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I had to delete my printer. Comp says it is deleting it, but it is not.

Doreen Wilson 0 Reputation points
2026-05-08T21:44:49.5533333+00:00

Every week or so, I find it necessary to delete and then re-add my printer. Not sure why, but it's the only way to erase the error message and offline status when nothing else works.

I deleted it this morning and it is still "deleting" and of course I have no working printer. I am not able to re-ad it until it is completely deleted. I've even shut down and rebooted without any luck.

I REALLY need to be able to print!

Thanks!

Doreen

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers
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  1. Manoel Barros 19,185 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-05-08T23:57:04.2+00:00

    Hi!

    From what I understand, you need to delete and add your printer for it to work and exit offline mode? This could be a driver issue.

    See the step-by-step instructions below. With them, you can completely delete your printer:

    1. Open Windows Settings (press WINDOWS + I keys) > Devices > Printers and Scanners > Remove your printer.
    2. Open Run again > Type "regedit" > Copy the path below > Paste it in the Registry Editor Address Bar, under the "File" Menu, "Edit"...
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64
    1. Expand the Drivers folder > In the "Version-3" and "Version-4" folders, delete drivers with the name and manufacturer of your printer (Right-Click > Delete).
    2. Expand the Printers folder, in Environments, and delete your printer as well.
    3. Press Windows + R > Type “%windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS” > Delete all the contents of the folder.
    4. Restart your computer after these changes > Install the printer driver.

    If you don't know how to find the printer driver, please send me the printer's manufacturer and model.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-05-08T21:45:01.48+00:00

    The stuck “Deleting” status is usually caused by the print queue or print spooler service hanging. Clearing the queue, restarting the Print Spooler, and then removing/re‑adding the printer typically resolves this.

    Use these steps on Windows 11:

    1. Clear the printer queue
      1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
      2. Select the affected printer and then select Open queue.
      3. Under Document Name, select any documents listed, then select Document > Cancel for each job so the queue is empty.
    2. Restart the Print Spooler service
      1. Go to Search on the taskbar, type services, and select Services from the results.
      2. Find Print Spooler in the list.
      3. Right‑click Print Spooler and select Restart.
    3. Remove the printer
      1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
      2. Select the printer, choose Remove (or Remove device), and then select Yes.
    4. Reinstall the printer
      1. Make sure the printer is powered on and properly connected (USB, Wi‑Fi, or network).
      2. In Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, next to Add a printer or scanner, select Add device.
      3. Follow the on‑screen instructions to add the printer again.
    5. Restart the PC After reinstalling, restart the PC once more to refresh services and confirm the printer shows as Ready/Online and prints normally.

    If the issue keeps recurring weekly, repeat the same steps, and also consider installing the latest printer driver from the printer manufacturer’s site, as driver issues can cause repeated offline/deleting problems.

    References:

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

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