Windows System Issues Preventing Your Printer from Printing? Find Solutions Here!

Question:

Could my Windows system cause the printer not to print? I submit a print job, but nothing happens. The printer doesn’t move at all. What could be the problem?

Answer:

Your Windows system is sometimes the reason for a printer not printing. If you’ve already sent a print job and nothing is happening, chances are it’s a software problem with the print job rather than anything mechanical. Here are some reasons — and fixes:

Check the Print Queue:

Occasionally, your old print job will get stuck in the queue, and thus all new jobs will be unable to process. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, and click See what’s printing. For stuck jobs, clear them by right-clicking each one and selecting Cancel. Then, attempt to print a new job.

Printer Status and Default Settings

Make sure your printer is set as the default device. In Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, and then click Set as default printer. Verify the printer status if the printer is Offline or Paused. If it is, right-click the printer and click Use Printer Offline or Pause Printing to return to regular operation.

Driver Issues:

The drivers can be outdated or corrupted, and these tend to interfere with the communication between your Windows and the printer. Go to your printer manufacturer’s page or BCH Technologies (https://bchtechnologies.com) and download the recent driver updates. Or, remove the printer from Devices and Printers and re-add it to reinstall the driver.

Restart Print Spooler Service

The print spooler controls the print jobs that are sent from your PC. If it freezes, the printing will not continue. To reboot, Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Locate Print Spooler in the list, right-click, and click Restart.

Check USB or Network Connections:

For USB printers, check that the cable is plugged in properly, and try another USB port. For network printers, ensure the printer is properly connected to the network and that there are no connectivity problems.

Windows Update Conflicts:

Some recent Windows updates may cause compatibility issues with printer drivers. In case the issue started after an update, you can roll back the update, or reinstall the driver to fix conflicts.

If all none of these are successful, the problem might be the printer itself. To rule this out, run a self-test directly from the printer’s menu, not from your computer. If, however, the printer moves and gives you a test page, then the issue is something in your Windows system.

If the issue continues, please check out our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) for step-by-step troubleshooting videos. You will also be able to contact us directly for further assistance.

Printer problems can be complex, particularly when they feature both software and hardware. In addition to our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service) providing walk-in evaluations and repair services. People beat a path to our door, and our services are a first come, first served deal, so scheduling may take a few weeks.