HP DeskJet 2800 Errors E1 and E2: Incorrect Paper Size or Print Settings Mismatch

Last Updated on 30.06.2026 by DriverNew

This guide will help if an E1 or E2 error appears on an HP DeskJet 2800 MFP, the printer does not print, asks you to load a different paper size, or stops printing after the job starts.

This article applies to the following models: HP DeskJet 2820, HP DeskJet 2821, HP DeskJet 2822, HP DeskJet 2823, HP DeskJet 2828, HP DeskJet 2829, HP DeskJet 2820e, HP DeskJet 2821e, HP DeskJet 2822e, HP DeskJet 2823e, HP DeskJet 2842e, HP DeskJet 2852e, HP DeskJet 2855e, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2874, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2875, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2876, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2877, HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2878, and HP DeskJet Ink Advantage 2879.

The E1 and E2 errors are usually not related to a printer failure, but to paper or print settings. Most often, one paper size is loaded in the tray, while another paper size is selected in the document or in the print window.

What the E1 and E2 Errors Mean

The E1 error usually means that the printer has detected a paper size mismatch. For example, Letter is selected in the settings, but A4 paper is loaded in the tray.

The E2 error usually means that the paper length does not match the print job. For example, the document is sent to print as a photo, envelope, or custom size, while a regular A4 sheet is loaded in the tray.

In practice, both errors are often fixed in the same way: check the paper in the tray, the paper size in the document, and the paper size in the print settings.

Common Causes of E1 and E2 Errors

• A4 paper is loaded in the tray, but Letter is selected in the program;
• one page size is selected in the document, but another is selected in the print window;
• the user is printing a PDF, but the wrong scaling option is selected in the print settings;
• the paper guide in the tray is pushed too tightly or is too loose;
• wrinkled, damp, or very thin paper is loaded in the tray;
• sheets of different sizes are loaded in the tray;
• the user is trying to print an envelope, photo, or custom size without changing the settings;
• incorrect print settings remain in Windows after a previous job;
• the printer driver is installed incompletely or is damaged.

Method 1. Cancel the Current Print Job

Before changing settings, it is better to cancel the current print job. If the job remains in the queue, the printer may show the error again.

Windows 11

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
3. Open Printers & scanners.
4. Select HP DeskJet 2800 series.
5. Click Open print queue.
6. Delete all jobs from the queue.

Windows 10

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Devices.
3. Open Printers & scanners.
4. Select HP DeskJet 2800 series.
5. Click Open queue.
6. Delete all jobs from the queue.

After clearing the queue, turn off the printer, wait 30 seconds, and turn it on again.

Method 2. Check the Paper in the Tray

For ordinary document printing, most countries use A4 paper. If A4 paper is loaded in the tray, the same size must be selected in the document and in the print settings.

1. Remove the paper from the input tray.
2. Check that all sheets are the same size.
3. Remove wrinkled, bent, damp, or damaged sheets.
4. Align the paper stack.
5. Load the paper back into the input tray.
6. Do not load too many sheets.
7. Move the paper width guide against the edge of the stack.
8. Do not press the guide too tightly. The paper should lie flat and feed freely into the printer.

If the paper guide is positioned incorrectly, the printer may think that a different paper size is loaded.

Method 3. Check the Page Size in a Word Document

If the error appears when printing from Microsoft Word, check the page size in the document itself.

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Layout tab.
3. Click Size.
4. Select A4 if A4 paper is loaded in the tray.
5. Click File.
6. Select Print.
7. In the print settings, check again that A4 is selected.
8. Select the HP DeskJet 2800 series printer.
9. Send the document to print.

If the document is set to Letter and A4 paper is loaded in the tray, the printer may stop printing and show the E1 or E2 error.

Method 4. Check PDF Print Settings

E1 and E2 errors often appear when printing PDF files because a PDF may be created in Letter, A5, Legal, or a custom size.

If you are printing a PDF from Adobe Acrobat Reader:

1. Open the PDF file.
2. Click File.
3. Select Print.
4. Select the HP DeskJet 2800 series printer.
5. Check the page size in the preview.
6. If A4 paper is loaded in the tray, select printing on A4 paper.
7. In the page sizing section, select Fit if the document has a different size.
8. If you need the exact size without enlargement, select Actual size.
9. Click Print.

