printing your cherished photos at home offers a convenient and personal touch. Many modern printers come equipped with a dedicated photo tray, designed to handle photo paper and ensure optimal print quality for your precious memories. This guide will walk you through the simple steps to use your printer’s photo tray and achieve beautiful photo prints right from your home.
Step 1: Loading Photo Paper into the Photo Tray
Properly loading photo paper is crucial for preventing paper jams and ensuring your printer correctly feeds the paper. Here’s how to load photo paper into the photo tray:
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Power On Your Printer: First, make sure your printer is turned on and ready for operation.
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Locate and Open the Photo Tray: The photo tray is typically located inside the main input tray. Gently pull the photo tray towards you to open it fully.
Note: If you don’t immediately see the photo tray, it might be concealed. In some printer models, you may need to remove the output tray first to access and open the photo tray underneath.
Alt text: Opening the photo paper tray located within the main input tray of a printer.
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Adjust the Paper Width Guides: You’ll notice paper width guides within the photo tray. Slide these guides outwards to create space for the photo paper.
Alt text: Sliding the paper width adjusters to the sides to prepare for loading photo paper in the printer tray.
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Load the Photo Paper: Place your photo paper into the tray with the shorter edge facing forward and the side you want to print on facing downwards.
Note: If you are using photo paper with a perforated tab (often found on smaller photo paper sizes), ensure the paper is loaded print-side down and with the perforated tab closest to you for easy removal after printing.
Alt text: Loading glossy photo paper with the printable side facing down into the dedicated photo tray of an inkjet printer.
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Push Paper Forward: Gently slide the photo paper into the tray until it stops. This ensures the paper is properly engaged for feeding.
Note: Avoid overfilling the tray. The stack of photo paper should not exceed the height of the paper width guides.
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Adjust Paper Width Guides Inward: Now, slide the paper width guides inwards until they lightly touch the edges of the photo paper stack. Ensure the photo paper remains centered in the tray for consistent feeding.
Alt text: Adjusting the paper guides in the printer’s photo tray to securely hold a stack of 4×6 photo paper.
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Reinstall Output Tray and Input Tray: If you removed the output tray earlier, reinstall it. Then, carefully push the input tray back into the printer until it clicks or locks into its correct position.
Step 2: Configuring Print Settings for Photo Printing
After loading the photo paper, the next crucial step is to adjust your print settings. This ensures your printer uses the photo tray and applies the correct settings for optimal photo print quality. The process may vary slightly depending on the application or operating system you are using, but here are general guidelines, focusing on Windows 10 Photos app as an example:
Using Windows 10 Photos App for Photo Printing:
The Windows 10 Photos app is a common and user-friendly application for viewing and printing photos. Here’s how to adjust the print settings within this app to utilize your printer’s photo tray:
Figure: Print settings in the Windows 10 Photos app
Alt text: Screenshot of the print settings dialog in Windows 10 Photos app, highlighting options for paper source, size, and type for photo printing.
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Open Your Photo in the Photos App: Launch the Windows 10 Photos app and open the photo you wish to print.
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Access Print Options: Click on the menu icon (often represented by three dots or lines) within the app. From the dropdown menu, select “Print”.
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Adjust Print Settings: In the print dialog box, you will see various settings. Configure the following settings to ensure you are printing from the photo tray and with the right photo paper settings:
- Source: Locate the “Source” or “Paper Source” setting. From the available options, select “Photo Tray”. This directs the printer to pull paper from the dedicated photo tray.
- Paper Size: Choose the correct paper size that matches the photo paper you loaded into the tray. Common photo paper sizes include “10x15cm/4x6in” or simply “4x6in”. Select the appropriate size from the dropdown list.
- Type: Specify the paper type. Look for options like “HP Photo Papers” or “Other photo inkjet papers”. Selecting the correct paper type helps the printer optimize ink application and print quality for photo paper.
- Photo Size: Determine the desired photo size on the paper. “Full Page” will maximize the photo size to fit the selected paper dimensions.
- Fit: Choose how the photo should fit on the paper. “Fill Page” is generally recommended for photos to ensure the image fills the entire paper area, potentially cropping edges if the aspect ratio doesn’t perfectly match.
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Initiate Print Job: Once you have configured all the necessary settings, click the “Print” button to start printing your photo.
Troubleshooting Paper Feed Issues:
If, after following these steps, your printer still doesn’t print from the photo tray or displays an “Out of Paper” error, you can refer to additional troubleshooting resources. HP provides a helpful document addressing common paper feed issues: HP ENVY, DeskJet Printers – ‘Out of Paper’ Displays and Printer Does Not Pick Paper.
Further Resources:
For more detailed information or if you encounter specific issues related to printing from the photo tray, you can also consult this HP support document: Cannot Print From Photo Tray.
By following these straightforward steps, you can effectively utilize your printer’s photo tray to produce beautiful, high-quality photo prints at home, preserving and sharing your cherished memories.
