Brother Printer Error Code 73 — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

Brother error 73 means there is a paper size mismatch between what is loaded in the tray and what the print job is asking for. The printer detected that the paper size in the tray does not match the document size sent from your computer. This is a simple settings issue that is quick to fix.

Affected Models

Brother HL-L2350DW
Brother HL-L3270CDW
Brother MFC-L2750DW
Brother MFC-L3750CDW
Brother DCP-L2550DW

Common Causes

The paper tray is loaded with a different paper size than what the print job is set to use
The paper size setting on the printer's tray does not match the physical paper loaded
The print driver on the computer has a different default paper size set than the printer expects
The document itself has a page size that does not match any standard paper loaded in any tray
The paper guides in the tray are not set correctly, causing the printer to misjudge the paper size

How to Fix It

Pull out the paper tray and check what size paper is loaded. Confirm it matches what your document expects — for example, Letter (8.5 x 11 in) or A4 (210 x 297 mm).

If the paper is the wrong size, replace it with the correct size paper.
On the printer's control panel, go to General Setup > Tray Setting and make sure the tray paper size is set to match the paper physically in the tray.

If this setting says 'Letter' but A4 paper is loaded, the error will keep appearing.
On your computer, open the print dialog and verify the paper size in the printer driver matches the paper in the tray.

In Windows, open Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your Brother printer, go to Properties, and check the default paper size.
Adjust the paper guides inside the tray so they fit snugly against the edges of the paper stack.

Loose guides make the printer think a different size is loaded. Squeeze the guides gently until they touch the paper edges without bending the stack.
Press OK or Go on the printer panel to dismiss the error and proceed with printing, or resend the print job with the correct paper size selected.

Some Brother printers allow you to press Continue to print on whatever paper is loaded, ignoring the size mismatch.

When to Call a Professional

Error 73 is almost always a configuration issue rather than a hardware fault. If the error persists even after confirming all paper size settings match, the paper size detection sensor in the tray may be damaged. A Brother-authorized technician can diagnose and replace a faulty tray sensor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Brother printer show error 73 for some documents but not others?

Documents have their own page size built in. If a document was created on a computer using A4 and you are trying to print it on a printer loaded with Letter paper, the printer catches the mismatch. Documents created with the same paper size as your printer will print without error.

Can I make my Brother printer automatically use whatever paper is in the tray, ignoring size mismatches?

Yes. On the printer's control panel, go to General Setup > Tray Setting > Check Paper and set it to Off. With this turned off, the printer will not check for paper size mismatches and will print on whatever is loaded. Just be aware that your printout may be cut off if the paper is smaller than the document.

My Brother printer shows error 73 but the paper sizes all look correct. What else could cause this?

Double-check the paper guides — even a slightly loose guide can cause the size detection sensor to read the paper incorrectly. Also check that you are not mixing paper sizes in the tray. If you recently switched paper sizes and did not update the tray setting on the printer, the printer may still think the old size is loaded.