HP printers typically have an internal memory capacity of 2 MB to 32 MB. The printer uses this memory to store print jobs and information such as the number of pages in the document, the paper type, the paper size, and the font. However, if the size of the print job exceeds the printer's memory size, it will not be able to execute the print command and will refuse to print the document.
此外，有时打印作业可能会卡在打印机的内存中，并显示错误消息，如“Memory is low. Press OK.” 或“Not enough printer memory available to print a page.”。
This error message is a clear indication that it's time to clear the printer memory. Additionally, if your printer is experiencing lag when printing documents, clearing the memory may help.
Clear the print queue
When the memory of the HP printer is full, the printer's print queue should be cleared first. When you clear the print queue, print jobs on your computer can't go further into the printer's memory, making it impossible to use the memory.
1. Open the control panel on your computer.
2. Select the hardware and sound > device and printer.
3. Right-click on the HP printer and select "View Prints".
4. Click the "Printers" tab and select "Cancel All Documents".
5. Click Yes in the pop-up window.
Power off the printer
Since printer memory is inherently volatile, just like your computer's RAM, you can restart the printer to refresh the memory. A power loss will automatically clear the memory contents and you will no longer face memory errors.
1. Press the power button on the control panel to turn off the printer.
2. Unplug the power cord from the power supply.
3. Press a few buttons on the printer to drain the remaining charge.
4. Wait about a minute or two.
5. Plug it back in and turn on the printer.
Tip: You can also press the Reset or Cancel button on your printer to resolve memory issues. Try pressing them a few times until you see a "Ready" message on the display panel.
Clear the fax log
HP printers with fax function cache sent, unsent, pending, and scheduled faxes in the printer's memory, taking up memory space. You can easily clear the fax log to clear the memory.
1. Press the "Settings" button on the printer's home screen.
2. Click Services.
3. Select a fax service.
4. Click Clear Saved Fax.
Update the firmware
HP also recommends that users update the printer firmware if they experience a memory error. To perform an update, you can easily download and use the HP Smart app. Here are the steps.
1. First, launch the HP Smart app on your computer.
2. Open the printer settings from the home screen.
3. Click "Advanced Settings" under "Settings".
4. Click the "Tools" menu on the menu bar.
5. Select "Printer Update> Firmware Update".
6. Click the "Check Now" button to see if there is an update available, and then install it.
Restore the printer to factory defaults
You can also reset your HP printer to factory defaults to clear the memory. A factory reset will erase everything from the printer's memory, including configuration and personalization, and require you to set up the printer from scratch again.
1. Open HP Smart on your computer.
2. Select the "Printer Settings" tab.
3. Click "Advanced Settings" in the next window.
4. Once the printer's embedded web server (EWS) is opened, click the "Settings" tab on the menu bar.
5. Expand Restore Defaults and click Factory Reset Defaults.
6. Click the Factory Reset Defaults button on the next screen.
Prompt to prevent HP printer memory errors
There are a few things you can do to prevent memory errors in your HP printer. We've listed some of them below.
- Split long documents before printing: If your document contains a large number of pages, split it into two or more documents and print them separately.
- Avoid inserting large-sized images and complex graphics into your document: You may want to compress images and other graphic content to reduce the overall size of your document. You can also try reducing the resolution and DPI of the image.
- Use simpler fonts: If you're trying to print fonts that come directly from the web, the printer may not recognize them, or they may be too large for the printer's memory to handle. You can use simpler fonts on word processing applications such as WordPad and MS word.
- Upgrade memory: If your printer supports it, you can contact HP technical support and consider upgrading your memory to a higher capacity. Modern HP printers support up to 1 GB of internal memory.