Fixing Stuck Print Jobs

By | 2023-07-26

If your documents are stuck in the print queue and are not printing, it may be due to several reasons:

  • Printer Connectivity: Make sure your printer is properly connected to your computer or network.
  • Printer Status: Check if the printer is turned on and not in an error state. Often, printers have a series of LED status indicators that can provide clues to what’s happening.
  • Driver Problems: The printer driver might be outdated, corrupt, or incompatible. Updating or reinstalling the printer driver could resolve the issue.
  • Print Spooler: The print spooler service, which manages print jobs, may be stuck. Restarting the service can often resolve the issue.
  • Printer Queue: There might be a print job stuck in the queue which is preventing other documents from printing. Clearing the queue can often help.

Here are some steps to troubleshoot this:

  1. Check printer and network connections.
  2. Restart the printer.
  3. Clear the print queue:
    • For Windows, open the “Services” app, find “Print Spooler”, and click “Stop”, then navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete any files there. Then go back to “Services” and start the “Print Spooler” again.
    • For MacOS, you can reset the printing system by choosing “System Preferences” from the Apple menu, then click “Printers & Scanners”. Right-click in the list of devices, then select “Reset printing system”.
  4. Update or reinstall printer drivers.
  5. If all else fails, try reaching out to your printer’s manufacturer for additional support.

Remember that these are general solutions and might not necessarily work for your specific case. Always take into account the specific model of your printer, as each may have different troubleshooting steps.

Author: dwirch

Derek Wirch is a seasoned IT professional with an impressive career dating back to 1986. He brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience that is invaluable to those embarking on their journey in the tech industry.

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