Printer Not Printing or Jobs Stuck in the Queue

01Key takeaway

When a printer queue is stuck, one failed job is usually blocking everything behind it. Cancel the jobs in the queue, restart the printer, and try a single page. If jobs still won’t clear in Windows, restarting the Print Spooler service usually releases them. If nothing prints at all, check that you are sending to the right printer and that its driver is current.

02Terms used in this guide

• Print queue: the list of jobs waiting to print, shown per printer.
• Print Spooler: the Windows service that manages print jobs in the background.
• Driver: the software that translates your document into instructions the printer understands.
• Default printer: the printer apps use unless you choose another.
• Print Center: the macOS app that shows printers and their queues.

03Start with the simple checks

1. Look at the printer. Clear any message on its screen, such as paper out, jam or supply warnings. A printer waiting for attention will hold jobs.
2. Check the printer you sent to. Open the print dialog again and confirm the right printer is selected. Old or duplicate printer entries catch many people out.
3. Check status. On Windows, open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners and select the printer. On a Mac, open System Settings, then Printers & Scanners. If it shows offline, see our printer offline guide.
4. Restart the printer. Turn it off, wait about a minute, and turn it on again.

Did the job print after the restart? If yes, you’re done. If not, clear the queue.

04Clear the queue

On Windows

1. On the printer’s page in Printers & scanners, choose to open the print queue.
2. Right-click the first job and choose Cancel. Repeat for others, or use the Printer menu’s option to cancel all documents.
3. Wait a moment. Some jobs show “Deleting” for a while.
4. Print a single test page from the printer’s page.

On a Mac

1. Open the queue from the printer’s icon in the Dock, from Print Center, or from Printers & Scanners.
2. If printing is paused, click Resume.
3. Select stuck jobs and delete them (the delete or cancel button next to each job).
4. Print a single page to test.

You should see: an empty queue, then your test page printing.

05If jobs won’t delete on Windows

Jobs that sit at “Deleting” or reappear usually mean the Print Spooler needs a restart. You need an administrator account.

1. Open Services. Search for “Services” from Start and open it.
2. Find Print Spooler in the list.
3. Restart it. Right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart. If Restart isn’t available, choose Stop, wait a few seconds, then Start.
4. Check the queue again. Stuck jobs are usually gone.
5. Restart the computer if the queue still won’t clear; this also restarts the spooler.

Only stop or restart the Print Spooler service. Don’t change other services or delete system files.

06Driver problems

Driver issues often show up as garbled text, pages of symbols, missing features or jobs that disappear without printing.

To update a driver in Windows, check Windows Update first, including optional updates, then the manufacturer’s official support site for your exact model and Windows version. Microsoft’s driver guide explains both. On a Mac, keep macOS updated; Apple delivers many printer drivers through software updates, and the manufacturer may offer a macOS package. Avoid third-party driver download sites and “driver updater” programs, which can install the wrong software. Our guide to adding a printer in Windows and macOS shows how to remove and re-add a printer cleanly.

07Other things that stop printing

If the queue is clear and the driver is right but pages still don’t appear, look a little wider. These causes are less common but easy to rule out.

• Huge or complex documents. Very large PDFs or image-heavy files can take a long time to process. Try printing a page range.
• App-specific problems. If one app won’t print but others do, the issue is in that app. Try saving as PDF and printing the PDF.
• Paper path problems. A partly jammed sheet can stop all printing; see clearing paper jams.
• Security software. Keep it switched on. If you suspect it is blocking a manufacturer’s printing software, check the security product’s help pages or ask the printer manufacturer.

08When to get more help

If the queue clears but nothing prints from any app or device, and the printer can’t print its own status page either, the problem is likely the printer itself; contact the manufacturer’s support with the model and serial number. If your computer belongs to an employer or school, ask its IT team before changing services or drivers. Never let someone you don’t know connect to your computer to “fix” printing.

09Common questions

Why does my print job say “Error” in the queue?

Commonly the printer was offline, out of paper or had a jam when the job arrived. Cancel the job, fix the printer’s issue and print again.

Will restarting the Print Spooler delete my documents?

No. It only clears print jobs that were waiting. Your original files are unaffected.

Why does my printer print only blank pages?

That is usually a supply or print quality problem rather than a queue problem. See our guide to fixing faded and blank pages.

Can I print from another device to test the printer?

Yes, and it’s a useful test. If a phone or another computer prints fine, the printer and network are working, and the problem is on the first computer.

How do I stop jobs going to the wrong printer?

Set your default printer in Printers & scanners on Windows, turning off “Let Windows manage my default printer” if needed, or choose a default in Printers & Scanners on a Mac.