10 Things To Try When Your Printer Won’T Print

Printers experience several forms of malfunctions, some of which are easy to fix. Fixing printer issues can be a headache—especially on Windows devices—because there’s a wide range of things that could be wrong.

The problem could stem from your PC, the printer, or the connection between both devices. This tutorial highlights ten likely troubleshooting measures for printers that won’t print.

1. Check Paper Tray and Printer Connection

Many printer models won’t print if there’s a loose USB connection or if they’re out of ink or paper. Verify your printer’s ink levels, clean the printhead, fill the paper tray, and avoid using substandard paper. Low-quality paper can cause “Ghost Paper Jams” and other issues that stop your printer from printing documents.

For printers using a wired connection, ensure both cable ends are plugged firmly into your printer and computer. Go through the printer’s manual for instructions on connecting the device to your Windows or Mac computer.

Wireless printers won’t print documents if connected to the wrong Wi-Fi network. Make sure your printer and computer are on the same wireless network. Likewise, check your router settings, disable VPN connections, and make the printer’s IP address static. Refer to our tutorial on troubleshooting Wi-Fi (wireless) printers for more fixes.

2. Run the Printer Troubleshooter

Windows has a suite of troubleshooting tools that diagnoses and resolves hardware and software problems. We recommend running the Printer Troubleshooter before trying other more complex measures.

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > and select Printers & scanners .

In Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners .

1. Select the problem printer from the list of connected devices.

Note: If your printer status reads “Offline,” refer to our troubleshooting tutorial on getting an offline printer back online . Proceed to the next step if your printer is online.

1. Select Run the troubleshooter in the “Printer settings” tab.

There’s another way to access the printer troubleshooter in Windows 11. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and select Run next to “Printer.”

In Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot and select Additional troubleshooters > Printer > and select Run the troubleshooter .

Wait for the troubleshooter to run the necessary check on the printer, its drivers, and other associated processes.

3. Set the Printer As Default

Windows has a feature that dynamically changes your PC’s default printing device based on your location and other factors. The feature is near-perfect but not failproof. If your PC doesn’t print documents, it might be that an inactive printer is the default printing device.

macOS also sets the last printer connected as your Mac’s default printer. Check your computer settings and ensure the active printer is the default device.

In Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners , select the printer, and select the Set as default button.

On Mac computers, go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners on Mac computers , right-click the printer, and select Set default printer . Alternatively, open the Default printer drop-down menu and select the printer as the default.

4. Clear Your Computer’s Print Queue

When you send a document for printing, your computer first sends the “print job” to the print queue. The print job is immediately removed from the print queue when the printer prints the document. It’s usually a seamless process, but there are times when completed print jobs remain in the queue.

If that happens, subsequent print jobs will also get stuck in the queue and prevent your printer from printing files. Clearing your computer’s print queue might resolve the problem.

Clear Print Queue in Windows

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & scanners > Printers & scanners and select your printer.

1. Select Open print queue .

1. Select Printer on the menu bar and select Cancel All Documents .

1. Select Yes on the confirmation prompt.

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Try printing any document or a test page and check if clearing the queue fixed the problem. Open the printer menu and select Print test page .

If completed documents remain in the print queue, refer to our troubleshooting tutorial on deleting stuck print jobs in Windows .

Clear Print Queue in macOS

1. Go to System Preferences > Printers & scanners , select the printer on the sidebar, and select Open Print Queue .

1. Select the x icon next to the pending print jobs to remove them from the queue.

5. Update Printer Driver

Your printer might not receive print jobs from your PC if its driver is corrupt or outdated. Although Windows automatically installs driver updates, some factors (e.g., a metered internet connection) may prevent that from happening. Here’s how to manually install a driver from your computer or the internet.

Check the printer’s manufacturer website and download the latest driver updates for your printer model. Plug the printer into your computer and follow the steps below.

1. Right-click the Start Menu or press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Access Menu. Select Device Manager to proceed.

1. Expand the “Printers” category, right-click the printer’s driver, and select Update driver .

1. Select Search automatically for drivers and wait for Windows to search for the best driver available for the printer. The process requires an internet connection, so ensure your PC is connected to a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.

Alternatively, select Browser my computer for drivers to manually install a driver you downloaded from the printer manufacturer’s website. Afterward, choose Browse , navigate to the driver’s location on your PC, and select Next to install the update.

