ALARM Lamp Flashes Orange

When a printer error occurs, the ALARM lamp flashes orange in the way as shown below. The number of flashes indicates the type of error that has occurred. Count the flashes and take the appropriate action to correct the error.

 Two flashes: No paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder

Reload paper to the Auto Sheet Feeder and press the RESUME/CANCEL button.

 Three flashes: Front Tray or Rear Support is closed / Paper jam

If the Front Tray is closed, open it to resume printing.

If the Rear Support is closed when printing from the Front Tray, open it and press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer.

If the error still remains when the Front Tray or the Rear Support is opened, paper may be jammed. Remove the jammed paper, reload paper in the printer, and then press the RESUME/CANCEL button.

See Paper Jams

 Four Flashes: The ink tank installed may not be installed properly / The ink has run out

Possible causes are as follows:

 The ink tank may not be installed properly (The lamp on the ink tank is off).

Install the appropriate ink tank.

 The ink has run out (The lamp on the ink tank flashes).

Replace the ink tank, and close the Top Cover.

If printing is in progress and you want to continue printing, press the RESUME/CANCEL button with the ink tank installed. Then printing can continue under the ink out condition. Replace the empty ink tank immediately after the printing. The printer may be damaged if printing is continued under the ink out condition.

 Five flashes: Print Head not installed / Print Head not installed correctly / Print Head is defective

Install the Print Head. If the Print Head is already installed, remove the Print Head and then reinstall it.

If this error still remains, the Print Head may be damaged. 

 Six flashes: Inner Cover is open

Close the Inner Cover and press the RESUME/CANCEL button.

Do not open or close the Inner Cover during printing because this can damage the printer.

 Seven flashes: The ink tank is not installed in the appropriate position

Possible causes are as follows:

 Some ink tanks are not installed in place.

 More than one ink tanks of the same color are installed.

Confirm that the ink tanks are installed in the appropriate positions.

See Replacing an Ink Tank

 Eight flashes: Ink absorber almost full

The printer has a built-in ink absorber for the ink used during Print Head Cleaning, for example. Eight flashes indicates that the ink absorber is nearly full. Press the RESUME/CANCEL button to cancel the error so you can continue printing. 

 Nine flashes: A specified period of time has elapsed without receiving a response from the digital camera or digital video camcorder / The digital camera or digital video camcorder connected is not compatible with this printer

Disconnect the camera cable and reconnect it.

If the error is still unresolved, there is a possibility that you are using a digital camera or digital video camcorder that is not supported by the printer. PictBridge-compatible digital camera or digital video camcorder can be connected to your printer for Direct Printing.

 Ten flashes: The Front Tray is not set to its correct position / The Front Tray was moved during printing

When printing from the Auto Sheet Feeder, return the Front Tray to its normal printing position. Ensure that paper is loaded in the Auto Sheet Feeder and then press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to resume printing.

Refer to Returning the Front Tray to Its Normal Printing Position for details about how to return the Front Tray to its normal printing position.

If you have moved the Front Tray during printing, return the Front Tray to the correct position, then press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer and try printing again.

Do not move the Front Tray during printing.

 Eleven flashes: Automatic Print Head alignment failed / The Page Size setting does not match the size of the paper loaded in the printer

When performing Automatic Print Head Alignment

Possible causes are as follows:

 A4 or Letter-sized paper is not loaded in the Auto Sheet Feeder.

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, then load two sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder.

Automatic print head alignment cannot be performed using paper from the Front Tray. For automatic print head alignment, always load paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder.

 Print Head nozzles are clogged.

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, and then print out the nozzle check pattern to examine the print head condition.

For information on how to print a nozzle check pattern, see Printing the Nozzle Check Pattern for Windows or Mac OS X.

 The Paper Output Slot has been exposed to a strong light source preventing correct Print Head alignment.

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error and move the printer to a darker location.

After carrying out the above measures, if the problem continues after aligning the Print Head again, press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, and then perform manual print head alignment. For details on manual print head alignment, see Manual Print Head Alignment for Windows or Mac OS X.

When printing the nozzle check pattern or performing Manual Print Head Alignment

Other than A4 or Letter-sized paper is loaded.

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, and load A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the Auto Sheet Feeder. Then try performing again.

When performing an ordinary print job

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error. Then check the Page Size setting in the Page Setup tab (Windows) or the Page Setup dialog box (Macintosh) in the printer driver and load paper that is the same size as the setting and try printing again.

If this error occurs even when the paper loaded in the printer is the same as the setting, set the printer driver not to detect the width of the paper.

The settings here are also applied under Direct Printing from a digital camera.

1 Open the printer properties dialog box.

2 Click the Maintenance tab.

3 Click Custom Settings to open the Custom Settings dialog box.

4 Clear the Detect paper width check box, and then click Send.

5 When the confirmation message is displayed, click OK.

1 Open the Canon IJ Printer Utility.

2 Select Custom Settings from the pop-up menu.

3 Clear the Detect paper width check box, and then click Send.

4 When the confirmation message is displayed, click OK.

 Twelve flashes: The paper is not loaded correctly in the Front Tray

Press the RESUME/CANCEL button on the printer to clear the error, and then load the paper correctly in the Front Tray according to the procedure described in Loading Paper in the Front Tray and try printing again.

 Thirteen Flashes: Ink level cannot be detected

The remaining ink level cannot be correctly detected.

Replace the ink tank and close the Top Cover.

Printing with an ink tank that was once empty may damage the printer.

If you want to continue printing in this condition, you need to release the function for detecting the remaining ink level. Press and hold the RESUME/CANCEL button for at least 5 seconds, and then release it.

* With this operation, releasing the function for detecting the remaining ink level is memorized. Please be advised that Canon shall not be liable for any printer malfunction or damage caused by refilled ink tanks.

 Fourteen Flashes: The ink tank cannot be recognized

The ink tank may not be compatible with this printer (The lamp on the ink tank is off).

Install the appropriate ink tank.

 Fifteen Flashes: The ink tank cannot be recognized

Ink tank errors have occurred (The lamp on the ink tank is off).

Replace the ink tank.