Printer won't print or the queue is stuck

You press Print, but nothing comes out, and the document stays in the print queue with a status such as Printing or Error. Clear the stuck job in Windows 11 or Windows 10, starting with the gentlest fix.

Before you start

When you print, Windows does not send the document straight to the printer. A background service called the Print Spooler keeps it in a waiting line, the print queue, and passes it on when the printer is ready. If one job in that line is damaged, or the printer stopped answering partway through, every job behind it waits too.

Allow about 12 minutes. Before you change anything on the computer, look at the printer: it should be on, awake, with paper and no error message or blinking light. If it shows an error, clear that first. See printer error lights and codes explained. If Windows says the printer is Offline, start with printer offline: how to get it back online.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Cancel the stuck jobs

This takes about 2 minutes.

1. On Windows 11, open Settings then Bluetooth & devices then Printers & scanners. On Windows 10, open Settings then Devices then Printers & scanners.
2. Select your printer.
3. Select Open print queue on Windows 11, or Open queue on Windows 10. A window lists every waiting document.
4. Right-click the first job, then select Cancel. Do the same for each job below it.
5. Wait a few seconds. The list should empty. A job can take a moment to disappear.
6. Print one short page, such as a single line from Notepad, to test.

Fix 2: Restart the Print Spooler

This takes about 3 minutes. It does not change your printer settings.

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter. The Services window opens.
3. Scroll to Print Spooler and right-click it.
4. Select Restart. Windows may ask for administrator permission. If Restart is grayed out, the service is stopped, so select Start.
5. Check that the Status column says Running, then try your test page again.

If you prefer typing, search for Command Prompt, right-click it, select Run as administrator, and run the two commands below, one at a time. Each prints a message when the service stops or starts.

net stop spooler

net start spooler

Fix 3: Empty the spool folder

This takes about 5 minutes. Use it when jobs will not cancel even after Fix 2. The spool folder holds the temporary files for waiting jobs, and a damaged file can block the queue.

1. Open Services as in Fix 2, right-click Print Spooler and select Stop.
2. Open File Explorer and go to this folder: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. If Windows asks for permission to open the folder, select Continue.
3. Select all the files in the folder (Ctrl + A) and delete them. An empty folder is normal.
4. Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler and select Start.
5. Open the print queue as in Fix 1. It should be empty. Print your test page.

Fix 4: Restart the printer and the PC

This takes about 3 minutes.

1. Turn the printer off and leave it off for at least 60 seconds.
2. Turn the printer on and wait until it finishes starting.
3. Select Start, then Power, then Restart.
4. When Windows is back, print your test page.

If it still does not work

• If the status says Offline or the job sits at Printing for a long time on a Wi-Fi printer, the computer may have lost contact with the printer. See find your printer's IP address and fix port problems and how to connect a printer to Wi-Fi.
• If Windows reports a missing or broken driver, see "Printer driver is unavailable": how to fix it.
• Remove the printer and add it again, as described in how to add a printer in Windows.
• Use the printer maker's support page for your exact model. It lists drivers and fixes for that printer.
• Microsoft also offers an automatic printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app. Search the taskbar for Get Help and describe the problem.

Frequently asked questions