To provide a paper feeder capable of restraining the failure in image position accuracy such as parallelism by reducing the carrying load in the separation section in a friction pad separation system.

When tip of a paper sheet 3 runs against a friction pad 2, the leading part of the paper sheet 3 waves at a portion near the side of a paper feeding roller 1. If the width of the paper feeding roller 1 is made narrower than the width of the friction pad 2, the amount of the contact of the tip of the paper sheet 3 with the friction pad 2 decreases, as a result, pre-separation effect for loosening the paper sheet 3 decreases, but the width L of the paper feeding roller 1 is made narrower than the width L' of the friction pad 2. When a carrying guide section 4 is arranged near the paper sheet feeding roller 1 at a place, where the carrying guide section 4 does not contact the paper sheet roller 1, and above the friction pad 2, the tip of the paper sheet 3 is pressed against the friction pad 2 while the carrying guide section 4 restraining the waving of the paper sheet 3, as a result, the reduction of a pre-separation effect can be restrained.