can i print legal size paper on my canon pixma tr8620a? the manual is gone.

Diagnosis

The Canon PIXMA TR8620a is designed to handle legal-size paper (8.5" x 14"), but it cannot do so using the standard front paper cassette. The front cassette is physically limited to Letter size (8.5" x 11") and cannot be extended to accommodate the extra 3 inches of length required for legal documents. If you attempt to force legal paper into the cassette, the printer will either jam immediately or throw a "Paper Mismatch" error because the internal sensors detect a length discrepancy.

To print legal documents, you must utilize the Rear Paper Feed tray, which is an open-loading system that allows the paper to protrude further back than the cassette allows. The root cause of most "failed" legal printing attempts on this model is a software-hardware mismatch: the user loads the paper in the rear but leaves the printer settings on "Letter," causing the printer to stop mid-page or trigger an error message stating that the loaded paper size does not match the print settings.

How to Fix It

To successfully print on legal-size paper, follow these precise hardware and software configuration steps:

1. Prepare the Hardware: Open the Rear Paper Feed tray by lifting the support arm. Insert your 8.5" x 14" legal paper vertically. Ensure the paper is pushed firmly against the backstop.
2. Adjust the Guides: Slide the blue paper width guides until they snugly touch the edges of the paper. Do not over-tighten, as this can cause the paper to bow and result in a "Paper Jam" error.
3. Set Paper Information on Printer: On the printer's LCD touch screen, navigate to the Setup menu (gear icon) > Device settings > Paper settings. Select the Rear tray and change the paper size from "Letter" to "Legal". Confirm the selection.
4. Configure the Print Driver (PC/Mac): Open the document you wish to print and select Print. Go to Printer Properties or Preferences. In the "Main" or "Quick Setup" tab, find the Paper Size dropdown menu and explicitly select Legal (8.5" x 14").
5. Select the Source: In the same properties menu, ensure the Paper Source is set to Rear Tray rather than "Auto" or "Cassette."
6. Execute Print: Click Print. The printer will now recognize the extended length and allow the paper to feed through without triggering a size mismatch error.

If That Didn't Work

• Check for "Paper Mismatch" Error: If the printer displays a "Paper Mismatch" error, it means the software setting (e.g., Letter) doesn't match the hardware setting (Legal). Press the "Stop" button to cancel the job, go back into the printer's LCD menu, and ensure the Rear Tray is set to Legal. Then, re-check your computer's print dialog box to ensure it also says Legal.
• Clear Ghost Jams: If the printer refuses to pull the legal paper, check the rear feed rollers for debris. Use a can of compressed air to blow out the rear feed slot. Sometimes a small piece of torn Letter paper from a previous job can obstruct the sensor, making the printer think there is a jam when you load legal paper.
• Update the Driver: If "Legal" does not appear in your computer's dropdown menu, you may be using a generic "Class Driver" installed by Windows/macOS. Download the specific TR8620a full driver package from the Canon support site to unlock all supported paper size options.
• Verify Paper Weight: Ensure you are using standard 20lb to 24lb bond paper. If you are using heavy legal-sized cardstock, the rear tray may struggle to grip the paper. In this case, fan the paper stack before loading to remove static cling.

Heads Up

• Avoid Cassette Loading: Never attempt to modify or force the front cassette to fit legal paper; this will permanently damage the plastic chassis and void your warranty.
• Ink Consumption: Legal documents use roughly 27% more ink per page than standard letter documents. If you are printing high-coverage images on legal paper, monitor your ink levels closely to avoid mid-page streaks.
• Support Arm: Always ensure the rear paper support arm is fully extended. If it is collapsed, the legal paper may sag, causing the printer to pull the page at an angle, resulting in skewed text.
• Loading Capacity: Do not overfill the rear tray. Load no more than 20 sheets of legal paper at a time to prevent multi-sheet feeding (where the printer pulls two pages at once).