What is a multi-feed?
A multi-feed happens when the paper path grabs two or more sheets at once instead of one. In a printer the extra sheet usually comes out blank, stuck to a printed page, or jams partway through. In an automatic document feeder (ADF) it means pages go missing from a scan or copy job, often without anyone noticing until later. CompTIA calls the printer version a multipage misfeed; you'll also see it called a double feed.
Common causes
- Worn separation pad or roller. Its job is to hold back every sheet but the top one. When its surface wears smooth, sheets slip through together. It works as a pair with the pickup roller, so check and replace the two together.
- Humidity. Damp paper sticks together and curls.
- Very dry air. Static makes sheets cling to each other.
- Overfilled tray. A stack above the fill line presses too hard against the pickup roller.
- Paper that wasn't fanned. Freshly cut sheets can stick together at the edges.
- Wrong or mixed paper. Very thin, glossy or textured stock, different paper types mixed in one tray, or a tray setting that doesn't match the paper.
Fixing it
- Remove the stack, fan it, and reload no higher than the fill line with the guides snug against the edges.
- Try paper from a fresh, sealed ream. Store paper flat in its wrapper, in a room that's neither damp nor very dry.
- Confirm the paper size and type settings match what's loaded.
- Clean the pickup roller and separation pad with a lint-free cloth dampened with water or the manufacturer's recommended cleaner.
- If the problem continues, replace the pad and rollers. On many laser printers they come in the maintenance kit.
Some document scanners and ADFs include double-feed detection, which stops the job when overlapping sheets are detected so you can rescan them instead of losing a page.
For the CompTIA A+ exam
Core 1 (220-1201) objective 5.6 lists multipage misfeed alongside paper jams and paper not feeding. When a scenario mentions several sheets feeding together, think separation pad, pickup roller, humidity and how the paper was loaded. A printer that pulls in nothing at all points more toward a worn or dirty pickup roller.