We recommend configuring Windows to automatically download drivers for your printer, especially if you’re using a metered connection.

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and toggle on Download drivers and device software over metered connections .

If the Device Manager says the printer’s driver is up-to-date, check the manufacturer’s website for confirmation. You’ll find driver update history in the “Download,” “Software,” or “Drivers” section of the printer manufacturer’s website. Contact the manufacturer if you don’t know how to find, install, or update your printer’s driver update.

6. Reboot Your Devices

Power-cycling your printer and computer can help both devices re-establish a connection. Unplug your printer’s power cord and shut down your computer. Remember to close any open apps or documents so you don’t lose unsaved changes.

Restart both devices, connect your printer to your PC, and check if you can now print documents.

7. Reinstall Printer Driver

Reinstalling a faulty or corrupt driver can resolve issues causing your printer to malfunction. The operation entails deleting or uninstalling the printer driver , restarting your computer, and installing it from scratch. Note that this operation may affect any customizations made on the printer’s settings and preferences on your computer.

1. Type device manager into Windows Search and select Device Manager .

1. Expand the “Printer” section, right-click the printer’s driver, select Uninstall device , and select Uninstall on the pop-up.

You should also remove the printer from your PC’s memory.

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers and scanners , select the printer, and select the Remove button.

1. Select Yes on the confirmation prompt.

Restart Windows and reconnect the printer to your computer. Windows should automatically install the printer’s driver when it connects to your PC.

8. Restart the Printer Spooler

Printer Spooler is the system service that manages printers and print jobs on Windows devices. Temporary system glitches can affect the Printer Spooler’s performance and trigger printing-related problems. Restarting the print spooler service can restore the service to normalcy.

1. Open the Windows Run box (press Windows key + R ), type services.msc in the dialog box, and press Enter .

1. Right-click Printer Spooler and select Restart .

9. Update Your Computer

Asides from fixing software bugs, Windows Updates also updates outdated or buggy drivers. Head to the Windows Updates menu and install the latest Windows build or security patches available for your computer.

In Windows 11, go to Settings > Windows Update and wait for Windows to check for updates. You may need to restart your computer if Windows has already downloaded the update. Select Restart now to update and reboot your computer.

In Windows 10, head to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates . Make sure your computer has an internet connection.

In macOS, go to System Preferences > Software Updates and select Update Now (or Upgrade Now ).

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10. Run the Printer’s Utility Software

HP has a Print and Scan Doctor utility (HP Smart for Mac) that diagnoses problems with HP printers. The tool can detect empty ink cartridges, outdated driver software, blocked nozzles, print feed errors, and other printer problems.

Samsung Printer Experience is the utility that manages Samsung printers. The app has loads of troubleshooting guides for printing problems on Samsung printers. The Canon Inkjet Print Utility is also available for Canon inkjet printers.

Download and install your printer’s utility software on your computer and run the tool according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pay Attention to Physical Indicators

Printers have status lights or LCD screens that display error codes. These lights point out the root cause of some printing issues. Check the printer’s instruction manual to learn what the indicator lights and error codes mean and their respective solutions. Contact the printer manufacturer if your printer still won’t print after running these troubleshooting measures.

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Sodiq has written thousands of tutorials, guides, and explainers over the past 4 years to help people solve problems with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. He also enjoys reviewing consumer tech products (smartphones, smart home devices, accessories, etc.) and binge-watching comedy series in his spare time. Read Sodiq’s Full Bio

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Few things are more frustrating than when you want to print a document, and your wireless printer is in an error state, or gives you the silent treatment. Perhaps you’ve tried to connect your WiFi printer to the network in your home, but the problems persist, leaving your printer stubbornly off the grid.

Ideally, a wireless connection should allow you to transfer documents easily from your device to the printer, but it’s not always that simple in reality.

Knowing how to troubleshoot wireless printer issues can relieve some of that frustration. We’re going to cover some fixes that’ll help you work through most of them below.

Troubleshoot Wireless Printer Problems

• Check the basics.
• Set your printer as the default printer.
• Restart all your devices.
• Run the Printing Troubleshooter.
• Check Router settings.
• Update router firmware.
• Disable VPN connections.
• Make printer IP address static.
• Check Firewall Settings.
• Change your SSID.
• Uninstall and reinstall printer driver and software.
• Uninstall and reinstall the printer.
• Clear and reset print spooler.
• Reset your printer.

