A printer that refuses to print is rarely broken. In most cases the problem is a stuck print queue, a lost connection or Windows simply looking at the wrong printer.
Work through the steps below in order. Each one is safe, uses only built-in Windows tools and takes a few minutes.
Step 1: Check the simple things first
Make sure the printer is switched on, has paper and shows no error light or message on its own screen. If it is a USB printer, unplug the cable and plug it back in firmly. If it is a Wi-Fi printer, confirm it is connected to the same network as your PC.
Restart both the printer and the computer. It sounds basic, but a restart clears a surprising number of printing problems on its own.
Step 2: Clear the stuck print queue
A single jammed document blocks everything behind it. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners, select your printer and open the print queue. Cancel every document in the list.
If a document refuses to cancel, restart the PC and try again — the queue usually empties after a reboot.
Step 3: Set the right printer as default
Windows sometimes sends documents to an old or virtual printer (like 'Microsoft Print to PDF') instead of the real one. In Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners, turn off 'Let Windows manage my default printer', then select your printer and choose 'Set as default'.
Step 4: Run the built-in troubleshooter
Go to Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters and run the Printer troubleshooter. It checks the print service, the queue and the connection automatically and fixes the most common faults without you needing to know what they are.
Step 5: Remove and add the printer again
If nothing else works, remove the printer in Settings → Printers & scanners, restart the PC, then add it again with 'Add device'. Windows will reinstall it fresh, which clears corrupted settings.
Only download printer software from the manufacturer's official website — never from pop-ups or 'driver update' tools, which are a common source of unwanted software.
Tips and tricks
- Print a test page after each fix so you know exactly which step solved it.
- For Wi-Fi printers, printing the network report from the printer's own menu tells you if it is really connected.
- Keep the printer's firmware updated through the manufacturer's app — it fixes many connection bugs.
- If the printer works from your phone but not the PC, the problem is on the PC, not the printer.
Most printing problems are solved by clearing the queue or re-adding the printer. If yours still refuses after all five steps, the Digital Checkup page is the next stop — we will look at it together.