Skewed printing shows up as text that slopes across the page, a margin that is wider at the top than the bottom, or a sheet that exits at an angle. In nearly every case the paper entered crooked, and the printer placed the image correctly on a crooked sheet. Before adjusting anything, confirm the paper is the problem rather than the document. This guide walks through that check, then loading, tray seating, rollers and image position.
What you might be seeing
- Lines of text slope up or down across the page
- One side margin is noticeably wider than the other
- Margins taper from the top of the page to the bottom
- Sheets exit at an angle or rub one side of the output tray
Common causes
- Loose or uneven guides
- Guides that do not touch the stack let each sheet rotate as the roller pulls it in.
- Uneven roller grip
- If one end of a pickup roller is dirtier or more worn, that side pulls faster and turns the sheet.
- Curled or mixed paper
- Curled edges or mixed sizes in one tray feed unevenly.
- Tray not fully seated
- A tray sitting slightly out of position presents the stack at an angle.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Unplug the printer before cleaning rollers or reaching into the tray cavity. A laser printer that has just finished a job needs about 30 minutes to cool before you reach beyond the tray area.
Confirm the skew comes from the feed
Print the same page two or three times and compare them. If the angle varies from sheet to sheet, the paper is feeding crooked. If every copy is identical, open the document and check that it is not rotated, which is common with scanned originals. You can also print a configuration page from the control panel; if that page is straight, the file is the cause.
Set the guides snug against the stack
Remove the tray and square the paper by tapping it on a flat surface. Load it, slide the width guides in until they touch both edges without bending the paper, and bring the length guide up against the end. In a rear feed slot, center the paper and pinch the guide toward it. A guide left even a few millimeters loose lets each sheet twist as it enters.
Load one size and remove curled sheets
Check that every sheet in the tray is the same size and type. A stray A4 sheet in a Letter stack, or a leftover photo sheet, can throw off the next few pages. Look at the stack from the side; if the corners curl, flip it or replace it with fresh paper. Avoid reloading laser-printed sheets that have curled from the fuser's heat.
Seat the tray and close the doors
Slide the tray out and push it back firmly until it stops and sits flush with the front of the printer. Some trays have an extension that must be locked at the right length for longer paper. Close any rear door or duplex unit fully, since one left slightly ajar can deflect the sheet. If the printer sits on an uneven surface, move it to a level one.
Clean the rollers along their full width
Power the printer down and unplug it. Wipe each pickup roller across its entire width with a soft, lint-free cloth moistened with a little distilled water, paying attention to both ends, because dust that builds up on one side makes that side grip harder and turns the sheet. Rotate the roller by hand as you go, then give it several minutes to dry before printing.
Adjust image position if your printer offers it
If paper now feeds straight but the image still sits off center, the printer may need a registration adjustment. Many laser printers and some inkjets have a setting named something like image position, margin adjustment or print registration in the control panel's settings or maintenance menu. Print the adjustment page it offers, measure the margins and enter small corrections, one tray at a time.
Replace worn feed rollers
When skew continues on fresh paper with snug guides, look closely at the pickup rollers for flat spots, cracks or a polished surface. Laser printers often let you swap tray rollers yourself using an official kit, while inkjet feed rollers are usually buried in the mechanism and need professional service. Confirm the correct part in your user guide before ordering anything.
How to keep it from happening again
- Reset the guides every time you reload paper
- Keep only one paper size in each tray
- Store paper flat so it does not curl
- Keep the printer on a level, stable surface
Common questions
Why are copies skewed when prints are straight?
If only copies come out crooked, the original is feeding at an angle through the document feeder or was placed crooked on the glass. Set the feeder guides snugly against the originals and align pages with the corner marker on the glass. The print engine is working correctly in this case.
Can skewed feeding damage the printer?
Occasional skew is harmless, but sheets that regularly enter at an angle jam more often, and repeated jams wear rollers and guides. On an inkjet, a badly skewed sheet can also let the printhead spray past the paper edge onto the platen, which then marks the backs of later pages.
Do photos and envelopes skew more easily?
Yes. Small and stiff media give the guides less to hold, and glossy paper slips more on the rollers. Use the tray or slot your printer recommends for that media, load fewer sheets and set the guides carefully each time. Choosing the matching size in the print dialog also helps.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.