Can you keep using it?
Can you keep using it?
Contact customer support if any of these apply
- !250.18 returns after the guides have been adjusted correctly.
- !The tray hardware looks damaged or will not hold paper in place.
What to check first
Step-by-step checks
- 1
Consumable check
Adjust the MPF side guides so they sit snugly against the paper stack.
Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.
- 2
Consumable check
Move the rear guide up to the paper so the stack stays aligned.
- 3
Consumable check
Clear the message and retry once the paper sits squarely in the MPF tray.
Background
What this message usually means
Lexmark uses 250.18 for a paper-jam or MPF paper-load error even when paper is present. The official guidance says the side guides and rear guide usually need to be adjusted so the paper sits correctly in the MPF tray.
Before the message
What users usually notice first
Messages like this often appear after a hidden paper-path interruption, tray setup issue, or a small obstruction that is easier to miss than a full visible jam.
Diagnosis
Likely causes
The MPF side guides are not pressed up against the paper correctly.
The rear guide is not aligned with the paper stack.
The printer sees paper in the tray but not in the correct loaded position.
Service
When service or replacement is more likely
- -Lexmark’s own fix for this code focuses on guide alignment, not a deep hardware repair.
- -If the printer also reports a separate jam code, clear that path first.
Avoid wrong turns
Common misreads of this message
- -Treating the message like a confirmed failed part instead of a support clue about which system has stopped the printer.
- -Assuming any supply-related wording means the next step is automatically to buy a cartridge, toner, drum, or printhead.
- -Assuming no physical path issue exists just because no full sheet is visible at first glance.
See also
Related codes in this family
Explore more
More Lexmark printer families
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Helpful guides for this problem
Boundary
When to stop troubleshooting and move to support
Use the message once to classify the problem, then move to support if the printer still cannot return to ready after the first safe checks.
Keep browsing
Where to go next
Source notes
Lexmark’s official MS/MX guide says 250.18 appears when the printer posts a paper jam or MPF paper-load error and recommends adjusting the MPF side and rear guides.
Built around official Lexmark office-printer guidance. Code meanings are family-level and can still vary by exact model, installed finisher options, and firmware generation.
Printer error codes can vary a little by firmware, region, and exact model variant. Use this guide as a family-level starting point and stop if the next step would require disassembly or service-mode changes.
Known family variants: MS310, MS410, MS510, MS610, MX310, MX410, MX510, MX610
Last reviewed: 2026-04-12
Reference: Open reference