How to fix printer spooler problems on Windows 11

If the printer doesn't print, it could be a problem with the print spooler. Here's how to fix the issue on Windows 11.

Windows 11 print spooler service
Windows 11 print spooler service / Image: Mauro Huculak
  • To fix the printer spooler on Windows 11, open Services, select and open the “Print Spooler” service properties, and stop the service. Then open the “printers” folder and delete its contents. Finally, start the “Print Spooler” service again.
  • Another way to repair the print spooler is to open Command Prompt (admin) and run the “net stop spooler,” “del /Q /F /S “%systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers\*.*,”” and “net start spooler” commands.

UPDATED 1/15/2024: On Windows 11, you can fix the printer spooler in at least two ways, and in this guide, I will teach you how to resolve this problem. Dealing with a document that becomes stuck during printing can be frustrating, and attempting to cancel the print job may result in it remaining in the “deleting” state indefinitely, adding to the inconvenience.

Usually, this problem can occur because of issues with the “print spooler,” a service that handles the print jobs queued between the computer and printer. When a user sends a document to print, the spooler temporarily stores the data in the spooler until the printer is ready to process it. This functionality allows users to continue working without waiting for the entire printing process to finish. Although rare, the print spooler sometimes can stop working, even after restarting the computer.

If you can’t print due to this issue, on Windows 11, you can reset the print spooler using the Services console or Command Prompt to resolve the problem.

This guide will teach you the steps to fix the print spooler on Windows 11.

Fix print spooler on Windows 11 from Services

To fix the print spooler on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.

  2. Search for services.msc and click the top result to open the Services console.

  3. Right-click the Print Spooler service and select the Properties option.

    Print Spooler service properties

  4. Click the General tab.

  5. Click the Stop button.

    Stop Print Spooler service

  6. Use the “Windows key + R” keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.

  7. Type the following path to the “printers” folder and press Enter:

    C:\Windows\System32\spool\printers
  8. Click the Continue button (if applicable).

  9. Select everything in the “printers” folder (Ctrl + A keyboard shortcut) and hit the Delete button to remove the contents.

    Delete printers folder contents

  10. Click the General tab on the “Printer Spooler Properties” page.

  11. Click the Start button to restart the service.

    Restart Print Spooler service

  12. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the Windows 11 spooler should be able to send the job and the printer for printing.

Fix print spooler on Windows 11 from Command Prompt

To fix print spooler problems from Command Prompt on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start.

  2. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as Administrator option.

  3. Type the following commands (one line at a time) to stop the print spooler, delete the “printers” folder content, restart the printer spooler, and press Enter:

    net stop spooler
    del /Q /F /S "%systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers\*.*"
    net start spooler

    Fix Print Spooler using Command Prompt

After you complete the steps, sending a print job from Windows 11 to the printer should work.

Update January 15, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and add more informatin.

About the author

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].