Windows updates are extremely important as they bring about a number of bug fixes and new features. Although, sometimes they might end up breaking a few things which worked just fine previously. New OS updates can often lead to some issues with external peripherals, particularly printers. Some common printer related problems you might experience after updating Windows 10 are printer not showing up in connected devices, unable to perform the print action, print spooler not running, etc.
Your printer woes can be due to a number of reasons. The most common culprits are outdated or corrupt printer drivers, problems with print spooler service, the new Windows update doesn’t support your printer, etc.
Fortunately, all your printer problems can be fixed by implementing some easy yet quick solutions. We have listed down five different solutions that you can try to get your printer to print again.
- How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
- Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
- Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
- Method 3: Set a Default Printer
- Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
- Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
As mentioned earlier, there are a few different culprits that might be causing printer problems in Windows 10. Most users can solve these difficulties by running the built-in troubleshooter tool for printers. Other solutions include deleting temporary spool files, manually updating printer drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling the printer, etc.
Before we start implementing the more technical solutions, ensure that the printer and your computer are properly connected. For wired printers, check the condition of the connecting cables and make sure they are firmly connected & in their designated ports. Also, as trivial as it sounds, simply removing and reconnecting wires can also resolve any external device-related issues. Gently blow air into the ports to remove any dirt that might be clogging the connection. As for wireless printers, ensure that the printer and your computer are connected to the same network.
Another quick solution is to power cycle your printer. Turn off the printer and disconnect its power cable. Wait for about 30-40 seconds before plugging the wires back in. This will resolve any temporary issues and start the printer afresh.
If both of these tricks didn’t work, then it is time to move on to the advanced methods.
Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
The easiest and quickest way to solve any problem with a device or a feature is to run the troubleshooter associated with it. Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter tool for a wide variety of issues, and printer problems are also one of them. The printer troubleshooter automatically performs a number of actions like restarting the print spooler service, clearing corrupted spooler files, checking whether the existing printer drivers are outdated or corrupt, etc.
- The printer troubleshooter can be found within the Windows Settings application. To open Settings , press the Window key (or click on the start button) and then click on the cogwheel Settings icon above the power icon (or use the combination Windows key + I ).
- Now, click on Update & Security .
Switch to the Troubleshoot settings page by clicking on the same from the left-hand panel.
Scroll down on the right side until you find the Printer entry. Once found, click on it to open up available options and then select Run the troubleshooter .
Depending on the Windows version you are currently running, the Printer troubleshooter tool might be absent altogether. If that’s the case, click on the following link to download the required troubleshooter tool.
Once downloaded, click on the Printerdiagnostic10.diagcab file to launch the troubleshooter wizard, select Printer , and click on the Advanced hyperlink at the bottom left.
- In the following window, tick the box next to Apply repairs automatically and click on the Next button to start troubleshooting your printer.
Once you have completed the troubleshooting process, restart your computer, and then try using the printer.
Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
Print spooler is a mediating file/tool that coordinates between your computer and the printer. The spooler manages all the print jobs you send to the printer and lets you delete a print job that is still being processed. Problems might be encountered if the Print Spooler service is corrupted or if the spooler’s temporary files become corrupt. Restarting the service and deleting these temporary files should help in fixing printer problems on your computer.
- Before we delete the print spooler files, we will need to halt the Print Spooler service that constantly runs in the background. To do so, type services.msc in either the run ( Windows key + R ) command box or the Windows search bar and hit enter. This will open up the Windows Services application .
Scan the list of Local Services to find the Print Spooler service. Hit the P key on your keyboard to jump ahead to the services starting with the alphabet P.
Once found, right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties from the context menu (or double-click on a service to access its Properties)
- Click on the Stop button to halt the service. Minimize the Services window instead of closing as we will need to restart the service after deleting the temporary files.
- Now, either open up the Windows File Explorer (Windows key + E) and navigate to the following path – C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\printers or launch the run command box, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and press OK to reach the required destination directly.
Press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the printers folder and hit the delete key on your keyboard to delete them.
Maximize/switch back to the Services application window and click on the Start button to restart the Print Spooler service.
You should now be able to fix your printer problems and be able to print your documents without any hiccups.
Method 3: Set a Default Printer
It is also quite possible that your printer is working just fine, but you have been sending the print request to the wrong printer. This might be the case if there are multiple printers installed on your computers. Set the one you are trying to use as the default printer to resolve the issue.
- Press the Windows key and start typing Control Panel to look for the same. Click on Open when search results return.
- Select Devices & Printers .
- The following window will contain a list of all the printers you have connected to your computer. Right-click on the printer you would like to use and choose Set as default printer .
Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
Every computer peripheral has a set of software files associated with it to communicate with your computer and the OS effectively. These files are known as device drivers. These drivers are unique for each device and manufacturer. Also, it is important to have the correct set of drivers installed in order to use an external device without facing any issues. Drivers are also constantly updated to stay compatible with the new Windows versions.
The new Windows update you just installed might not support the old printer drivers, and therefore, you will need to update them to the latest available version.
- Right-click on the start button or press Windows key + X to bring up the Power User menu and click on Device Manager .
Click on the arrow next to Print queues (or Printers) to expand it and have a look at all your connected printers.
Right-click on the problematic printer and select Update Driver from the ensuing options menu.
- Select ‘ Search Automatically for updated driver software ’ in the resulting window. Follow any on-screen instructions you might receive to install the updated printer drivers.
You can also choose to install the latest drivers manually. Visit the driver downloads page of your printer manufacturer, download the required drivers, and run the downloaded file. Printer driver files are usually available in .exe file format, so installing them doesn’t require any additional steps. Open the file and follow the instructions.
Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
If updating drivers didn’t work, you might need to completely uninstall the existing drivers and the printer and then reinstall them. The process of doing the same is simple but rather lengthy but this seems to fix some of the common printer problems. Anyway, below are the steps to remove and add your printer back.
- Open the Settings application (Windows key + I) and select Devices .
Move to the Printers & Scanners settings page.
Find the problematic printer in the right-side panel and single click on it to access its options. Select Remove Device , let the process complete, and then close Settings.
- Type Print Management in the Windows search bar (Windows key + S) and press enter to open the application.
- Double-click on All Printers (in the left panel or right panel, both are fine) and press Ctrl + A to select all connected printers.
- Right-click over any printer and select Delete .
Now, it is time to add the printer back, but first, unplug the printer cable from your computer and perform a restart. Once the computer boots back on, properly reconnect the printer.
Follow step 1 and step 2 of this method to open Printer & Scanner settings .
Click on the Add a printer & scanner button at the top of the window.
