Written by Sara Ibrahim. Sara researches home and kitchen products for Cupindy.
Published November 2026 · Last reviewed November 1, 2026 · Cupindy is not affiliated with any brand on this page.
The short answer
Yes, you can put parchment paper in an air fryer. Add it after the air fryer has preheated, with food on top to hold it down, and stay under the temperature on the box. Reynolds rates its air fryer liners to 400°F (204°C).
Five rules
- Food on top, every time. A bare sheet can blow up into the heating element.
- Never in an empty or preheating basket. The paper goes in with the food.
- Holes help. Use a perforated liner, or cut a plain sheet smaller than the basket floor.
- Stay under the rating printed on your box.
- Check your manual. Ninja and Cosori allow parchment. Instant's manuals tell you to keep paper out.
Choosing between paper and silicone? Our guide to whether air fryer liners are safe compares both.
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Our quick pick for basket air fryers
Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Parchment Air Fryer Liners
Pre-cut holes, 9 by 9 inches, made for round and square baskets. The listing rates them to 400°F (204°C) on the air fry setting only. Reynolds is also the brand whose own rules we quote below.
See the Reynolds liners on AmazonThe drawback: a box holds 50 sheets (the HOFHTD pack in the table holds 200), and Reynolds says not to use its liners in rectangular or toaster-oven style air fryers.
Parchment saves you from scrubbing melted cheese and marinade off the basket. Below its rated temperature, the heat is not the problem. The trouble is a light sheet inside a small box with a strong fan.
Can you put parchment paper in an air fryer? What you can and can't do
| Use | Yes or no | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Parchment under food in a basket air fryer | Yes | Reynolds, Ninja, Cosori |
| In an empty basket while the air fryer preheats | No | Reynolds |
| On its own, with no food on top | No | Reynolds, Cosori |
| Reynolds liners above 400°F (204°C) | No | Reynolds |
| Reynolds liners in a toaster-oven style air fryer | No | Reynolds |
| Any paper in an Instant Vortex | No, per the manual | Instant |
| Wax paper instead of parchment | No | Reynolds (only parchment is oven safe) |
| Paper towels | No | Instant (paper is a combustible material) |
| Foil in the basket | Yes | Ninja, Cosori |
What Reynolds, Ninja, Cosori and Instant say
We read what one paper maker and three air fryer brands say. Three of them say yes. The fourth tells you to keep paper out.
| Brand | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Reynolds (paper) | Yes. Add the liner only after preheating, put food on top to hold it down on all sides, never use it on its own, and cook at or below 400°F (204°C). Not for rectangular or toaster-oven style air fryers. | Reynolds FAQ |
| Ninja (AF100 series) | Yes. Its FAQ says parchment is safe to use in the air fryer basket. | Ninja support FAQ |
| Cosori | Yes, you may use parchment or foil. Never put parchment in without food on top, because moving air can lift the paper into the heating coils. | Cosori user manual |
| Instant (Vortex) | Keep combustible materials out of the cooking chamber, and the list names paper. We found no exception for parchment. | Vortex Plus manual |
The answer depends on your air fryer's brand. If your manual says no paper, follow the manual. If it says nothing either way, the Reynolds and Cosori rules are a sensible default.
Why the preheat rule matters
Cosori's manual puts the reason in one line: the moving air can lift the paper until it touches the heating coils. Country Living showed what that looks like. A tester put one sheet in an empty basket at 400°F (204°C). The fan blew it up onto the heating element, where it stuck and started to burn (Country Living, via AOL).
Reynolds says to weigh the liner down on all sides, not just in the middle. A layer of chicken pieces or fries does that. One cookie or a few nuts do not, so cut the sheet down to the size of the food or skip it.
Let the air fryer heat up bare, pull the basket, then put in the paper and the food together. Do not overfill it either: Cosori warns that heaped food can touch the heating coils and cause a fire hazard (Cosori Pro LE manual).
Perforated liners or a plain sheet?
Reynolds says the quarter-inch holes in its liners let hot air move through, which helps food crisp and cook evenly. A solid sheet still works. Our reading: it blocks more of the airflow under the food, so the bottom can come out softer.
With a sheet cut from a roll, trim it a little smaller than the basket floor so no edge curls up. You can poke a few holes with a skewer. That part is our tip, not a maker rule.
How hot can parchment paper get in an air fryer?
Use the number on your box. Reynolds rates its air fryer liners to 400°F (204°C) on the air fry setting only. Its regular parchment roll is rated to 425°F (218°C) in the oven (Reynolds parchment page). Other brands print other numbers. Before you set the dial, compare your air fryer's top setting with the paper's rating.
