The printhead assembly is the compartment that houses your printer’s ink cartridges. Your printer displays the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error to signal a malfunctioning printhead. The issue could be due to clogged ink nozzles, dirty ink cartridges, internal paper jams, and more.
HP printers may also display this error if the printhead pulls air from ink cartridges. This tutorial covers troubleshooting fixes for the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error on HP printers .
Restart or Factory Reset Your Printer
Rebooting your printer will fix common printer problems , so will restoring its settings to factory default.
Note: Factory resetting your HP printer won’t reset its page count, language, or tray size.
- Turn off your printer and unplug its power cord from the wall outlet for at least 30 seconds.
- Reconnect your printer to its power source and turn it on. If your printer has a Resume button , press and hold it for 10-20 seconds while your printer boots.
- Release the Resume button when the yellow “Attention” light comes on. The “Attention” and “Ready” lights cycle while your preset resets to factory default.
Reseat your printer’s printhead if the missing printhead error message persists.
Reseat Your HP Printer Printhead
HP printers might malfunction if the printhead isn’t seated correctly in the carriage. Reseat your printer’s printhead and check if that stops the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error. Turn off your printer and unplug its power cable before reseating or realigning the printhead.
Open your printer’s cartridge access door, lift the latch on the carriage, and gently pull the printhead halfway out. Return the carriage latch to lock the printhead firmly.
Try the troubleshooting steps below if reseating the printhead doesn’t resolve the “Missing or Failed Printhead” error.
Check for Paper Jam
Paper jams inside your printer can prevent the detection of the printhead. Turn off your printer, disconnect its power cable, and check the ink or toner cartridge access area for jammed paper.
Examine the carriage path and other areas and remove torn pieces of paper inside your printer. Close the cartridge access door, and reconnect your printer’s power cable.
Clean or Replace the Ink Cartridges
Dirt, debris, or ink residue on your printer’s ink cartridges can also trigger printing errors. Remove your ink cartridges from the printhead and wipe off accumulated dirt or debris. HP recommends cleaning ink cartridges using a clean, dry, and lint-free cloth damped in distilled water.
You should also gently wipe accumulated ink off the copper-colored electrical contacts on the printhead and carriage. Snap the ink cartridges into their color-coded slots, close the cartridge access area, and turn on your printer.
Touching the ink nozzles or cleaning past the electrical contacts can cause print quality issues and electrical failures. Likewise, leaving your ink cartridges or printhead outside the printer for an extended period (over 30 minutes) can damage the cartridges and printer.
Clean the ink cartridges and printhead quickly (but carefully) and replace them immediately. Refer to this HP Support tutorial for more information on cleaning your printer’s ink cartridges and printhead.
Some HP Inkjet printers have a “Clean Printhead” function in their control panels. Depending on your printer model, you’ll find the cleaning option in the “Tools,” “Maintenance,” or “Printer Services” section of the control panel. Refer to your printer’s manual for instructions on accessing or using its cleaning tool.
Check for connectivity issues between the printer and cartridges if the printhead problem persists. Ensure the ink cartridges are connected correctly, and their plastic tabs align with the printhead.
Additionally, inspect the cartridge’s chip and ensure it’s properly fixed and in good condition. You might have to replace the entire cartridge pack, especially if using non-HP cartridges.
Update the Printer’s Firmware
Updating your printer’s firmware to the latest version sometimes resolves printhead errors and other printing malfunctions . You can update your printer’s firmware through HP’s website or the HP Smart app.
Update Your Printer from HP Website
- Visit HP’s website’s Software and Driver Download page and select Printer .
- Enter your HP printer model number or name in the dialog box and select Submit .
- Expand the “Firmware” category and select Download next to the latest firmware file.
- Unzip the file and follow the instructions in the attached PDF document to install the firmware update.
Restart your computer and printer after installing the firmware update. Keep your printer powered on during the firmware update process. Power failure or turning your printer while updating its firmware can irreversibly damage the printer.
Update Your Printer via the HP Smart
The steps for updating your printer’s firmware may vary depending on the HP Smart app version and your printer model.
Select your printer on the HP Smart app home screen and select Advanced Settings or Printer Home Page ( EWS ). Next, head to Tools / Web Services > Printer Update (s) and select Check Now .