- Windows will now automatically start looking for any connected printers. If Windows successfully detects the connected printer, click on its entry in the search list and select Add device to add it back otherwise, click on The printer that I want isn’t listed hyperlink.
- In the following window, select the appropriate option by clicking on its radio button (For example, select ‘My printer is a little older. Help me find it’ if your printer doesn’t use USB for connection or select ‘Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer’ to add a wireless printer) and click on Next .
- Follow the following on-screen instructions to reinstall your printer .
Now that you have successfully reinstalled your printer, let’s print a test page to ensure everything is right back on track.
Open up Windows Settings and click on Devices .
On the Printers and Scanners page, click on the printer you just added back and would like to test, followed by a click on the Manage button.
- Finally, click on the Print a test page option. Muffle your ears & listen carefully for the sound of your printer printing a page and rejoice.
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- Method 1: Troubleshoot Printer Connection
- Method 2: Run Printer Troubleshooter
- Method 3: Update Windows
- Method 4: Modify Printer Preferences
- Method 5: Repair System Files
- Method 6: Verify Printer Port Settings
- Method 7: Delete Temporary files (Print Spooler)
- Method 8: Change Print Spooler Recovery Settings
- Method 9: Update or RollBack Printer Driver
- Method 10: Reinstall Printer Drivers
- Method 11: Remove & Add Printer Again
How to Fix Slow Network Printing in Windows 10
Here are some indispensable reasons that cause delay in printing to network printer on your Windows 10 PC. Read them carefully to find which one troubles you.
- Printer is not turned on.
- Printer is not connected to your computer.
- The Wi-Fi or USB connection is not set properly.
- A loose connection or outdated USB drivers also causes trouble.
- Few essential services are not running on your PC.
- A large list of files is queued for the further printing process.
- The operating system is outdated.
- There are a few corrupt and broken components of internal files on your PC.
If your internet connection is unstable and inadequate. this could cause a slow network printing issue. If there is any interference or obstacles between your PC and router, it might also cause the discussed problem.
Check the network speed of your computer by running a Speedtest .
Follow the below criteria and make sure these are satisfied by your computer.
- Clear all the obstructions in between the way of the router if the signal strength of your network is very low.
- Your internet connection might be slow if many devices are connected to the same network, so try to avoid it.
- Always prefer buying a router or modem that is verified by your ISP (Internet Service Provider).
- It is not recommended to use old, damaged, or broken cables, replace the cables if it is necessary.
- Make sure that wires of the modem to the wall and wires from the modem to the router are out of any disturbance.
If you face any internet connectivity issues, check our guide How to Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Problems on Windows 10 to troubleshoot the same.
Here are some amazing hacks that will help you fix slow printing problem on your device. But, before following the below-mentioned methods, reboot your Windows 10 PC to resolve any temporary glitches associated with the device. If you did not attain any fix for the issue after rebooting your computer, follow the below-mentioned methods.
Method 1: Troubleshoot Printer Connection
When you face delay in printing to network printer, the device wants to tell users that there is something wrong with the communication established between the printer and the system through the USB cable or network connection. To solve this issue, ensure whether the following steps are satisfied or not.
- To restart your printer , turn off the power supply of the printer & then switch it ON again .
- Now again check the connection of your printer .
- If you have connected your printer using a USB cable, make sure your cable is working properly and the connections to the ports are fitted tight. You could also switch the USB port to see if this resolves the problem.
- If you have connected your printer through wired networks, check whether the connection to your cable is properly done or not. Also, you can check whether the signal to your printer is flashing or not.
- If the connection of your system with the printer is made through a wireless network, make sure your printer is connected to your computer network & the wireless icon will lit-up to show that you are connected.
Method 2: Run Printer Troubleshooter
The easiest and quickest way to solve any problem with a device or a feature is to run the troubleshooter associated with it. Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter tool for a wide variety of issues, and printer problems are also one of them. The Printer troubleshooter automatically performs several actions like restarting the print spooler service, clearing corrupt spooler files, checking whether the existing printer drivers are outdated or corrupt, etc. Refer to the steps listed below to run Printer Troubleshooter.
Press Windows + I keys simultaneously to launch Settings .
Click on the Update & Security tile, as shown.
Go to Troubleshoot menu in the left pane.
Select Printer troubleshooter and click on Run the troubleshooter option.
- Wait for the troubleshooter to detect issues and follow the on-screen instructions to apply the fix.
Check if you have fixed slow network printing Windows 10 issue.
Method 3: Update Windows
Also, if there are any bugs in your PC, they can only be fixed after a Windows update . Microsoft releases regular updates to fix all these bugs thereby fixing slow network printing Windows 10 issue. Hence, ensure if you have updated your Windows Operating System and if there are any updates pending in action, use our guide How to Download and Install Windows 10 Latest Update
After updating your Windows Operating System, check whether you can print pages without any issues.
Method 4: Modify Printer Preferences
It is a well-known fact that, the quality settings of your printer consume different amounts of ink levels as well. If the printing quality is set to Best, then the printing speed will be definitely slow. You can change the printer preferences as instructed below.
- Hit the Windows key and type Printers & scanners , then click on Open .
- Then, select your printer and click on Manage .
- Now, click on Printing preferences .
In the next window, switch to the Paper/Quality tab and choose Plain Paper in the Media / Paper Type field under the Tray Selection menu.
Then, select Draft, Normal or Standard under the Quality Settings or Print Quality menu.
Save the changes by pressing OK . Now, check if the printing speed is increased or not.
Method 5: Repair System Files
If there are any corrupt system files in your Windows Operating system, your PC may face a lot of internet connectivity issues. If you are experiencing slow network printing Windows 10 issue very recently, there are some chances that your computer files have become corrupt or damaged. Luckily, your Windows 10 PC has inbuilt repair tools like SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) that will help you fix all the corrupt files. Read our guide on How to Repair System Files on Windows 10 and follow the steps as instructed to repair all your corrupt files.
Method 6: Verify Printer Port Settings
Few users have suggested that slow printing problem on your device can be resolved by tweaking some printer port settings as instructed below.
- Hit the Windows key and type Control panel , and click on Open .
- Set View by > Category , then click on the View devices and printers .
- Now, right-click on your printer and select Properties .
Switch to the Ports tab and find the port to which your device is connected.
Then, click the checkbox that hosts the USB pin of the printer.
Save the changes by clicking Apply > OK .
Note: It is also quite possible that your printer is working just fine, but you have been sending the print request to the wrong printer. This might be the case if there are multiple printers installed on your computers. Set the one you are trying to use as the default printer to resolve the issue. Hence, right-click on your printer and select Set as default printer .
