HP Printer Error Illegal Attribute Value [How to Fix]

In this article, we will provide you with solutions to the HP printer error illegal attribute value.

The HP printer PCL XL error illegal attribute value happens when the paper size in the main print tray doesn’t match that of the PDF file you intend to print.

To resolve this error, try the solutions below:

1. Print the PDF in Image Format

How to Print PDF in Image Format

Follow the steps below to print PDF in image format:

Step 1: Open the PDF file you want to print using Adobe Reader or Adobe Standard.

Step 2: Click on “File”.

Step 3: Click on “Print”.

Step 4: Click on the “Advanced” option.

Step 5: Click on “Print as image”.

Step 6: Click “OK”.

Check if the file is printed. If it doesn’t print, try the next solution.

Read this: HP Printer Errors and Solutions [Detailed] to learn how to fix any other printer errors not covered in this article.

2. Export the PDF in Image Format

How to Export PDF in Image Format

Follow the steps below to export PDF in image format:

Step 1: Open the PDF file you want to print using Adobe Reader or Adobe Standard.

Step 2: Click on “File”.

Step 3: Click on the “Export” option.

Step 4: Click on “Image”.

Step 5: Click on “JPEG”.

Step 6: Type the file name, and then save.

Step 7: Open the image file you just exported and then print it.

Check if the file is printed. If it doesn’t print, try the next solution.

Note: This solution works best for files with few pages.

3. Export the PDF to Word Doc Format – HP Printer Error Illegal Attribute Value

How to Export PDF to Word Doc Format

Follow the steps below to export PDF to Word Doc format:

Step 1: Open the PDF file you want to print using Adobe Reader or Adobe Standard.

Step 2: Click on “File”.

Step 3: Click on the “Export” option.

Step 4: Click on the option for “Word Doc”.

Step 5: Type the file name, and then save it in your chosen location.

Step 6: Open the exported Word document and then print it.

Note: This solution works best for PDFs that consist mainly of text, but also works well with those that contain images.

4. Choose a Different Printer Driver

Sometimes, the installed printer driver may not be able to render PDF files during printing. This happens in most cases when the driver has been upgraded to PCL 6. On the other hand, PCL 5 rarely encounters such issues.

Therefore, to fix this error, you need to downgrade your printer driver. To do this you must possess administrative rights to the computer and follow the steps below:

How to Downgrade HP Printer Driver

To downgrade your HP printer driver, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Click on “Start” in the taskbar.

Step 2: Click on “Devices & Printers”.

If you use Windows 10, simply run a search for “Printers & Scanners”.

Step 3: Move your cursor to your HP printer from the list of devices and right-click on it.

Step 4: Click on “Printer Properties”.

This will cause a dialog box to appear.

Step 5: Click on the “Advanced” option.

Step 6: Select from the drop-down menu an earlier printer driver.

Step 7: Select the “PCL 5 driver”.

Step 8: Click on “Apply”; this will save your changes.

Step 9: Click on “OK”.

The above solutions should fix the error. However, if the error persists, contact HP Support.