Canon “Support Code 6000 / 6500” — paper feed sensor error

Joe B.

Reviewed for technical accuracy

Specialities: Canon PIXMA/MAXIFY, paper feed systems, sensors, maintenance mode, Windows/macOS

Fix Canon error 6000 / 6500 — clear paper path jams, clean paper feed sensor, pickup roller & separation pad

Technician

Hey! We’ll walk through a safe fix for Canon Support Code 6000 / 6500. Both codes often point to the paper feed sensor detecting an obstruction or timing fault — think tiny scraps in the ASF (rear/top tray) or cassette feed path, worn pickup rollers, or the sensor flag not returning.
First questions: which Canon model (e.g., PIXMA TS/ TR/ MG or MAXIFY)? Are you feeding from the rear tray or the front cassette? And did the error appear after a jam, photo paper, or labels?

Customer

It’s a Canon PIXMA TS6320 using the front cassette. It jammed yesterday on glossy photo paper. Now it shows Support Code 6000 and sometimes 6500. No sheets load at all.

Technician

Thanks — that helps. With glossy media, the separation pad and pickup roller can slip, and a tiny scrap left near the paper feed sensor flag will trigger 6000/6500. We’ll do a non-invasive cleanup: check the paper path, clean rollers, reset the printer, and realign the feed system. If the sensor lever is stuck, we’ll free it gently.

Customer

Where exactly is the paper feed sensor? I don’t want to break anything while looking for scraps.

Technician

Step 1 — Safe inspection (no tools)
1) Power off and unplug. Remove paper from the front cassette and the rear tray if present.
2) Open the front cover and access the paper path. Use a flashlight; look left of center where the sheet enters the feed rollers — you’ll see a small black plastic flag; that’s the paper feed sensor lever.
3) Gently move the flag up/down; it should spring freely. Remove any scraps, label backing, staples, or torn corners. Check under the ASF guide and around the registration roller and purge unit entry.

Customer

I found a tiny piece of photo paper under the roller. Removed it, but the code still returns after restart.

Technician

Good catch. Next we’ll restore traction and reset the feed timing.
Step 2 — Clean pickup rollers & separation pad
• Lightly moisten a lint-free cloth with water or 70% IPA. Rotate the pickup roller with your finger and wipe until residue is gone.
• Wipe the separation pad (the grippy pad at the cassette mouth). Let both dry for 5 minutes.
• Reinsert the cassette with 10–20 sheets of plain 80–90 gsm paper. Set correct paper size/type on the printer panel and in your driver (A4/Letter, Plain Paper). Mismatched settings can also throw a paper feed error.

Customer

Rollers cleaned and cassette refilled. Still showing Support Code 6500 now. Any reset I can try?

Technician

Yep — let’s clear the error state and run built-in maintenance.
Step 3 — Power drain + feed calibration
• Turn off, unplug for 60 seconds, hold the Power button for 15 seconds to discharge, then plug back in and start.
• From the control panel or Canon IJ/Inkjet Utility, run Roller Cleaning for the cassette, then Feed Alignment (or Print Head Alignment if available).
• Try the printer’s Test Print. Watch if paper reaches the registration sensor; if it starts and retracts immediately, the sensor flag may still be sticky — we can free it carefully.

Customer

Test page tried to feed but slipped. Could the cassette guides be wrong, or is the rear tray better?

Technician

Great observation.
Step 4 — Correct media & try alternate feed
• Slide the paper guides snug — not bending sheets. Curled or damp paper can trigger the paper feed sensor prematurely.
• Try the rear tray with 5–10 sheets of plain paper. Choose Rear Tray in the driver. If the rear tray works, the cassette pickup roller/separation pad is the culprit and may need replacement.
• Avoid thick photo media until plain paper feeds reliably. Labels with exposed adhesive can jam the sensor lever.

Customer

Rear tray feeds! Prints a status page without errors. Cassette still errors with 6000. Replaceable parts?

Technician

If rear tray works, we’ve isolated the cassette feed.
• The usual wear items are the cassette pickup roller and separation pad. Many PIXMA models use clip-in rollers you can replace in minutes.
• While inside, gently dust the encoder strip and check the ASF/registration sensor flag returns freely.
• If you prefer not to disassemble, you can keep using the rear tray or we can guide a roller swap over chat/video.

Customer

I’d like to try one more reset before ordering parts. Anything else software-side?

Technician

Step 5 — Driver & settings sanity check
• In Windows/macOS, pick the correct paper source (Cassette vs Rear) and paper type (Plain Paper). A mismatch can show as Paper feed error.
• Clear pending jobs, then power-cycle printer and router.
• If the error persists only on the cassette, the mechanical feed is the blocker — roller/pad kit will resolve it.

Customer

Got it. Rear tray prints fine, cassette fails — that points to the roller/pad. Thanks for the clear plan!

Technician

Summary: Canon Support Code 6000 / 6500 usually means the paper feed sensor saw an obstruction or timing slip. Clear hidden scraps, clean the pickup rollers and separation pad, run roller cleaning and alignment, then test via the rear tray. If only the cassette fails, replace its roller/pad assembly. Need help sourcing parts or step-by-step? Open the chat.

Quick answer: the accepted fix

Accepted fix for Canon 6000/6500 paper feed sensor error: remove hidden scraps, ensure the sensor flag moves freely, clean pickup rollers & separation pad, refill with plain paper, run Roller Cleaning and Feed Alignment, then test from the rear tray. If cassette still fails, replace its roller/pad kit.

FAQ

Step-by-step (Canon paper feed sensor error)

1. Power off, unplug; remove paper. Inspect the paper path with a flashlight and free the sensor flag.
2. Clean pickup rollers and the separation pad; let dry, then load 10–20 sheets of plain paper.
3. Run Roller Cleaning and Feed Alignment from the panel/utility; print a test page.
4. If the rear tray works and the cassette doesn’t, replace the cassette roller/pad set.

Notes for Windows & macOS

1. Match Paper Source and Paper Type in the Canon driver/HP Utility equivalents on both OSes.
2. Clear the print queue and restart the spooler (Windows) or the printer system (macOS) after jams.

Sources

• Canon Support — Paper feed/roller cleaning guides
• Canon IJ Manuals — Maintenance & Paper Feed
• Apple — Reset printing system (macOS)

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