Method 7: Delete Temporary files (Print Spooler)
A print spooler is a mediating file/tool that coordinates between your computer and the printer. The spooler manages all the print jobs you send to the printer and lets you delete a print job that is still being processed. Problems might be encountered if the Print Spooler service is corrupt or if the temporary files of the spooler become corrupt. Restarting the service and deleting these temporary files should help you to fix slow printing Windows 10 problems on your computer.
Note: Before we delete the print spooler files, we will need to halt the Print Spooler service that constantly runs in the background.
- Hit the Windows key and type Services , then click on Open .
- Scan the list of Local Services to find the Print Spooler service. Once found, right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties from the context menu (or double-click on a service to access its properties)
- Click on the Stop button to stop the service.
Note: Minimize the Services window instead of closing as we will need to restart the service after deleting the temporary files.
- Now, open up the Windows File Explorer (Windows key + E) and navigate to the following path – C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\printers .
Note: You can also launch the run command box, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers , and hit Enter to reach the required destination directly.
Press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the printer’s folder and hit the delete key on your keyboard to delete them.
Maximize/switch back to the Services application window and click on the Start button to restart the Print Spooler service.
You should now be able to fix slow network printing problem and be able to print your documents without any issues.
Method 8: Change Print Spooler Recovery Settings
Any incorrect recovery settings configuration of the print spooler service may also cause delay in printing to network printer. Therefore, you need to make sure that recovery settings are correct otherwise Printer spooler will not start automatically.
Open the Services window as you did earlier.
Locate Print Spooler then right-click on it and select Properties.
- Switch to the Recovery tab and ensure that three failure tabs are set to Restart the Service.
- Click Apply followed by OK to save the settings.
Now see if you’re able to fix the problem in your printer.
Method 9: Update or RollBack Printer Driver
Every computer peripheral has a set of software files associated with it to communicate with your computer and the OS effectively. These files are known as device drivers. These drivers are unique for each device and manufacturer. Also, it is important to have the correct set of drivers installed in order to use an external device without facing any issues.
Option I: Update Printer Driver
Drivers are also constantly updated to stay compatible with the new Windows versions. If your drivers are not updated to their latest versions, update them by following our guide How to Update Device Drivers on Windows 10 .
Option II: Roll Back Printer Driver Updates
Sometimes, the current version of printer drivers may cause any conflicts and, in this case, you have to restore previous versions of installed drivers. This process is called Roll back of drivers and you can easily roll back your computer drivers to their previous state by following our guide How to Rollback Drivers on Windows 10 .
Wait until the previous versions of drivers are installed on your Windows 10 PC. Once done, check if you have fixed slow printing problem on your device.
Method 10: Reinstall Printer Drivers
Incompatible drivers must be reinstalled to fix slow printing Windows 10 issues. You are advised to reinstall device drivers only if you cannot attain any fix by updating them. Steps to reinstall drivers are very easy and you can do so by using a third-party application or by implementing the steps manually as instructed in our guide How to Uninstall and Reinstall Drivers on Windows 10
After reinstalling printer drivers, check if you can fix the discussed issue.
Note: Few users have suggested that re-installing printer drivers in compatibility mode have helped them fix the discussed issue. Here are a few instructions regarding the same.
- After uninstalling the driver go to your printers manufacturer’s website (e.g. Hp ) and download the latest drivers for your printer.
- Right-click on the setup file and select Properties.
Note: If the drivers are in a zip file make sure to extract all the files and then right-click on the .exe file.
Switch to the Compatibility Tab and click on Run this program in Compatibility mode .
From the drop-down select Windows 7 or 8 and then click on Run this program as an administrator .
Finally, double-click on the setup file and wait for the drivers to be installed on your device.
Once finished, reboot your PC and see if you can fix the printing issue on Windows 10 PC is fixed or not.
Method 11: Remove & Add Printer Again
If all these steps do not work to fix delay in printing to network printer, you might need to completely uninstall the existing drivers and the printer and then reinstall them. The process of doing the same is simple but rather lengthy but this seems to fix the discussed issue on your Windows PC. Anyway, below are the steps to remove and add your printer back.
- Launch the Windows Settings and select Devices setting.
- Move to the Printers & scanners settings in the left pane.
- Find the problematic printer in the right-side panel and single click on it to access its options. Select Remove Device , let the process complete, and then close Settings.
- Click on Windows keys and type Print Management in the search bar, then click on Open
- Double-click on All Printers (in the left panel or right panel, both are fine) and press Ctrl + A keys together to select all connected printers.
- Right-click over any printer and select Delete .
Now, it is time to add the printer back, but first, unplug the printer cable from your computer and perform a restart. Once the computer boots back on, properly reconnect the printer.
Follow steps 1 and step 2 of this method to open the Printer & Scanner settings .
Click on the Add a printer & scanner button at the top of the window.
- Windows will now automatically start looking for any connected printers. If Windows successfully detects the connected printer, click on its entry in the search list and select Add device to add it back otherwise, click on The printer that I want isn’t listed hyperlink.
- In the following window, select the appropriate option by clicking on its radio button and click on Next .
Note: For example, select My printer is a little older. Help me find it if your printer doesn’t use USB for connection or select Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer to add a wireless printer.
- Now, reinstall your printer .
Now that you have successfully reinstalled your printer, try printing a test page to ensure everything is right back on track.
- Hit Windows + I keys to open Settings and click on Devices .
- On the Printers and Scanners page, click on the printer you just added back and would like to test, followed by a click on the Manage button.
- Finally, click on the Print a test page option. Muffle your ears & listen carefully for the sound of your printer printing a page and rejoice.
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Windows updates are extremely important as they bring about a number of bug fixes and new features. Although, sometimes they might end up breaking a few things which worked just fine previously. New OS updates can often lead to some issues with external peripherals, particularly printers. Some common printer related problems you might experience after updating Windows 10 are printer not showing up in connected devices, unable to perform the print action, print spooler not running, etc.
Your printer woes can be due to a number of reasons. The most common culprits are outdated or corrupt printer drivers, problems with print spooler service, the new Windows update doesn’t support your printer, etc.
Fortunately, all your printer problems can be fixed by implementing some easy yet quick solutions. We have listed down five different solutions that you can try to get your printer to print again.
- How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
- Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
- Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
- Method 3: Set a Default Printer
- Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
- Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
As mentioned earlier, there are a few different culprits that might be causing printer problems in Windows 10. Most users can solve these difficulties by running the built-in troubleshooter tool for printers. Other solutions include deleting temporary spool files, manually updating printer drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling the printer, etc.