Check The Basics

It’s possible to overlook some basics so here’s what to check for before moving to advanced steps:

1. Make sure the printer is on or that it has power.
2. Connect your printer to your computer or other device
3. Check the printer’s toner and paper, plus the printer queue. Sometimes a print job with an error may hold up the line, the travel time for files from your device to the printer may take more time, or a larger document may take longer to download and process.
4. Check for any warning lights or error messages on the printer.
5. Make sure it’s connected to WiFi.
6. Use a USB cable to connect and see if it works again.
7. Move your printer to where it gets the best WiFi signal without interference. Ideally, it shouldn’t be too far from the router.
8. Confirm that your device is also on the right network especially where there’s a WiFi range extender as this creates separate networks, making it harder to connect.
9. If you recently updated your browser, security software, operating system or firewalls, it could cause issues connecting to your printer. In this case, reconnect your device to the network, reconfigure security settings to include printers, and/or install updated drivers.

You can also perform a System Restore to go back to the default version or settings and try connecting to your printer again.

Set Your Printer As The Default Printer

It’s possible that you’re trying to connect to a WiFi printer that has set itself as the default. Sometimes a printer may install software that has a “virtual” printer so that when you hit the Print command, the virtual printer saves the file instead of the actual document you’re sending to the physical printer.

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound .

2. Click Devices and Printers .

3. Right-click your printer and select Set as default printer . Click Yes (or OK) to confirm the action.

Restart All Your Devices

A restart helps fix any software glitches that could cause your wireless printer and connected devices not to work properly together. The wireless printer, router, computer/other device, wireless access point and modem all rely on your home or office network in order to connect to the internet.

However it’s configured, if one device acts up, it may affect all the others. A restart can get the network humming again, after which you can try the printer to see if it works.

Run The Printing Troubleshooter

1. To do this, open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers .

2. Right click the printer icon and click Troubleshoot . The printing troubleshooter to identify and fix problems connecting to your printer.

3. Alternatively, go to the search box on the taskbar and type Printing problem in , and then select Run Troubleshooter to download the printing troubleshooter . Click Open and follow the on-screen instructions.

Check Router Settings

If you replaced your router recently, you may have to reconfigure the computer and printer to reconnect with your network.

The new router may have a different ISP address that needs reconfiguration, and adjustment of router settings, some of which may be unsuitable for your wireless printer.

1. To check router settings, open your browser and type its IP address and press Enter. If you’re not sure of the IP address, read our post how to find the IP address of a router. You can try using admin as the username, and password as the password, which are the commonly used default passwords for routers.
2. Find the Wireless or Security section and adjust the settings to default for the printer to connect.

A few things you can check in the router settings include:

• MAC address filtering – disable it as it really doesn’t make your network secure.
• Check if your router is in the 2.4GHz frequency band, which most wireless printers easily connect to compared to connecting to the 5GHz only mode.
• Use a WiFi channel that’s least used by other local networks. For printers that aren’t connecting, channels 1, 6, and 11 usually work best, instead of the default “Auto” channel selection setting.
• Disable wireless isolation mode setting and try connecting to the printer again.
• Enable DCHP to allow your printer to acquire an IP address and communicate over the network, and attempt reconnection.
• Check that your router, device or printer has a guest connection, as this isolates them from other devices on a network, and prevents your wireless printer from connecting.

Update Router Firmware

If changing the router settings didn’t help, update its firmware to address bugs or vulnerabilities and connectivity issues.

For example, moving to Windows 10 from a different version could create an interruption to your connection, which a firmware update could solve.

Check your router’s manual or consult the device manufacturer for further instructions as the steps may vary with different routers. Some may also require special instructions to connect to wireless devices, especially those provided by ISPs.

Disable VPN Connections

If you’re using a virtual private network to connect securely to a remote network, it could restrict you from printing through your WiFi printer. This happens for security reasons, but you can disable the VPN connection and try to connect to the home network and resume printing functions.

Make The Printer IP Address Static

IP addresses can fluctuate in a particular range, whether or not your device remains in the same spot. This can be confusing especially where several devices are attempting to connect wirelessly over a given duration.

In this case, check your router’s manual for instructions on how to set a static IP address for your printer so that it won’t change with time.

Check Firewall Settings

Your device’s firewall is designed to block any attacks from malware , but it could also block network settings for printing. It could be overprotective of your device depending on how it’s configured, and won’t let it see your printer over the local network.