If you print from a browser, such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, also check the paper size in the print window. In the Paper size field, select A4.

Method 5. Check the Paper Size in Windows Printer Settings

Sometimes the wrong paper size is saved in Windows printer properties. Because of this, the error may appear even in different programs.

Windows 11

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Bluetooth & devices.
3. Open Printers & scanners.
4. Select HP DeskJet 2800 series.
5. Open Printing preferences.
6. Find Paper Size.
7. Select A4 if you use A4 paper.
8. Save the changes.

Windows 10

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Devices.
3. Open Printers & scanners.
4. Select HP DeskJet 2800 series.
5. Click Manage.
6. Open Printing preferences.
7. Find Paper Size.
8. Select A4.
9. Save the changes.

Item names may differ slightly depending on the installed driver. If the driver interface is in English, look for Paper Size and select A4.

Method 6. Check Print Scaling

The error may appear if the document does not fit on the selected sheet or is sent to print as a custom size.

In the print window, check the scaling settings:

• Fit — the program will reduce or enlarge the document to fit the selected sheet;
• Actual size — the document will be printed at its original size;
• Fit to page — the document will be adjusted to the paper size;
• Scale — the user manually sets the print percentage.

For ordinary users, Fit or Fit to page is usually the best option. If the selected scale is too large, part of the document may not fit on the sheet, and the printer may stop printing.

Method 7. If the Error Appears When Printing from a Browser

When printing from Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or another browser, the paper settings may differ from the Windows settings.

1. Open the page you want to print.
2. Press Ctrl + P.
3. Select the HP DeskJet 2800 series printer.
4. Open additional settings if they are hidden.
5. Find Paper size.
6. Select A4.
7. Check the scale. To start, select Fit to page or a similar option.
8. Send the page to print.

If the website does not print correctly, first save the page as a PDF, then open the PDF and print it with the correct paper size.

Method 8. If the Error Appears When Printing Photos

When printing photos, photo paper or a photo size such as 10 x 15 cm is often selected. If A4 paper is loaded in the tray but a small photo paper size is selected in the program, an error may appear.

1. Open the photo print window.
2. Select the HP DeskJet 2800 series printer.
3. Check Paper Size.
4. If you are printing on A4, select A4.
5. If you are printing on 10 x 15 cm photo paper, load that exact paper size.
6. Check Paper Type. For regular paper, select Plain Paper. For photo paper, select the appropriate photo paper type.
7. Check the preview.
8. Start printing.

Do not mix regular paper and photo paper in the tray. Load only the paper size and paper type selected in the print settings.

Method 9. If the Error Appears When Printing an Envelope

When printing envelopes, you need to select the correct envelope size in the program. If you send an envelope as a regular A4 sheet, the printer may show an error.

1. Check the envelope size.
2. Open the document or envelope template.
3. Select the required envelope size in the page settings.
4. Select the same size in the print window.
5. Load the envelope in the tray according to the printer instructions.
6. Move the paper guide against the edge of the envelope.
7. Do not clamp the envelope too tightly.
8. Start printing.

If you rarely print envelopes, first do a test print on plain paper to check the text position.

Method 10. Reset Print Settings in the Program

Some programs remember old settings. For example, the user previously printed a photo or envelope, and then the program continues using a custom size.

1. Close the program you are printing from.
2. Open it again.
3. Open the document.
4. Click File — Print.
5. Select the HP DeskJet 2800 series printer.
6. Manually select A4 as the paper size.
7. Check print scaling.
8. Send the document to print.

If the error remains, try printing another simple document, such as one page of text from Notepad. If a simple document prints, the problem is in the settings of the original file or program.

Method 11. Restart the “Print Spooler” Service

If the error repeats after canceling the job, the print queue may be damaged.

1. Press Win + R.
2. Enter the command services.msc.
3. Click OK.
4. In the list of services, find Print Spooler.
5. Right-click it.
6. Select Restart.
7. Close the Services window.
8. Restart the computer.
9. Try printing the document again.

If there is no Restart option, select Stop, wait a few seconds, and then select Start.

Method 12. Check for a Paper Jam

Sometimes a paper error appears because of a small piece of paper inside the printer. The user may see E1 or E2, although the cause is similar to a jam.

