The invention relates to a method for roll cooling in paper machines with soft smoothing mechanisms. The object of the invention is to protect the soft roll from damage without having to increase the extent of edge trimming of the paper web. This is achieved in that the parts of the soft roll which respectively project beyond the width of the paper web are cooled by the application of a thin and sharply bounded water film. The corresponding devices for generating the water films are mounted in carriages which are displaceable along a transverse beam parallel to the roll.