The HP Smart app will automatically download and install any available firmware update onto your printer.
You can also install firmware updates from your printer’s control panel. This HP Customer Support document highlights different ways to install firmware or driver updates on your HP printer.
Fix HP Failed Printhead Error
Contact HP Support or a local service center if the printhead missing error persists. You’ll get a new printhead or replacement printer if your printer is defective and under warranty. Use HP’s Product Warrant Check tool to verify your printer’s warranty or service status.
Otherwise, HP will service or repair your printer for a fee if you have an out-of-warranty product.
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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
While the world is more digital than ever, the decades-long promise of a paperless world seems as far away as ever. Ironically, one of the places you’re most likely to need a printer is when working with clients on a business trip or out in the field. As time goes on, it’s becoming less common to find printers wherever you go, so a portable printer could be a real lifesaver when you need hard copies of something away from the office.
What To Look For in a Portable Printer
Portable printers have various designs, shapes, sizes, and features. Most buying decisions are similar to choosing any type of printer, but a few aspects are specific to these mobile machines.
First and foremost, portable printers will have a battery rating, usually measured in the number of pages that they can print on a full charge. That number will vary based on the print quality and whether it’s in full color or not. So pay careful attention to the quoted numbers and make sure that they’re enough to cover your real-world needs.
Battery power may not be too much of an issue if you choose a printer that can charge from a car’s 12V outlet or accepts USB power from a power bank.
Another special consideration for portable printers is whether you want a model that holds paper or requires manual feeding one sheet at a time. Printers that are hand-fed single sheets are much more compact, but if you want to print more than one or two pages at a time, it can take up a lot of valuable time.
1. Best for Quality Business Prints:Epson WorkForce WF-110(Approx. $350)
Key Features:
- Great maximum DPI numbers
- Can print borderless photos
- Extra external battery available
The Epson WorkForce is great to take with you on a specific trip where you’ll have to do some printing, but it’s not the printer to choose if you want to print larger volumes. The ink cartridge capacity is relatively limited, with a 250- and 200-page capacity rating for the black and color cartridges.
What you would buy the Epson for is high-quality, low-volume printing. With a maximum print resolution of 5760×1440 DPI but a battery-powered print speed of just two pages per minute, it’s a question of quality over quantity.
However, that’s perhaps exactly what you need when you’re flying out to see a client and need to hash out final details. You’ll get desktop-grade prints from a battery-powered system.
2. If You Don’t Need a Battery:Canon PIXMA TR150 portable printer(Approx. $350)
Key Features:
- 50-sheet paper tray
- No battery by default, great for users who don’t need battery power
Having battery power is the main draw for portable printers, but it can also be a liability. Batteries wear out, they add to the printer’s printer’s cost and weight, and not everyone actually needs it.
That makes the Canon Pixma TR150 an exciting product. Unfortunately, out of the box, there’s no battery. You can buy a battery later if you need one, but if you’re moving from hotel to hotel or are setting up a mobile office somewhere, you can just plug the TR150 in.
It’s not the smallest portable printer on the market by a long shot, but that’s offset somewhat by the 50-sheet paper capacity. It’s small enough to put into your luggage or store in your car, so “big” is relative.
3. Best Instant Photo Printer:HP Sprocket Portable 2×3″ Instant Photo Printer 2nd Edition(Approx. $80)
Key Features:
- Compact, dedicated photo printer you can take anywhere
- Photo paper packs are inexpensive compared to instant camera film sheets
- Produces much better photos than Polaroid-style instant cameras
Smartphone photography is more popular than ever, and new phones like the S21 Ultra and iPhone 13 Pro have excellent onboard cameras that can take jaw-dropping photos. It’s easy enough to share those photos to social media or to send them to friends and family, but there’s something special about actually printing them out as physical photos you can frame.
The HP Sprocket is a dedicated instant photo printer that lets you use your Android or iOS device to snap photos and make hard copies of them immediately.
This is a more niche type of portable printer, and you have to buy special photo paper packs to use with the machine. Still, if you compare it to the instant Polaroid-style cameras, the Sprocket ends up being cheaper over time, with better quality prints and photos.
