Paint does not grab the correct paper in the printer

theoldwizard1 · Apr 7, 2026

HP Envy Photo 7855 (latest drivers installed via HP Smart)

So I open a .jpg with Paint. Image Properties says it is 16.00 X 21.33. Click Print -> Page Setup, select Portrait, Size : 4 X6, Source : Photo Tray and Scaling : Fit to 1 by 1 page. Yes, there is 4 x 6 photo paper in the photo tray

Then click Print -> Print, check "Let app change my print printing preferences". It comes out on an 8.5 x 11 paper with standard margins !

What am I doing wrong ?

glasskuter · Apr 8, 2026

Paint does not reliably pass tray / paper‑source selections to the printer driver, even when the user explicitly chooses a tray in Page Setup. This is not you doing something wrong — it’s a limitation of the app.

This happens because:

Even in Windows 11 the Paint app uses the old Win32 print dialog, which doesn’t fully support modern tray IDs.
Many printer drivers (HP especially) expose tray options only through their full driver UI, not through the generic Windows print dialog.
When Paint hands off the job, the driver often overrides the tray with Auto Select because the app didn’t pass a valid tray ID.

Try right clicking on the .jpg>select Open With>select Photos<select print. You should be given options in Photos app to select size and paper source?
There are a lot of user options in the Photos app .

idgat · Apr 8, 2026

The other alternative is using 3rd party program to print image files. Irfanview is a popular favourite

MS Paint is a handy program but with severe limitations (because of its "simplicity", amongst which are the limitations outlined by @glasskuter above)

More sophisticated usage (like tray selection and better quality print settings) are achieved outside the world of Microsoft. Expand your horizons.

theoldwizard1 · Apr 8, 2026

glasskuter said:
Try right clicking on the .jpg>select Open With>select Photos<select print.

Not an option !

RD Mercer · Apr 8, 2026

Restore Windows Photo Viewer. Might try this.

Restore Windows Photo Viewer app in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to restore the Windows Photo Viewer app to have available to select in Default apps and Open with for your account or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows Photo Viewer is a basic lightweight image viewer program that was included in Windows XP, Vista...

www.elevenforum.com

glasskuter · Apr 8, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
Not an option !

Did you remove Photos app from your machine. Is it in all apps list?

theoldwizard1 · Apr 10, 2026

idgat said:
The other alternative is using 3rd party program to print image files. Irfanview is a popular favourite

Same problem with Irfanview

KevTech · Apr 10, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
What am I doing wrong ?

Try this instead as it will open your printers options.

select print then click on "more setting"

Click on layout then click on advanced.

In advanced you should have a paper size option at the top.

idgat · Apr 10, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
Same problem with Irfanview

Then the problems lie either in your installed printer driver, or Windows print settings

Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > Printers & Scanners
What's set as the default printer?

theoldwizard1 said:
(latest drivers installed via HP Smart)

Wouldn't be the first time a manufacturer's device drivers are at odds with Windows

Uninstall drivers using RevoUninstaller (incl the Advanced option to remove all leftover files/folders/registry entries). Reboot and try Windows update to see if drivers are available. You can always re-install the HP drivers if nothing else works.

EDIT
Don't use HP Smart. Download the driver package separately and install from that file.

idgat · Apr 10, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
Print, check "Let app change my print printing preferences"

Uncheck this option and see what happens.

theoldwizard1 · Apr 11, 2026

idgat said:
Uninstall drivers using RevoUninstaller

EDIT
Don't use HP Smart. Download the driver package separately and install from that file.

Revo Uninstaller (FREE) can't find HP Smart. Removed via windows 11 control pannel

theoldwizard1 · Apr 11, 2026

idgat said:
Uncheck this option and see what happens.

no difference

theoldwizard1 · Apr 11, 2026

KevTech said:
Try this instead as it will open your printers options.

select print then click on "more setting"

View attachment 168329

Click on layout then click on advanced.

View attachment 168331

In advanced you should have a paper size option at the top.

View attachment 168333

I did all of the above including selecting 4x6

KevTech · Apr 11, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
I did all of the above including selecting 4x6

If that did not work just right-click your picture without opening in paint and select print then you get size options as well.
If using new win 11 context menu right -click picture then select "show more options" and you should see print.

Uncheck "fit picture to frame" if needed.

Helmut · Apr 12, 2026

Use the Snipping Tool for printing, you have removed Photos App and Edge which also would do.

The Paint App is not being developed it is only in the MS Store by popular demand, thus if you want it re-written ask MS, some reasons are given in post #2.

Additionally there is Paint.NET and IrfanView, both are also in the MS Store though the first costs from that source. You can get those direct as well.
I see you also have Gimp ?

theoldwizard1 · Apr 12, 2026

KevTech said:
If that did not work just right-click your picture without opening in paint and select print then you get size options as well.
If using new win 11 context menu right -click picture then select "show more options" and you should see print.

This what I get under "Show More Options". Print just sends it to the printer WITHOUT bringing up that dialog box.

theoldwizard1 · Apr 12, 2026

Helmut said:
Additionally there is Paint.NET and IrfanView, both are also in the MS Store though the first costs from that source. You can get those direct as well.
I see you also have Gimp ?

Neither IrfanView nor Gimp will select paper from the "photo" tray, regardless of what options I choose when printing.

KevTech · Apr 12, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
This what I get under "Show More Options". Print just sends it to the printer WITHOUT bringing up that dialog box.

What do you have in device manager for printers or more specifically ghosted printers.

Open device manager and at the top select View > show hidden devices

Now under printers you will see all printers included ghosted which will look greyed.

Could uninstall all printers (right-click on printer then select uninstall) then right-click on the printer category in device manager and select "scan for hardware changes" which will reinstall the printer.

Also in setting set you printer to default then turn off allowing windows to change your default printer.

idgat · Apr 12, 2026

theoldwizard1 said:
Neither IrfanView nor Gimp will select paper from the "photo" tray, regardless of what options I choose when printing.

The "infusion" of that option into the image software's menu is a function of the printer software/drivers. That's where the problem lies.

Did this photo-paper printer tray option exist previously?

Paint does not grab the correct paper in the printer

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