Before we start implementing the more technical solutions, ensure that the printer and your computer are properly connected. For wired printers, check the condition of the connecting cables and make sure they are firmly connected & in their designated ports. Also, as trivial as it sounds, simply removing and reconnecting wires can also resolve any external device-related issues. Gently blow air into the ports to remove any dirt that might be clogging the connection. As for wireless printers, ensure that the printer and your computer are connected to the same network.
Another quick solution is to power cycle your printer. Turn off the printer and disconnect its power cable. Wait for about 30-40 seconds before plugging the wires back in. This will resolve any temporary issues and start the printer afresh.
If both of these tricks didn’t work, then it is time to move on to the advanced methods.
Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
The easiest and quickest way to solve any problem with a device or a feature is to run the troubleshooter associated with it. Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter tool for a wide variety of issues, and printer problems are also one of them. The printer troubleshooter automatically performs a number of actions like restarting the print spooler service, clearing corrupted spooler files, checking whether the existing printer drivers are outdated or corrupt, etc.
- The printer troubleshooter can be found within the Windows Settings application. To open Settings , press the Window key (or click on the start button) and then click on the cogwheel Settings icon above the power icon (or use the combination Windows key + I ).
- Now, click on Update & Security .
Switch to the Troubleshoot settings page by clicking on the same from the left-hand panel.
Scroll down on the right side until you find the Printer entry. Once found, click on it to open up available options and then select Run the troubleshooter .
Depending on the Windows version you are currently running, the Printer troubleshooter tool might be absent altogether. If that’s the case, click on the following link to download the required troubleshooter tool.
Once downloaded, click on the Printerdiagnostic10.diagcab file to launch the troubleshooter wizard, select Printer , and click on the Advanced hyperlink at the bottom left.
- In the following window, tick the box next to Apply repairs automatically and click on the Next button to start troubleshooting your printer.
Once you have completed the troubleshooting process, restart your computer, and then try using the printer.
Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
Print spooler is a mediating file/tool that coordinates between your computer and the printer. The spooler manages all the print jobs you send to the printer and lets you delete a print job that is still being processed. Problems might be encountered if the Print Spooler service is corrupted or if the spooler’s temporary files become corrupt. Restarting the service and deleting these temporary files should help in fixing printer problems on your computer.
- Before we delete the print spooler files, we will need to halt the Print Spooler service that constantly runs in the background. To do so, type services.msc in either the run ( Windows key + R ) command box or the Windows search bar and hit enter. This will open up the Windows Services application .
Scan the list of Local Services to find the Print Spooler service. Hit the P key on your keyboard to jump ahead to the services starting with the alphabet P.
Once found, right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties from the context menu (or double-click on a service to access its Properties)
- Click on the Stop button to halt the service. Minimize the Services window instead of closing as we will need to restart the service after deleting the temporary files.
- Now, either open up the Windows File Explorer (Windows key + E) and navigate to the following path – C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\printers or launch the run command box, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and press OK to reach the required destination directly.
Press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the printers folder and hit the delete key on your keyboard to delete them.
Maximize/switch back to the Services application window and click on the Start button to restart the Print Spooler service.
You should now be able to fix your printer problems and be able to print your documents without any hiccups.
Method 3: Set a Default Printer
It is also quite possible that your printer is working just fine, but you have been sending the print request to the wrong printer. This might be the case if there are multiple printers installed on your computers. Set the one you are trying to use as the default printer to resolve the issue.
- Press the Windows key and start typing Control Panel to look for the same. Click on Open when search results return.
- Select Devices & Printers .
- The following window will contain a list of all the printers you have connected to your computer. Right-click on the printer you would like to use and choose Set as default printer .
Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
Every computer peripheral has a set of software files associated with it to communicate with your computer and the OS effectively. These files are known as device drivers. These drivers are unique for each device and manufacturer. Also, it is important to have the correct set of drivers installed in order to use an external device without facing any issues. Drivers are also constantly updated to stay compatible with the new Windows versions.
The new Windows update you just installed might not support the old printer drivers, and therefore, you will need to update them to the latest available version.
- Right-click on the start button or press Windows key + X to bring up the Power User menu and click on Device Manager .
Click on the arrow next to Print queues (or Printers) to expand it and have a look at all your connected printers.
Right-click on the problematic printer and select Update Driver from the ensuing options menu.
- Select ‘ Search Automatically for updated driver software ’ in the resulting window. Follow any on-screen instructions you might receive to install the updated printer drivers.
You can also choose to install the latest drivers manually. Visit the driver downloads page of your printer manufacturer, download the required drivers, and run the downloaded file. Printer driver files are usually available in .exe file format, so installing them doesn’t require any additional steps. Open the file and follow the instructions.
Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
If updating drivers didn’t work, you might need to completely uninstall the existing drivers and the printer and then reinstall them. The process of doing the same is simple but rather lengthy but this seems to fix some of the common printer problems. Anyway, below are the steps to remove and add your printer back.
- Open the Settings application (Windows key + I) and select Devices .
Move to the Printers & Scanners settings page.
Find the problematic printer in the right-side panel and single click on it to access its options. Select Remove Device , let the process complete, and then close Settings.
- Type Print Management in the Windows search bar (Windows key + S) and press enter to open the application.
- Double-click on All Printers (in the left panel or right panel, both are fine) and press Ctrl + A to select all connected printers.
- Right-click over any printer and select Delete .
Now, it is time to add the printer back, but first, unplug the printer cable from your computer and perform a restart. Once the computer boots back on, properly reconnect the printer.
Follow step 1 and step 2 of this method to open Printer & Scanner settings .
Click on the Add a printer & scanner button at the top of the window.
- Windows will now automatically start looking for any connected printers. If Windows successfully detects the connected printer, click on its entry in the search list and select Add device to add it back otherwise, click on The printer that I want isn’t listed hyperlink.
- In the following window, select the appropriate option by clicking on its radio button (For example, select ‘My printer is a little older. Help me find it’ if your printer doesn’t use USB for connection or select ‘Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer’ to add a wireless printer) and click on Next .
- Follow the following on-screen instructions to reinstall your printer .
Now that you have successfully reinstalled your printer, let’s print a test page to ensure everything is right back on track.
Open up Windows Settings and click on Devices .
On the Printers and Scanners page, click on the printer you just added back and would like to test, followed by a click on the Manage button.
- Finally, click on the Print a test page option. Muffle your ears & listen carefully for the sound of your printer printing a page and rejoice.
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Windows updates are extremely important as they bring about a number of bug fixes and new features. Although, sometimes they might end up breaking a few things which worked just fine previously. New OS updates can often lead to some issues with external peripherals, particularly printers. Some common printer related problems you might experience after updating Windows 10 are printer not showing up in connected devices, unable to perform the print action, print spooler not running, etc.