The Sprocket offers you another social photography option. If you like hanging out with friends, going on trips, or attending events like parties, it has a lot to make it appealing.
4. Best Overall Portable Printer:HP OfficeJet 200 Portable Printer with Wireless & Mobile Printing(Approx. $350)
Key Features:
- Desktop-grade printing in a portable form
- Fast quality print speeds
- Draft mode printing of 20ppm on AC power
The HP OfficeJet 200 is a portable printer that runs off battery power. Still, in most other respects, it’s the equal of dedicated office printers that are much larger and need to be connected to a power outlet.
The battery is perhaps the most impressive feature here. It’s rated for 500 pages between charges and can fully recharge in just 90 minutes. You won’t even need that with the standard cartridges, which will only give you around 200 black and white prints, or around 165 color prints. HP sells high-capacity cartridges that can up those numbers to 600 and 415. So if you’re heading out on a long business trip with no hotel business center in sight, that’s an option to look out for.
Based on the various test prints and user reviews we’ve seen, the OfficeJet 200 offers print quality pretty much on par with HP’s desktop inkjets. That’s seriously impressive considering it’s a portable machine and might even make it viable as your only printer, ready to leave the office whenever you are.
5. Most Versatile Printer:Canon Pixma iP110 Wireless Mobile Printer(Approx. $450)
Key Features:
- High-resolution printing
- Suitable for almost all types of printing
The iP110 is a compact inkjet printer that will not appeal to everyone. Still, if you’re okay with a maximum print size of 8.5 x 11 inches (US legal letter) rather than A4, you’ll find that this is a superb little printer with a maximum color resolution of 9600 x 2400 DPI. It can also print a borderless 4 x 6-inch photo in less than a minute!
Impressions of its print quality are mixed, however. The consensus from customer reviews is that it doesn’t seem to be bad, it doesn’t seem to be anything special either. It’s decent at everything but not exceptional at anything. So if you need an all-around portable inkjet with no actual weaknesses, the iP110 looks like the right choice.
The only issue worth noting is that this printer seems a bit too expensive for what you get, so try to wait for a deal if you can.
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Sydney Butler is a social scientist and technology fanatic who tries to understand how people and technology coexist. He has two decades of experience as a freelance computer technician and more than a decade as a technologies researcher and instructor. Sydney has been a professional technology writer for more than five years and covers topics such as VR, Gaming, Cyber security and Transhumanism. Read Sydney’s Full Bio
In the cult-classic film Office Space, there’s an iconic scene where a group of office workers take their lamentable printer/copier into a field and proceed to destroy it with a vengeance while an explicit rap song plays in the background.
For many people that scene is a form of wish fulfilment. If only we could take the printers that make our own lives a misery out to a field for a quick execution. Unfortunately, that’s not really an option in real life, so your best choice is to find and fix printer problems as they crop up.
Although printer problems can feel like infuriating mysteries, once you know where to look and how to narrow down the causes of your issues most of that pent-up rage should disappear. Unfortunately, we can’t help you with any other deep-seated issues that remain. Let’s start off with the quick and easy troubleshooting checks.
Turn It Off and On Again
Yes, it’s a bit of a joke, but so many random problems go away when you just restart things. In this case that means restarting both the computer and printer. Resetting your gear is always a good first step.
If it’s a wireless printer, make sure to restart your wireless router just to make sure the network is running properly.
But, The Printer Doesn’t Power
On!
If your printer has been working properly and then suddenly won’t play ball any more, the first thing you should check is whether it’s powered-on. Yes, it seems like a simple issue, but even the most tech-savvy among us can overlook something as simple as a dead outlet/power strip, loose cable or busted printer power supply.
So check whether the outlet works properly either by plugging the printer into a known working outlet/power strip or by plugging a known working device into the suspicious outlet.
If the outlet is fine, the next step is to check the cable itself. It may have pulled out of the printer or the cable could be damaged. If you don’t have another cable to swap out as a test, you can also use a multimeter to make sure that power is making it all the way through the cable.
Some printers have two power switches. One operates the power supply. This is usually hidden at the back of the machine, near the power connector. The other is the one you’d use to switch the printer on during normal operation. The front power switch isn’t a power switch, but a standby toggle. In any event, if the power supply switch is off, nothing else will work either.
