Why can I no longer print after last nights upgrade?

Mike Donovan 20 Reputation points
2026-02-11T16:45:15.1566667+00:00

I can no longer print after receiving some form of update last evening. I have updated drivers and checked spooling. HP printer troubleshooting detects no issue. I have rebooted the computer. Any ideas?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Windows update
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Answer accepted by question author
Emma1-N 12,285 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-02-12T03:35:13.17+00:00

Welcome Mike Donovan,

Thanks for reaching out to Microsoft Q&A Forum. I understand you can no longer print after installing an update last night on Windows 11, even after updating drivers, checking the Print Spooler, and rebooting. 

Please make sure you already tried the Q&A Assist steps. In addition, please try the following. 

Before we continue, I’d like to narrow this down a bit: 

  • What is the exact model of your HP printer? 
  • Is the printer connected via USB cable, Wi‑Fi, or Ethernet? 

In the meantime, you can try these steps: 

Option 1: Remove the printer completely from the system  

  • Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners 
  • Select the printer and choose Remove 

Option 2: Restart the computer  

  • Make sure to choose Restart, not Shut down 

Option 3: Add the printer again using Windows built‑in detection  

  • Go back to Printers & scanners  and select Add device 

Option 4: Check for optional Windows updates  

  • Go to Settings > Windows Update, then Advanced options 
  • Install any available Optional updates related to drivers 

Option 5: Verify printing from multiple apps  

  • Test printing from Notepad to rule out app‑specific issues 

I really hope that the information I gave above was helpful to you. Please feel free to reply below and let me know if you have further concern on this matter.    

P.S: If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".     

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  1. AI answer

    2026-02-11T16:45:26.03+00:00

    It sounds like the update may have affected the Print Spooler service or the printer drivers. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

    1. Restart the Print Spooler Service: Sometimes, the Print Spooler service may not be running correctly after an update. You can restart it by going to the Services application, finding Print Spooler, and selecting Restart.
    2. Check for Driver Issues: Even though you've updated the drivers, ensure that they are the latest version from HP. If the latest driver is already installed, consider switching to a generic in-box driver to see if that resolves the issue.
    3. Clear the Spool Folder: Corrupted files in the spool folder can cause printing issues. Navigate to the spool folder located at %systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers and delete any files present there. You may need to stop the Print Spooler service before doing this.
    4. Verify Printer Status: Make sure that your printer is in a ready state and set as the default printer. You can also try printing a test page to see if it works.
    5. Check for Group Policy Settings: Sometimes, Group Policy settings can disable the Print Spooler service. Ensure that there are no policies in place that might be affecting it.

    If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to check the event logs for any errors related to the Print Spooler service that could provide more insight into the problem.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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