Your printer woes can be due to a number of reasons. The most common culprits are outdated or corrupt printer drivers, problems with print spooler service, the new Windows update doesn’t support your printer, etc.
Fortunately, all your printer problems can be fixed by implementing some easy yet quick solutions. We have listed down five different solutions that you can try to get your printer to print again.
- How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
- Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
- Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
- Method 3: Set a Default Printer
- Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
- Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
As mentioned earlier, there are a few different culprits that might be causing printer problems in Windows 10. Most users can solve these difficulties by running the built-in troubleshooter tool for printers. Other solutions include deleting temporary spool files, manually updating printer drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling the printer, etc.
Before we start implementing the more technical solutions, ensure that the printer and your computer are properly connected. For wired printers, check the condition of the connecting cables and make sure they are firmly connected & in their designated ports. Also, as trivial as it sounds, simply removing and reconnecting wires can also resolve any external device-related issues. Gently blow air into the ports to remove any dirt that might be clogging the connection. As for wireless printers, ensure that the printer and your computer are connected to the same network.
Another quick solution is to power cycle your printer. Turn off the printer and disconnect its power cable. Wait for about 30-40 seconds before plugging the wires back in. This will resolve any temporary issues and start the printer afresh.
If both of these tricks didn’t work, then it is time to move on to the advanced methods.
Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
The easiest and quickest way to solve any problem with a device or a feature is to run the troubleshooter associated with it. Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter tool for a wide variety of issues, and printer problems are also one of them. The printer troubleshooter automatically performs a number of actions like restarting the print spooler service, clearing corrupted spooler files, checking whether the existing printer drivers are outdated or corrupt, etc.
- The printer troubleshooter can be found within the Windows Settings application. To open Settings , press the Window key (or click on the start button) and then click on the cogwheel Settings icon above the power icon (or use the combination Windows key + I ).
- Now, click on Update & Security .
Switch to the Troubleshoot settings page by clicking on the same from the left-hand panel.
Scroll down on the right side until you find the Printer entry. Once found, click on it to open up available options and then select Run the troubleshooter .
Depending on the Windows version you are currently running, the Printer troubleshooter tool might be absent altogether. If that’s the case, click on the following link to download the required troubleshooter tool.
Once downloaded, click on the Printerdiagnostic10.diagcab file to launch the troubleshooter wizard, select Printer , and click on the Advanced hyperlink at the bottom left.
- In the following window, tick the box next to Apply repairs automatically and click on the Next button to start troubleshooting your printer.
Once you have completed the troubleshooting process, restart your computer, and then try using the printer.
Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
Print spooler is a mediating file/tool that coordinates between your computer and the printer. The spooler manages all the print jobs you send to the printer and lets you delete a print job that is still being processed. Problems might be encountered if the Print Spooler service is corrupted or if the spooler’s temporary files become corrupt. Restarting the service and deleting these temporary files should help in fixing printer problems on your computer.
- Before we delete the print spooler files, we will need to halt the Print Spooler service that constantly runs in the background. To do so, type services.msc in either the run ( Windows key + R ) command box or the Windows search bar and hit enter. This will open up the Windows Services application .
Scan the list of Local Services to find the Print Spooler service. Hit the P key on your keyboard to jump ahead to the services starting with the alphabet P.
Once found, right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties from the context menu (or double-click on a service to access its Properties)
- Click on the Stop button to halt the service. Minimize the Services window instead of closing as we will need to restart the service after deleting the temporary files.
- Now, either open up the Windows File Explorer (Windows key + E) and navigate to the following path – C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\printers or launch the run command box, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and press OK to reach the required destination directly.
Press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the printers folder and hit the delete key on your keyboard to delete them.
Maximize/switch back to the Services application window and click on the Start button to restart the Print Spooler service.
You should now be able to fix your printer problems and be able to print your documents without any hiccups.
Method 3: Set a Default Printer
It is also quite possible that your printer is working just fine, but you have been sending the print request to the wrong printer. This might be the case if there are multiple printers installed on your computers. Set the one you are trying to use as the default printer to resolve the issue.
- Press the Windows key and start typing Control Panel to look for the same. Click on Open when search results return.
- Select Devices & Printers .
- The following window will contain a list of all the printers you have connected to your computer. Right-click on the printer you would like to use and choose Set as default printer .
Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
Every computer peripheral has a set of software files associated with it to communicate with your computer and the OS effectively. These files are known as device drivers. These drivers are unique for each device and manufacturer. Also, it is important to have the correct set of drivers installed in order to use an external device without facing any issues. Drivers are also constantly updated to stay compatible with the new Windows versions.
The new Windows update you just installed might not support the old printer drivers, and therefore, you will need to update them to the latest available version.
- Right-click on the start button or press Windows key + X to bring up the Power User menu and click on Device Manager .
Click on the arrow next to Print queues (or Printers) to expand it and have a look at all your connected printers.
Right-click on the problematic printer and select Update Driver from the ensuing options menu.
- Select ‘ Search Automatically for updated driver software ’ in the resulting window. Follow any on-screen instructions you might receive to install the updated printer drivers.
You can also choose to install the latest drivers manually. Visit the driver downloads page of your printer manufacturer, download the required drivers, and run the downloaded file. Printer driver files are usually available in .exe file format, so installing them doesn’t require any additional steps. Open the file and follow the instructions.
Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
If updating drivers didn’t work, you might need to completely uninstall the existing drivers and the printer and then reinstall them. The process of doing the same is simple but rather lengthy but this seems to fix some of the common printer problems. Anyway, below are the steps to remove and add your printer back.
- Open the Settings application (Windows key + I) and select Devices .
Move to the Printers & Scanners settings page.
Find the problematic printer in the right-side panel and single click on it to access its options. Select Remove Device , let the process complete, and then close Settings.
- Type Print Management in the Windows search bar (Windows key + S) and press enter to open the application.
- Double-click on All Printers (in the left panel or right panel, both are fine) and press Ctrl + A to select all connected printers.
- Right-click over any printer and select Delete .
Now, it is time to add the printer back, but first, unplug the printer cable from your computer and perform a restart. Once the computer boots back on, properly reconnect the printer.
Follow step 1 and step 2 of this method to open Printer & Scanner settings .
Click on the Add a printer & scanner button at the top of the window.
- Windows will now automatically start looking for any connected printers. If Windows successfully detects the connected printer, click on its entry in the search list and select Add device to add it back otherwise, click on The printer that I want isn’t listed hyperlink.
- In the following window, select the appropriate option by clicking on its radio button (For example, select ‘My printer is a little older. Help me find it’ if your printer doesn’t use USB for connection or select ‘Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer’ to add a wireless printer) and click on Next .
- Follow the following on-screen instructions to reinstall your printer .