The Data Connection
Your printer needs more than just power in order to produce printed pages. It also needs data from the host system so that it knows where the ink should go. In the old days, this data flowed over a parallel port connection. However, that connection standard is now obsolete and just about every printer on the market will use the ubiquitous USB standard.
It’s also becoming more and more common for printers to have Wi-Fi modules, which turns them into home network printers. Printers can also come with an Ethernet connection, but this is more common with enterprise level equipment.
Whatever connection type your printer uses, checking that all of the connections work properly is one of the most basic printer troubleshooting steps .
With wired connections, make sure the plugs on either end are connected properly. If that doesn’t fix the problem, test the cable on another device, or swap the cables with known working ones from another device.
For Wi-Fi-connected printers, things are a little trickier. Refer to the manual on how to connect the printer to Wi-Fi and try to connect manually. You can also go into your router’s dashboard to check the list of connected devices . You can quickly determine if the printer has successfully connected to the network or not.
It’s also a good idea to temporarily try a wired connection if the Wi-Fi doesn’t seem to work. If that fixes the issue, then you know the problem is somewhere in the Wi-Fi chain.
Error Messages Can Help
(Sometimes)
If your printer does come on but has another issue, then you are embarking on a different troubleshooting journey.
Believe it or not, printers have become a lot smarter over time. They can often tell you exactly what’s wrong or at least help move you in the correct direction. If the printer has a warning light or a screen, you can refer to the user manual for that model to interpret what the self-diagnosed error is.
Papers Please
One of the most common reasons that a printer refuses to budge is because it lacks paper. On small home inkjet printers, it’s easy to see if there’s any paper left in the feeder tray.
However, you may still get a paper error despite paper being visible in the tray. In this case the issue usually solved by removing the paper, neatly aligning it and then putting it back into the tray properly so that the feeder mechanism can grab the next sheet properly.
Laser printers tend to store their paper sheets in a tray, which slides completely into the machine. So if the printer says it has no paper then it usually means simply refilling the tray.
There is one wrinkle to this though. Some printers have multiple sources of paper. For example, one tray for A4 sheets and another for A3. You may have the wrong paper source selected if you check the tray and find paper there.
For example, when printing on envelopes or notecards, you normally have to use a much smaller tray that pulls out separately. It can sometimes be hard to find this tray, so check your printer manual in this case.
Getting Out of a (Paper) Jam
A paper jam happens when paper literally jams the roller mechanisms that move paper through the system. This could happen for several reasons. For example, the printer may pull in more than one page at a time. A sheet of paper could be pulled in at an angle or have a fold or tear in it.
In order to resolve a paper jam, you’ll have to open up your printer. All printers have an access panel from where you can get to the rollers and the rest of the feeding mechanism. Open that panel and then carefully extract the paper.
Using good quality paper will help prevent paper jams. The printer’s manual should list the recommended paper types.
Ink and Toner
If your prints are coming out faded or otherwise not as they should, you could be running low on ink or toner. Depending on the type of printer you are using, not all printers can measure this directly, especially in the case of inkjets.
They rely on you telling them when a new tank of ink is installed and then guesstimate how much is left based on how much has been used. Sometimes that calibration gets reset, so the printer reports there is ink when there is none. If your prints look a little colorless, consider replacing the ink cartridges.
Windows Woes
A common source of printer problems isn’t the printer at all, but the computer and its operating system. We’ve come a long way from the janky printer software and drivers haunting the early days of personal computing.
In Windows 10, the first stop is check out your printer settings under “Printers and Scanners”. Just open the Start Menu, type “Printers” and click on “Printers and Scanners”.
Here you see connected printers listed. If your printer is listed, it means Windows sees it OK. Click on the printer listing.
Three option will drop down. Click on “Open Queue”
Here you can see any print jobs that have stalled or otherwise messed with your prints. You can cancel them here directly and clean up the pipes.
You can also read our other posts on how to clear the print queue manually if you can’t do it using the GUI interface shown above.
Software, Hard Times
When your printer is giving you grief, but seems to be physically OK, the first step is to update your drivers and software. Search for your printer model’s support website and find the latest software and drivers for it. We recommend that you uninstall the current drivers and software, just in case something got corrupted.