1. Turn off the printer.
2. Disconnect the power cord.
3. Remove paper from the input tray.
4. Check the input tray.
5. Open the cartridge access door.
6. Inspect the inside of the printer.
7. Carefully remove any visible pieces of paper.
8. Do not pull the paper sharply.
9. Close the door.
10. Connect the power and turn on the printer.

If the display shows the E4 error, this is already a paper jam error. In that case, you need to fix the paper jam specifically.

Method 13. Install or Reinstall the HP Driver

If E1 and E2 errors appear constantly and the correct paper size is selected, the problem may be with the driver or HP software.

For Windows 10 and Windows 11, use the official HP Easy Start installer for the HP DeskJet 2800 series:

Download HPEasyStart-15.8.1-DJ2800_57_2_1683_3_Webpack.exe

Procedure:

1. Open Windows Settings.
2. Go to Printers & scanners.
3. Remove old copies of HP DeskJet 2800 series.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Run the HPEasyStart-15.8.1-DJ2800_57_2_1683_3_Webpack.exe file.
6. If Windows asks for permission to run it, click Yes.
7. When asked about sending data, click No.
8. If you are offered to download HP Easy Start, click Continue with current software.
9. Select USB cable or Wireless network.
10. Complete the installation.

If HP app does not install, Microsoft Store is unavailable, or the program requires an HP account, installing through HP Easy Start often helps set up ordinary printing and scanning without extra steps.

Method 14. If You Use Wi-Fi, Check the Connection

E1 and E2 errors are related to paper, but an unstable connection can also interfere with sending the print job correctly.

Check the following:

• the blue Wi-Fi light on the printer should be solid;
• the computer and printer should be connected to the same network;
• the printer supports only 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi;
• it is better to temporarily turn off VPN on the computer;
• do not use a guest Wi-Fi network;
• if the router was recently changed, connect the printer to Wi-Fi again.

If printing over Wi-Fi is often interrupted, temporarily connect the printer to the computer by USB and check whether the error disappears.

Method 15. If the Error Appeared After Changing the Paper Size

If you previously printed on A4 and then tried to print a photo, envelope, or another format, the settings may have been saved.

To return to ordinary A4 printing:

1. Cancel all print jobs.
2. Remove photo paper, envelopes, or custom paper from the tray.
3. Load plain white A4 paper.
4. Open the document.
5. Select A4 in the page settings.
6. In the print window, select HP DeskJet 2800 series.
7. In the printer properties, select Paper Size: A4.
8. Under Paper Type, select Plain Paper.
9. Start printing.

After this, the E1 or E2 error usually disappears.

What to Do If the E1 or E2 Error Does Not Go Away

If you have checked the paper size, cleared the print queue, and reinstalled the driver, but the error remains, perform a full check:

1. Turn off the printer and disconnect it from power for 60 seconds.
2. Check that paper of one size is loaded in the tray.
3. Remove damaged and damp sheets.
4. Check the paper guide.
5. Check the inside of the printer for pieces of paper.
6. Clear the print queue.
7. Restart the Print Spooler service.
8. Check the paper size in the document.
9. Check the paper size in the print window.
10. Check the paper size in Windows printer settings.
11. Try printing a simple text document.
12. If the error remains with any document, reinstall the driver through HP Easy Start.

What You Should Not Do

• Do not load sheets of different sizes in the tray.
• Do not use wrinkled, damp, or damaged paper.
• Do not press the paper guide too tightly.
• Do not pull paper sharply if it is stuck.
• Do not send the document again many times in a row until the old error is fixed.
• Do not download drivers from unverified websites.
• Do not randomly change all printer settings if you do not know what they do.

Short Step-by-Step Checklist

If an E1 or E2 error appears on HP DeskJet 2800, follow these steps:

1. Cancel the current print job.
2. Clear the print queue in Windows.
3. Turn the printer off and on again.
4. Check the paper in the tray.
5. Make sure paper of one size is being used, for example A4.
6. Check the paper guide.
7. Select A4 page size in the document.
8. Select A4 paper size in the print window.
9. In Windows printer settings, select Paper Size: A4.
10. Check print scaling.
11. If you are printing a photo, envelope, or custom size, select the correct paper size.
12. Restart the Print Spooler service.
13. If the error repeats, reinstall the driver through HPEasyStart-15.8.1-DJ2800_57_2_1683_3_Webpack.exe.

In most cases, the E1 and E2 errors disappear after selecting the correct paper size in the document, print window, and Windows printer settings.