Now that you have successfully reinstalled your printer, let’s print a test page to ensure everything is right back on track.
Open up Windows Settings and click on Devices .
On the Printers and Scanners page, click on the printer you just added back and would like to test, followed by a click on the Manage button.
- Finally, click on the Print a test page option. Muffle your ears & listen carefully for the sound of your printer printing a page and rejoice.
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Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10: Isn’t frustrating that you give your printer command to print some important documents and it got stuck? Yes, it is a problem. If your printer is denying to print something, most probably it is printer spooler error. Most of the times when the printer resists printing on Windows 10, it is print spooler service error. Many of us may be not aware of this term. So let’s start with understanding what exactly printer spooler is all about.
Print spooler is a Windows service that manages and handles all printer interactions that you send to your printer. Problems in this service is that it will stop printing operation on your device. If you have tried restarting your device and printer but the problem still persists, you do not have to worry because we have the solutions to fix printer spooler errors on Windows 10.
- Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10
- Method 1 – Restart the Print Pooler service
- Method 2 – Ensure Print Spooler service is set to Automatic start
- Method 3 – Change the Recovery options for Print Spooler
- Method 4 – Delete Print Spooler Files
- Method 5 – Update Printer Driver
Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10
Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.
Method 1 – Restart the Print Pooler service
Let’s start with restarting the printer spooler service to fix this problem.
1.Press Windows +R and type services.msc and hit Enter or Press OK button.
2.Once the services window open, you need to locate Print Spooler and restart it. To do so, right-click on Print Spooler service and select Restart from the context menu.
Now give the print command to your printer again and check if you’re able to F ix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10. Your printer will start working again. If the problem still persists, move to the next method.
Method 2 – Ensure Print Spooler service is set to Automatic start
If print spooler service is not set to automatic, then it would not automatically start when Windows boots up. It means your printer will not work. This could be one of the causes of printer spooler error on your device. You have to manually set it to automatic if it is not already set.
1.Press Windows Key + R then type services.msc and hit Enter.
2.Locate Print Spooler service then right-click on it and choose Properties.
3.From Startup type drop-down select Automatic and then click Apply followed by OK.
Now check if your printer is started working or not. If not then continue with the next method.
Method 3 – Change the Recovery options for Print Spooler
Any incorrect recovery settings configuration of the print spooler service may also cause the issue with your device. Therefore, you need to make sure that recovery settings are correct otherwise Printer spooler will not start automatically.
1.Press Windows + R and type services.msc and hit Enter.
2.Locate Print Spooler then right-click on it and select Properties.
3.Switch to the Recovery tab and ensure that three failure tabs are set to Restart the Service.
- Click Apply followed by OK to save the settings.
Now see if you’re able to Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10.
Method 4 – Delete Print Spooler Files
If there are several pending printing jobs then this may cause trouble for your printer to run printing command. Thus, deleting print spooler files may solve the error.
1.Press Windows + R and type services.msc and hit Enter.
2.Right-click on the Print Spooler service then select Properties.
3.Click on Stop in order to stop the Print Spooler service then minimize this window.
4.Press Windows + E to open Windows File Explorer.
5.Navigate to the following location under the address bar:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS:
If Windows prompts you Permission, you need to click on Continue.
6.You need to delete all files in the PRINTER folder. Next, check if this folder is completely empty or not.
7.Now open Control Panel on your device. Press Windows + R and type Control and hit Enter.
8.Locate the View Devices and Printers.
9.Right-click on the Printer and select Remove Printer option to remove the printer from your device.
10.Now open the Services window again from the taskbar.
11.Right-click on the Print Spooler service and choose Start.
12.Return back t o Device and Printer section inside the control panel.
13.Right-click on the blank area under the above window and select Add a Printer option.
- Now follow the on-screen instructions carefully to add a printer on your device.
Now you can check if your printer has started working again or not. Hopefully, this will Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10.
Method 5 – Update Printer Driver
One of the most common and forgetful areas of this cause is an obsolete or older version of the printer driver. Most of the people forget to update the Printer driver. To do this, you need to open Device manager on your device
1.Press Windows + R and Type devmgmt.msc to open device manager window.
2.Here you need to locate the printers section and right-click on it to select Update Driver option.
Windows will automatically find the downloadable files for the driver and update the driver.
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Hopefully, above mentioned all methods will Fix Printer Spooler Errors on Windows 10 . If you still experience any trouble regarding this guide then feel free to ask any questions in the comment’s section.
Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10: If you’re not able to use your Printer and you face the error message that says “Driver is unavailable” then this means that the driver installed for your Printer is not compatible, outdated or corrupted. In any case, until you resolve this error you won’t be able to access your Printer. To view this message you need to head over to Devices and Printers then select your Printer and under Status, you will see “Driver is unavailable”.
This error message can be annoying, especially is you need to use the printer urgently. But don’t worry there are few easy fixes which can resolve this error and in no time you will be able to use your printer. So without wasting any time let’s see How to Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10 with the help of the below-listed troubleshooting guide.
- Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10
- Method 1: Uninstall the Printer Drivers
- Method 2: Make sure Windows is up to date
- Method 3: Verify the Admin Account
- Method 4: Install the Printer Drivers in Compatibility mode
- Method 5: Reinstall your Printer Drivers
- Method 6: Reset your PC
Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10
Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.
Method 1: Uninstall the Printer Drivers
1.Type control in Windows Search then click on the search result which says Control Panel.
2.From the Control Panel click on Hardware and Sound.
3.Next, click on Device and Printers.
4.Right-click on the printer device which shows the error “ Driver is unavailable ” and select Remove device.
5.Press Windows Key + R then type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter to open Device Manager.
6.Expand Print queues then right-click on your Printer device and select Uninstall.
Note: If you don’t have your device listed then don’t worry as it may already be removed when you remove the printer device from Devices and Printers.
7.Again click on Uninstall to confirm your actions and this will successfully remove the printer drivers from your PC.
8.Now press Windows Key + R then type appwiz.cpl and hit Enter.
9.From the Programs and Features window, uninstall any application related to your printer.
10.Disconnect your Printer from the PC, shut down your PC and router, power off your printer.
11.Wait for a few minutes then plug everything the back as it was earlier, make sure to connect your Printer to the PC using a USB cable and see if you’re able to Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10.
Method 2: Make sure Windows is up to date
1.Press Windows Key + I to open Settings then click on Update & Security.
2.From the left-hand side, menu click on Windows Update.
3.Now click on the “ Check for updates ” button to check for any available updates.
4.If any updates are pending then click on Download & Install updates.
Once the updates are downloaded, install them and your Windows will become up-to-date.