If the problem persists after cleanly reinstalling both drivers and software , you need to look elsewhere.
One quick way to resolve printer issues is to delete the printer and then try to reinstall it. You can read our previous guide on how to install a wireless or network printer in Windows 10.
If your printer worked perfectly not too long ago, you can use System Restore to roll things back to that date. If that fixes the problem, then you know it was a new software package (such as an antivirus) or other change like a Windows update that borked things.
Most printer manufacturers also have their own printer troubleshooting software. I’ve written about HP Print and Scan Docto r to resolve common printer issues.
Use A Different Computer
If you want to rule out the computer as the problem, the easiest way is to hook the printer up to another computer. If the problem goes away, then the culprit is clear.
If your computer is the problem and none of the remedies above work, then you may want to consider resetting or reinstalling the operating system. It’s a measure of last resort, but after eliminating the most common issues, it might be the fastest way to get back on track.
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Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications. Read Aseem’s Full Bio
Nothing can be more frustrating than carefully compiling your work and pressing print, only for your printer to randomly produce blanks. The printer may be new or in good working condition, but the printout is blank or missing ink.
While an empty ink cartridge is a common reason for this problem, it’s not always the case. You may replace your printer’s ink cartridges with new ones and still encounter the same problem.
In this guide, we’ll look at some other possible reasons why your printer is printing blank pages and how you can resolve them.
Why Is My Printer Printing Blank Pages?
If you’ve checked your ink cartridges and they still have enough ink to print, chances are that your printer might still randomly produce blanks. Some of the reasons why you still get blank printouts include:
- Congested nozzles
- Improper cartridge installation
- Cartridges dislodged from their proper place
- Driver and software issues
- Wrong paper size
- Blank pages in the document you’re printing
If you’re trying to print an Excel document and you’re getting blank printouts, there are several conditions in which this behavior can occur including:
- An error on a cell on the page you’re trying to print
- Errors selected to print as blank
- Data on a page is only in cells formatted in such a way that they’re blank
- Worksheet contains hidden columns with manual page breaks
- Worksheet contains drawing objects in unexpected areas
- Completely blank pages ahead of any pages containing data, which print as blank
What to Do When Your Printer Is Printing Blank Pages
No matter the cause of the problem, we’ll give you some solutions you can try to stop your printer from printing blank pages.
Preliminary Checks
- Place your printer on a flat, stable surface as any slight tilt can lead to printing issues.
- Replace the old ink cartridge if it’s low on ink. Make sure you’re using genuine ink or toner supplies for your printer.
- Ensure that you have removed the tape from your ink cartridge when installing it in your printer.
- Print a nozzle check pattern or test page to check whether the nozzles may be clogged. Use the Print Head Nozzle Check if your printer has that option and clean the print head if necessary.
- Check that the printing paper you’re using fulfills the printer’s specifications. For example, vellum or transparent paper isn’t supported by some printers.
- Ensure that your document has the correct paper size, orientation, layout and other printing settings.
Select Skip Blank Page
Make sure there’s no blank page in the document you’re trying to print. You can use the Print Preview function to check for any blank pages and remove them before printing. Alternatively, select Skip Blank Page in your printer software.
- In Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners .
- Select your printer and then select Manage > Printing Preferences and then select Skip Blank Page .
- On your Mac, select menu > System Preferences > Printers & Scanners > Options & Supplies .
- Select the Driver or Options tab and then set Skip Blank Page to On .
Restart the Printer
For most devices, a restart usually resolves minor glitches so you can try and restart your printer and check if the blank printout issue goes away. Open your printer, remove both cartridges and unplug the power cord plus other cables from the printer.
After 10-15 minutes, plug the power cord and other cables back into the printer, reinstall both cartridges, switch the printer on and print a test page.
Align the Printer
If you just replaced your old ink cartridges, it’s imperative that you align them and calibrate the printer. This way, the cartridges won’t become misaligned and cause blank printouts or misaligned text.
For this guide, we’re using a HP printer so the steps may differ depending on your printer model.
- Turn on your printer, load some paper and go to the HP Solution Center. Select Settings > Print Settings .
- Next, select Printer Toolbox .
