Where the paper tray is and how to open it
The Canon Pixma G3270 has a paper tray that pulls out from the front of the printer, below the scanner lid. To access it, open the front panel by lifting the scanner bed up and back — it will stay open on its own. You will see a rectangular tray with a handle on the right side.
Pull that handle straight toward you. The tray will slide out completely. You do not need to remove it entirely; pulling it out about halfway gives you enough room to load paper. If the tray is already in the printer and you want to check what is inside, just pull it out gently until you can see the paper stack.
Key Takeaways
- The paper tray is located below the scanner lid and pulls straight out from the front of the printer.
- Standard letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches) loads with the short edge going in first, printed side down.
- The green width guides on both sides of the tray must touch the edges of your paper stack — too loose and the printer will jam.
- The tray holds up to 100 sheets of standard paper, but you can load fewer sheets if you prefer.
- After loading paper, push the tray back in until it clicks, then close the scanner lid before printing.
Preparing your paper before it goes in
Before you place paper in the tray, fan the stack. Hold the stack in both hands and bend it slightly back and forth a few times — this separates the sheets so they do not stick together. Tap the stack on a flat surface to even up all four edges. Uneven edges cause the printer to grab multiple sheets at once, which leads to jams.
Check that your paper is not wrinkled, bent, or damp. The G3270 works best with standard copy paper (20-pound weight). If you have been storing paper in a humid room or near a window, let it sit in your printer area for a few hours before using it — moisture makes paper stick together.
Loading the paper into the tray
Place your fanned and squared-up stack into the tray with the short edge (8.5 inches) pointing toward the back of the printer. The side you want printed on should face down. If you are printing on both sides, load it printed-side down for the first pass.
The paper should sit flat on the tray bottom. Do not crease it or fold the corners. If you are loading fewer than 100 sheets, that is fine — the printer will still feed correctly as long as the stack is even.
Adjusting the width guides so paper feeds correctly
On both the left and right sides of the tray, you will see green plastic guides that slide back and forth. These guides must touch the edges of your paper stack — not the edges of the tray. Slide the left guide until it is snug against the left edge of your paper. Do the same with the right guide on the right side.
Snug means the guide touches the paper without bending it. If the guides are too loose, the paper will shift as the printer feeds it, and you will get jams or skewed printing. If the guides are too tight, they can crease the paper. Adjust them so they are just touching.
Closing the tray and checking the setup
Once your paper is loaded and the guides are set, push the tray back into the printer. It should slide in smoothly and click when it is fully seated. If it does not click, pull it out again and check that the paper stack is even and the guides are not bent.
Close the scanner lid. The printer is now ready to print. If you are using the printer for the first time with this paper, print a test page to make sure the feed is working correctly and the output looks right.
Troubleshooting common paper-loading problems
If the printer says "Paper Jam" right after you load paper, pull the tray out and check three things: the paper edges are even, the width guides are touching the paper (not too tight), and no scraps of paper are stuck inside the tray. Remove any debris and reload.
If the printer grabs two sheets at once, the paper is probably damp or the sheets are not fanned apart. Remove the stack, fan it again by bending it back and forth, and reload. If this keeps happening, the paper may have absorbed moisture — try a fresh ream.
If the printed output is skewed (tilted to one side), the width guides are probably too loose. Pull the tray out, tighten the guides so they touch the paper edges, and try again.
Paper types and sizes the G3270 can handle
The G3270 is designed for standard letter-size paper (8.5 by 11 inches), which is what most home printers use. It also handles legal-size paper (8.5 by 14 inches) — load it the same way, with the short edge pointing back. The tray can hold up to 100 sheets of standard paper or about 80 sheets of legal paper.
You can also load envelopes, labels, and photo paper, but these require different tray settings. For envelopes and specialty paper, check the printer manual for the correct orientation and tray adjustment, as they load differently than standard copy paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I load paper while the printer is printing?
No. Wait until the printer finishes the current job and returns to idle. If you open the tray while printing, the printer will stop and may show an error. Once the job is done, you can pull out the tray and reload.
What happens if I load the paper upside down?
The printer will still feed the paper, but nothing will print on it. If you are printing on blank paper, you will get blank sheets. If you are trying to print on the back of already-printed paper, flip the stack over and reload it with the printed side facing down.
How do I load paper if the tray is stuck?
Do not force it. Check that nothing is blocking the tray — sometimes a piece of paper gets caught on the edge. Gently wiggle the tray side to side as you pull. If it still will not budge, open the scanner lid fully and look inside the tray slot for debris. Remove any visible paper scraps and try again.
Can I mix different paper sizes in the same tray?
No. Load only one size at a time. If you need to print on both letter and legal paper, load letter first, print your job, then remove that stack and load legal paper. Mixing sizes causes jams because the printer cannot feed them consistently.
How often do I need to clean the paper tray?
Clean it whenever you see dust or paper debris inside. Pull the tray out and wipe the bottom and sides with a dry, lint-free cloth. Do this every few months or after a paper jam. A clean tray prevents jams and helps the printer feed paper smoothly.