Method 3: Verify the Admin Account
1.Press Windows Key + R then type control and hit Enter to open Control Panel.
2.Click on User Accounts then again click on User Accounts.
3.Now click on the “ Make changes to my account in PC settings ” link.
4.Click on the verify link and follow the on-screen instructions to verify your admin account.
5.Once finished, reboot your PC and again install the printer without any issues.
Method 4: Install the Printer Drivers in Compatibility mode
1.Press Windows Key + R then type devmgmt.msc and hit Enter to open Device Manager.
2.Expand Print queues then right-click on your Printer device and select Uninstall.
3.If you’re prompted to confirm then again click on the Uninstall button.
4.Now go to your printers manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for your printer.
5.Right-click on the setup file and select Properties.
Note: If the drivers are in a zip file make sure to unzip it then right-click on the .exe file.
6.Switch to the Compatibility Tab and checkmark “ Run this program in Compatibility mode “.
7.From the drop-down select Windows 7 or 8 and then checkmark “ Run this program as an administrator “.
8.Finally, double-click on the setup file and let the drivers install.
9.Once finished, reboot your PC and see if you’re able to fix the issue.
Method 5: Reinstall your Printer Drivers
1.Press Windows Key + R then type control printers and hit Enter to open Devices and Printers.
- Right-click on your printer and select “ Remove device ” from the context menu.
3.When the confirm dialog box appears , click Yes.
4.After the device is successfully removed, download the latest drivers from your printer manufacturer website .
5.Then reboot your PC and once the system restarts, press Windows Key + R then type control printers and hit Enter.
Note: Make sure your printer is connected to the PC via USB, Ethernet or wirelessly.
6.Click on the “ Add a printer ” button under Device and Printers window.
7.Windows will automatically detect the printer, select your printer and click Next.
- Set your printer as default and click Finish.
Method 6: Reset your PC
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That’s if you have successfully Fix Printer Driver is unavailable on Windows 10 but if you still have any questions regarding this article then please feel free to ask them in the comment section.
Add a Printer in Windows 10: You have bought a new printer, but now you need to add that printer to your system or Laptop. But, you don’t have any idea what you must do to attach the printer. Then, you are at the right place, as in this article we are going to learn how to attach a local and wireless printer to the laptop and how to make that printer shared across the homegroup.
- How to Add a Printer in Windows 10 [GUIDE]
- Method 1: Add a Local Printer in Windows 10
- Method 2: Add a Wireless Printer in Windows 10
- Method 3: Add a Shared Printer in Windows 10
How to Add a Printer in Windows 10 [GUIDE]
Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong.
Let’s start then, we will cover all scenarios one by one:
Method 1: Add a Local Printer in Windows 10
1.First, connect your printer with PC and turn it on.
2.Now, go to start and click on the setting app.
3.Once, the setting screen appears, go to the “ Device ” option.
4.In the device screen, there will be multiple options on the left side of the screen, select “ Printers & Scanners ”.
5.After this there will be “ Add a printer or scanner ” option, this will show you all the printers which are already added. Now, choose the printer which you want to add to your desktop.
6.If the printer you want to add is not listed. Then, choose the link “ The printer that I want isn’t listed ” from the options present below.
It will open a troubleshooting guide that will show you all the available printer which you can add, find your printer in the list and add it to the desktop.
Method 2: Add a Wireless Printer in Windows 10
The different wireless printer has different methods for installation, it solely depends on the manufacturer of the printer. However, new age wireless printer has inbuilt functionality of installation, it gets automatically added to your system if both system and printer are in the same network.
- Firstly, do the initial wireless setting in the setup option from the LCD panel of the printer.
- Now, select your own Wi-Fi Network SSID , you can find this network at the Wi-Fi icon, which is on the bottom of your screen’s taskbar.
- Now, just enter your network password and it will connect your printer with the PC or laptop.
Sometimes, there is a case that you must connect your printer with the USB cable to install software. Otherwise, you can find your printer in the Setting->Device section . I have already explained the method to find the device in “ Add a Local Printer ” option.
Method 3: Add a Shared Printer in Windows 10
You need a Homegroup to share the printer with other computers. Here, we will learn to connect the printer with the help of homegroup. Firstly, we will create a homegroup and then add the printer to homegroup, so that it will get shared between all the computers connected in the same homegroup.
Steps to setup Homegroup
1.First, go to the taskbar and go to Wi-Fi, now right click on it and popup appears, pick option “ Open Network and Sharing Center ” in the pop-up.
2.Now, there will be homegroup option, if it is showing “ Joined ” it means homegroup already exists for the system else “ Ready to Create ” will be there, just click on that option.
3.Now, it will open homegroup Screen, just click on the “ Create a Homegroup ” option.
4.Click Next and a screen will appear, where you can choose what you want to share in the homegroup. Set “ Printer and device ” as shared, if it is not shared.
5.The window will create “ Homegroup Password ”, you will need this password if you want to join your computer to Homegroup.
6.After this click Finish , now your system connected to the homegroup.
Steps to Connect to a Shared Printer in Desktop
1.Go to the file explorer and click on the homegroup and then press “ Join Now ” button.
2.A screen will appear, click “ Next ”.
3.In the next screen, choose all the libraries and folder you want to share , choose “ Printer and Devices ” as shared and click Next.
4.Now, give the password in the next screen , which is generated by the window in the earlier step.
5.At last, just click Finish .
6.Now, in file explorer, go to network and you will your printer connected , and the name of the printer will appear on printer option.
These are a different method to attach the printer to your system. Hope this article proved helpful.
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Hopefully, one of the above-mentioned methods will surely help you to Add a Printer in Windows 10 but if you still have any questions regarding this guide then feel free to ask them in the comment’s section.
Windows updates are extremely important as they bring about a number of bug fixes and new features. Although, sometimes they might end up breaking a few things which worked just fine previously. New OS updates can often lead to some issues with external peripherals, particularly printers. Some common printer related problems you might experience after updating Windows 10 are printer not showing up in connected devices, unable to perform the print action, print spooler not running, etc.
Your printer woes can be due to a number of reasons. The most common culprits are outdated or corrupt printer drivers, problems with print spooler service, the new Windows update doesn’t support your printer, etc.
Fortunately, all your printer problems can be fixed by implementing some easy yet quick solutions. We have listed down five different solutions that you can try to get your printer to print again.
- How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
- Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
- Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
- Method 3: Set a Default Printer
- Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
- Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
How to fix various printer problems in Windows 10?
As mentioned earlier, there are a few different culprits that might be causing printer problems in Windows 10. Most users can solve these difficulties by running the built-in troubleshooter tool for printers. Other solutions include deleting temporary spool files, manually updating printer drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling the printer, etc.
