The printer is not printing

Last updated 14 Oct 2026

Nothing comes out. The till shows a message such as Failed to print receipt when
it can tell something went wrong, but often it cannot - a printer out of paper can
look exactly like one that worked. Work down the checks below, most likely first.

Start with the paper

Most of it is paper, and one cause is easy to miss.

  • Is there paper? A roll can look present and be empty on the spindle.
  • Is it the right way round? Thermal paper only prints on one side. Fed the wrong
    way it runs blank and everything looks healthy.
  • Black mark not detected. Some printers look for a black mark on the back of the
    roll to find the end of a ticket. The wrong roll, or one loaded upside down, gives
    this error and stops printing.
  • Is the lid properly shut? A lid that is nearly closed is open.

Then the printer itself

Check Why
Power and status light An unplugged printer accepts nothing
Cable, or Bluetooth connection The till reaches it over one of these
The printer is not jammed A partly-fed ticket blocks the next

Then whether the till is using it

Open the menu and tap Receipt printers. A printer under Available printers that
you're not using is ignored, however well it works.

The receipt printers list

Switch it on if it is in the wrong group — see Stop using a printer or payment
terminal.

Prove it with a test print

Tap the printer and tap PRINT TEST RECEIPT. This is the fastest way to split the
problem in two.

Result What it means
Test print works The printer and paper are fine - the fault is what you asked it to print
Test print does nothing The printer, the paper or the connection

The same screen shows Last printed. A printer reading Never after a test print
has not received it.

When only the kitchen is affected

Receipts print, kitchen tickets do not. That is a different fault, and it is one of
two settings:

  • The kitchen printer is switched off, or set to a Printer Category the items are
    not in.
  • The items, and their menu section, are in no printer category, so a printer with a
    category skips them.

See Send items to the right printer.

When only one dish is missing from the ticket

That dish is not in the kitchen printer's category. Everything else about the setup
is fine - adding it to the category fixes it, and reprinting will not.

If it still will not print

What you see What it means What to do
It printed earlier today and stopped Usually paper or a jam Reload the roll and check the lid
It prints receipts but not kitchen tickets The kitchen printer or the categories See Send items to the right printer
Two copies come out Two printers handle the same category Change one of them
Nothing prints anywhere, from any till The shop's printing, not one device Contact support — see Get help from inside the app