By "paper refunds" do you mean you filed your tax return by mail? Or are you asking about receiving a check for your refund instead of a direct deposit to a bank account?
If you filed your tax return by mail, you need to allow at least three to four weeks before any information will show up on the IRS refund site. Once a human at the IRS has opened your envelope and entered the data into the system, you can track your refund on the IRS site:
You need your filing status, your Social Security number and the exact amount (line 35a of your 2024 Form 1040) of your federal refund to track your Federal refund:
https://www.irs.gov/refunds
To track your state refund:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-refund/track-state-refund/L3jgO8PGs_...
If and when the IRS mails you a check, the refund site will tell you the check has been issued and you then allow about 7-10 business days for it to arrive in your mailbox. Watch your mail and open everything, even if it looks like junk mail.
**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**