Before we start implementing the more technical solutions, ensure that the printer and your computer are properly connected. For wired printers, check the condition of the connecting cables and make sure they are firmly connected & in their designated ports. Also, as trivial as it sounds, simply removing and reconnecting wires can also resolve any external device-related issues. Gently blow air into the ports to remove any dirt that might be clogging the connection. As for wireless printers, ensure that the printer and your computer are connected to the same network.
Another quick solution is to power cycle your printer. Turn off the printer and disconnect its power cable. Wait for about 30-40 seconds before plugging the wires back in. This will resolve any temporary issues and start the printer afresh.
If both of these tricks didn’t work, then it is time to move on to the advanced methods.
Method 1: Run the Printer Troubleshooter
The easiest and quickest way to solve any problem with a device or a feature is to run the troubleshooter associated with it. Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter tool for a wide variety of issues, and printer problems are also one of them. The printer troubleshooter automatically performs a number of actions like restarting the print spooler service, clearing corrupted spooler files, checking whether the existing printer drivers are outdated or corrupt, etc.
- The printer troubleshooter can be found within the Windows Settings application. To open Settings , press the Window key (or click on the start button) and then click on the cogwheel Settings icon above the power icon (or use the combination Windows key + I ).
- Now, click on Update & Security .
Switch to the Troubleshoot settings page by clicking on the same from the left-hand panel.
Scroll down on the right side until you find the Printer entry. Once found, click on it to open up available options and then select Run the troubleshooter .
Depending on the Windows version you are currently running, the Printer troubleshooter tool might be absent altogether. If that’s the case, click on the following link to download the required troubleshooter tool.
Once downloaded, click on the Printerdiagnostic10.diagcab file to launch the troubleshooter wizard, select Printer , and click on the Advanced hyperlink at the bottom left.
- In the following window, tick the box next to Apply repairs automatically and click on the Next button to start troubleshooting your printer.
Once you have completed the troubleshooting process, restart your computer, and then try using the printer.
Method 2: Delete the temporary files (Print Spooler) associated with your printer
Print spooler is a mediating file/tool that coordinates between your computer and the printer. The spooler manages all the print jobs you send to the printer and lets you delete a print job that is still being processed. Problems might be encountered if the Print Spooler service is corrupted or if the spooler’s temporary files become corrupt. Restarting the service and deleting these temporary files should help in fixing printer problems on your computer.
- Before we delete the print spooler files, we will need to halt the Print Spooler service that constantly runs in the background. To do so, type services.msc in either the run ( Windows key + R ) command box or the Windows search bar and hit enter. This will open up the Windows Services application .
Scan the list of Local Services to find the Print Spooler service. Hit the P key on your keyboard to jump ahead to the services starting with the alphabet P.
Once found, right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties from the context menu (or double-click on a service to access its Properties)
- Click on the Stop button to halt the service. Minimize the Services window instead of closing as we will need to restart the service after deleting the temporary files.
- Now, either open up the Windows File Explorer (Windows key + E) and navigate to the following path – C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\printers or launch the run command box, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and press OK to reach the required destination directly.
Press Ctrl + A to select all the files in the printers folder and hit the delete key on your keyboard to delete them.
Maximize/switch back to the Services application window and click on the Start button to restart the Print Spooler service.
You should now be able to fix your printer problems and be able to print your documents without any hiccups.
Method 3: Set a Default Printer
It is also quite possible that your printer is working just fine, but you have been sending the print request to the wrong printer. This might be the case if there are multiple printers installed on your computers. Set the one you are trying to use as the default printer to resolve the issue.
- Press the Windows key and start typing Control Panel to look for the same. Click on Open when search results return.
- Select Devices & Printers .
- The following window will contain a list of all the printers you have connected to your computer. Right-click on the printer you would like to use and choose Set as default printer .
Method 4: Update Printer Drivers
Every computer peripheral has a set of software files associated with it to communicate with your computer and the OS effectively. These files are known as device drivers. These drivers are unique for each device and manufacturer. Also, it is important to have the correct set of drivers installed in order to use an external device without facing any issues. Drivers are also constantly updated to stay compatible with the new Windows versions.
The new Windows update you just installed might not support the old printer drivers, and therefore, you will need to update them to the latest available version.
- Right-click on the start button or press Windows key + X to bring up the Power User menu and click on Device Manager .
Click on the arrow next to Print queues (or Printers) to expand it and have a look at all your connected printers.
Right-click on the problematic printer and select Update Driver from the ensuing options menu.
- Select ‘ Search Automatically for updated driver software ’ in the resulting window. Follow any on-screen instructions you might receive to install the updated printer drivers.
You can also choose to install the latest drivers manually. Visit the driver downloads page of your printer manufacturer, download the required drivers, and run the downloaded file. Printer driver files are usually available in .exe file format, so installing them doesn’t require any additional steps. Open the file and follow the instructions.
Method 5: Remove and Add the Printer Again
If updating drivers didn’t work, you might need to completely uninstall the existing drivers and the printer and then reinstall them. The process of doing the same is simple but rather lengthy but this seems to fix some of the common printer problems. Anyway, below are the steps to remove and add your printer back.
- Open the Settings application (Windows key + I) and select Devices .
Move to the Printers & Scanners settings page.
Find the problematic printer in the right-side panel and single click on it to access its options. Select Remove Device , let the process complete, and then close Settings.
- Type Print Management in the Windows search bar (Windows key + S) and press enter to open the application.
- Double-click on All Printers (in the left panel or right panel, both are fine) and press Ctrl + A to select all connected printers.
- Right-click over any printer and select Delete .
Now, it is time to add the printer back, but first, unplug the printer cable from your computer and perform a restart. Once the computer boots back on, properly reconnect the printer.
Follow step 1 and step 2 of this method to open Printer & Scanner settings .
Click on the Add a printer & scanner button at the top of the window.
- Windows will now automatically start looking for any connected printers. If Windows successfully detects the connected printer, click on its entry in the search list and select Add device to add it back otherwise, click on The printer that I want isn’t listed hyperlink.
- In the following window, select the appropriate option by clicking on its radio button (For example, select ‘My printer is a little older. Help me find it’ if your printer doesn’t use USB for connection or select ‘Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer’ to add a wireless printer) and click on Next .
- Follow the following on-screen instructions to reinstall your printer .
Now that you have successfully reinstalled your printer, let’s print a test page to ensure everything is right back on track.
Open up Windows Settings and click on Devices .
On the Printers and Scanners page, click on the printer you just added back and would like to test, followed by a click on the Manage button.
- Finally, click on the Print a test page option. Muffle your ears & listen carefully for the sound of your printer printing a page and rejoice.
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