It happens more often than you'd think — a maintenance tech or office manager orders standard POS receipt paper for an ATM, loads it, and the machine prints completely blank receipts or jams entirely. The paper looks similar from the outside. The roll diameter is the same. But ATM paper is fundamentally different in one critical way: the thermal coating is on the inside of the roll, not the outside.

Inside-Wound vs. Outside-Wound

Standard POS receipt paper is outside-wound — the thermal coating faces outward, away from the core. When the paper feeds through the printer, the printhead contacts the coated side and produces an image.

ATM paper is inside-wound — the thermal coating faces inward, toward the core. ATM printers are designed to feed the paper so the printhead contacts the inside surface of the roll. Load outside-wound paper into an ATM and the printhead never touches the coated side — resulting in blank output.

The 1" Core Requirement

ATM rolls also require a 1" (one-inch) core — the cardboard tube in the center of the roll. Standard POS paper typically has a 7/16" or 1/2" core. The larger core is required to fit the ATM's spindle mechanism properly. A roll with the wrong core size won't seat correctly in the machine.

Which ATMs Use Which Paper?

NCR 5xxx / 6xxx series: 3 1/8" × 300'–500', 1" core, inside wound

Diebold Nixdorf: 3 1/8" × 300'–500', 1" core, inside wound

Wincor / Nixdorf: 3 1/8" × 300'–500', 1" core, inside wound

Triton 96xx / 97xx: 3 1/8" × 300', 1" core, inside wound

Genmega: 3 1/8" × 300', 1" core, inside wound

Why Order Longer ATM Rolls?

ATM paper is available in 300' and 500' lengths. Upgrading to 500' rolls significantly reduces service call frequency — especially for high-traffic ATMs at gas stations, casinos, or event venues. Fewer paper changes means lower labor cost and less machine downtime.

What About Teller Station Printers?

Branch teller printers — like the Epson TM-T88 or Star TSP100 — are standard outside-wound thermal printers. They use regular 3 1/8" thermal paper, not ATM rolls. Only the ATM machines themselves require inside-wound paper. Always order ATM paper separately from teller station paper and label your storage clearly to prevent mix-ups.

Paper Roll Products stocks inside-wound ATM rolls in 300' and 500' lengths — always in stock. Request a B2B account to access pricing.