For oven limits by brand, see can parchment paper go in the oven. The two appliances run hot in different ways, so we keep the oven answer on its own page.
Basket air fryers vs air fryer ovens
Everything above is about basket and drawer air fryers. Reynolds says not to use its liners in rectangular or toaster-oven style air fryers. It does not give a reason, and a liner cut for a basket is the wrong shape for a tray anyway.
Reynolds does not cover air fryer ovens, so follow your oven's manual, and never leave paper where the fan can lift it.
When to skip the paper
No maker we read lists foods to avoid, so this part is our own judgment.
- Bacon, chicken thighs, burgers. On a liner, the fat pools around the food instead of dripping into the drawer.
- Fries and wings you want very crisp. A bare basket lets the most air reach the bottom.
- Small or light food. If it cannot hold the sheet flat, leave the sheet out.
Parchment is most useful with sticky, saucy or crumbly food: marinated chicken, salmon, cheese toasts, breaded fish, reheated pizza.
Wax paper, foil and paper towels in the air fryer
Wax paper: no. Its coating is wax, and Reynolds says only parchment is oven safe. Our guide to wax paper in the oven explains the difference.
Foil: yes, with its own rules. Ninja and Cosori both allow it. Its rules are different from paper's, so we cover them in can you put foil in an air fryer.
Paper towels: keep them out. They carry no heat rating, and Instant names paper among the materials to keep out of the cooking chamber.
Which parchment liner to use for each air fryer
| Air fryer job and our pick | Why this one | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Round or square basket: Reynolds Kitchens Unbleached Air Fryer Liners | Pre-cut holes, 9 x 9 in, rated to 400°F (204°C) on the air fry setting | See on Amazon |
| Longer or bigger basket: Katbite Perforated Liners | A 9 x 11 in rectangle covers more of the floor | See on Amazon |
| You air fry most days: HOFHTD Perforated Liners | 8.5 in squares with holes, 200 sheets in a pack | See on Amazon |
Measure the floor of your basket before you buy. A liner that rides up the sides is the one that lifts.
Questions people ask
Can you put parchment paper in an air fryer?
Yes, in basket air fryers whose manual allows it. Put it in after preheating, with food on top, and stay under the rating on the box. Instant's manuals tell you to keep paper out, so check yours first.
Can you preheat an air fryer with parchment paper in it?
No. Reynolds says to add the liner only after preheating, and Cosori says never to put parchment in without food on top. An empty sheet can blow into the heating element.
Does parchment paper burn in an air fryer?
It can when it lifts. In Country Living's test, a lone sheet blew onto the heating element and started to burn. Held down by food and kept under its rating, it stays put, which is the use Reynolds and Cosori allow.
Can you use regular parchment paper without holes?
Yes. Cut it a little smaller than the basket floor and put food on it. Perforated liners let more hot air reach the bottom, so the food crisps better.
Is baking paper the same as parchment paper?
Yes. Baking paper is the UK name for parchment paper, and Cosori's manual uses both names for the same rule.
Can you put parchment paper in a Ninja air fryer?
Yes. Ninja's FAQ for its AF100 series says parchment is safe in the basket. Follow the same rules: after preheating, food on top.
Can you put parchment paper in an Instant Vortex?
Instant's Vortex manuals say to keep combustible materials, including paper, out of the cooking chamber. We found no exception for parchment, so follow the manual or ask Instant.
Is parchment paper safe to cook on?
The heat question is separate from the coating question. Our guide to PFAS-free parchment paper covers silicone coatings, bleached paper and what the boxes leave out.
Can you reuse an air fryer parchment liner?
We treat them as single use. A used sheet is soaked with fat and browned at the edges, and that is the sheet most likely to scorch next time.
How we checked
On 1 November 2026 we read Reynolds's air fryer FAQ and parchment page, Ninja's AF100 series FAQ, the safety section of a Cosori user manual and two Instant Vortex manuals, plus Country Living's test. Product details come from Amazon through its product API on the same date. We did not run our own burn test.
Sources
- Reynolds Brands: Can I put parchment paper in the air fryer?
- Reynolds Kitchens: Parchment Paper with SmartGrid, product FAQ
- Ninja: AF100 Series Air Fryer FAQs
- Cosori: Premium II Plus air fryer user manual (safety section)
- Cosori: Pro LE air fryer user manual (overfilling warning)
- Instant: Vortex Plus 5.7 litre air fryer user manual
- Instant: Vortex Mini 2 quart air fryer, important safeguards
- Country Living: You need to know this rule before putting parchment paper in an air fryer