Firewall settings vary though, in which case you should check the user guide or vendor’s website for support resources.

Make sure you keep your software up-to-date, set firewall settings to medium or “Trusted Zone” where your device is connected to a network, and enable it to show all alert messages.

Check that you don’t have multiple firewalls enabled at once as this causes several wireless printer connection issues or you may find your wireless printer not printing.

Change Your SSID

Changing the name of your WiFi network (SSID) may solve connectivity issues. If there are multiple routers with a similar SSID like Home , you can change one of them to make it recognizable by your printer and resolve connectivity errors due to drops in connection or incorrect wireless connection.

Doing this means you have to reconnect a computer system or compatible devices to the right network that the printer is connected to.

Uninstall & Reinstall Printer Driver & Software

This involves reinstalling or reconfiguring your printer’s special network drivers.

1. Open Control Panel > Programs .

2. Click Programs and Features > Uninstall a program .

3. Click your printer’s name and then click Yes to confirm the action. Turn on the printer and go to the manufacturer’s site to get specific instructions for downloading and installing the drivers for your model. Once installed, follow the steps to set up the printer connection and try printing again.

You can also reinstall printer drivers using Windows Update, by clicking Start > Settings > Update & Security and click Check for updates . If an updated driver is available, it will download and install and your printer will use it.

Alternatively, use the disc installation software that came with your printer as this may help you install its drivers or check for driver updates.

What If The Printer Driver Doesn’t Install?

1. In this case, click Start > Settings > Devices .

2. Click Printers and Scanners and then click Print server properties under Related settings .

3. Go to the Drivers tab and check for your printer. If it’s there, you’re good to go. If not, click Add .

4. Click N ext in the Welcome to the Add Printer Driver wizard

5. Click on your device’s architecture in the Process Selection box, and click Next .

6. Under Printer Driver Selection , click your manufacturer, select the printer driver, and then click Next > Finish . Follow the on-screen steps to add your printer’s driver.

Note: If no new drivers are available, contact the manufacturer and ask when they’ll be available. If your printer model is no longer supported, you can check with a printer in the same series for updated drivers as there’s a likelihood they’ll work for yours, with some loss of functionality though.

It’s a long shot, but there’s not much to lose if it’s not working already.

Uninstall & Reinstall The Printer

Try to remove your printer and reinstall it to see if the connection will work for it to print again.

1. To remove the printer, click Start > Settings > Devices . Click Printers and Scanners and find your printer, click on it and select Remove device.

2. Reinstall the printer by clicking Start > Settings > Devices > Printers and Scanners . Select Add a printer or scanner .

3. Choose your printer from the list of available ones (including Bluetooth or printers connected to another computer and shared on your network) and click Add device .

Note: If you use an extender, wireless access points, or multiple routers with different SSIDs, ensure you’re connected to the same network so your device can find and install your printer. Print a test page to be sure it works properly.

Clear & Reset Print Spooler

The print spooler manages the printing process. If you find your wireless printer not printing, the print spooler could have a problem. In this case, clear the spooler files and restart the spooler service.

1. In the search box, type services and choose Services from the search results.

2. Click Standard tab and double-click Print spooler.

3. Click Stop > OK.

4. Type %WINDIR%system32spoolprinters in the search box again, and then select %WINDIR%system32spoolPRINTERS from the search results. Delete all the files in that folder.

5. Type services and select Services . Click Standards tab, and double-click Print Spooler from the list. Click Start and in the Startup type box, select Automatic and click OK .

Reset Your Printer

This is a last resort solution when all other fixes have failed because it clears all your printer settings, including the WiFi login credentials in order to reestablish a connection.

Check your printer manual for directions on how to perform a factory reset as the steps vary by brand and model. The information may also be available online if you don’t have an owner’s manual.

We’ve covered most probable fixes to wireless printer problems, if yours still won’t connect after going through each of these fixes, you can consult the manufacturer, return it to the store, or buy a new printer and start over.

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Elsie is a technology writer and editor with a special focus on Windows, Android and iOS. She writes about software, electronics and other tech subjects, her ultimate goal being to help people out with useful solutions to their daily tech issues in a simple, straightforward and unbiased style. She has a BCom degree in Marketing and currently pursuing her Masters in Communications and New Media. Read Elsie’s Full Bio