In the Printer Toolbox window, select Align the print cartridges under Device Services and then select Align . Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter
If you’re still getting blank printouts, you can use the built-in printer troubleshooter utility to automatically detect and resolve printer issues.
- Right-click Start > Settings > Update & Security .
- Select Troubleshoot > Additional Troubleshooters and then select Printer under the Get up and running section.
- Next, select Run the troubleshooter to begin.
Update the Printer Driver
Printer driver issues may also cause your printer to print blank pages.
To resolve this, you may need to update the printer driver or uninstall and reinstall it back so as to get the newest version of the driver. You can update your printer’s drivers by visiting the device manufacturer’s official page and downloading the available driver updates.
You can also update your printer driver via the Device Manager in Windows 10.
- Right-click Start > Device Manager and select the Print queue section to expand it.
- Right-click your printer’s name and select Update driver .
- Select Search automatically for updated driver software .
Print in Backup Mode
If you’ve completed all the preceding steps and you’re still getting blank printouts, you can try to print in backup mode. This workaround is useful when your printer has two cartridges such that you can remove the problem cartridge and print with the remaining one. For instance, you can remove the black cartridge and print with the remaining color cartridge.
Stop Printing Only Data
Sometimes you may see your document normally in Print Preview mode, but you get blank printouts or the pages contain data and nothing else. In such cases, you may have enabled the Print only the data from a form option.
- To uncheck this option, select File > Options > Advanced .
- Scroll down to Print and uncheck the box next to Print only the data from a form . Select OK and try to print your document again.
Print Directly to the Printer
By default, the Spool prints documents so the program finishes printing faster option is selected on your printer. This may be the reason you’re getting blank printouts, but you can uncheck the option and choose to print directly to the printer.
- Open Control Panel and select Hardware and Sound .
- Select Devices and Printers .
- Right-click your printer, select Properties > Advanced tab. Check the box next to Print directly to the printer and try printing your document again.
Why Is My Printer Printing Blank Pages in Excel?
If you’re having the same issue on Excel documents, try the following workarounds.
Use a Shortcut to Find Cells with Formulas that Return Blank Values
If your worksheet is still blank when printing it out, check whether there are formulas returning a blank value to a cell or cells. Press CTRL + ~ keys on your keyboard to see all the formulas on your worksheet. If you see any blank value formulas, delete the ones you don’t need and try to print again.
Set a Specific Area to Print
You can also set a printing selection on your worksheet so that you print a specific range. If you don’t set a specific area to print, pages that are completely blank may be unexpectedly printed.
Excel prints out cells shown in Print Preview mode. If you’re still getting blank printouts, chances are that you have a row or column that’s stretching past the Print Preview boundary.
Excel would see this as several blank pages that need to be printed to link the filled cells together. You can select Page Layout > Margins > Narrow to reduce the margins so they fit within the Print Preview boundary or set a specific area to print.
- Select File > Print .
- Under the Settings dropdown, select Print Selection .
- Select the range of pages you want to print and then select Print .
Print Documents Normally Again
We hope one of these solutions helped you fix the printer printing blank pages.
If the printing problem persists, contact your printer manufacturer’s customer support and schedule a repair or replacement if the warranty is still valid.
We’ve covered how to troubleshoot common printer problems in Windows 10 , but if you’re using a wireless printer, turn to our guide on how to troubleshoot WiFi printers .
Let us know what worked for you by leaving a comment below.
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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
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.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > and select Printers & scanners .
In Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners .
- 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.
- 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
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth & scanners > Printers & scanners and select your printer.
- Select Open print queue .
- Select Printer on the menu bar and select Cancel All Documents .
- 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
- Go to System Preferences > Printers & scanners , select the printer on the sidebar, and select Open Print Queue .
- 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.
- Right-click the Start Menu or press the Windows key + X to open the Quick Access Menu. Select Device Manager to proceed.
- Expand the “Printers” category, right-click the printer’s driver, and select Update driver .
- 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.
- Type device manager into Windows Search and select Device Manager .
- 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.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers and scanners , select the printer, and select the Remove button.
- 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.
- Open the Windows Run box (press Windows key + R ), type services.msc in the dialog box, and press Enter .
- 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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- How to Fix the Printer Error “0x0000011b” on Windows
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
