Waiting for printer connection

Yep, exactly my experience - solved it by:

• "Let Windows manage my default printer" OFF
• "Default printer" MICROSOFT PRINT TO PDF

Just setting Microsoft Print to PDF as default seemed to work for me. The page size wasn't a problem (I didn't change it, I was already on A4).
I opened one of the apps having the issue, checked the default printer was now the PDF printer, closed that app, then I set windows back to my original printer and no longer seem to get the issue when opening the problem app.

I did have to turn of the "Allow Windows to manage my default printer" preference to the set the defaults manually, which may have been part of the issue. I haven't printed anything yet though. It will be interesting to see if the problem comes back after I printer something, then close an re-open my apps.

It seems to be due to some dodgey Windows update. A search of internet shows lots of people are getting this issue on different applications. I get it on my company's in house product, some people get it on wordpad, some people get it on libre office. It might be a variation on the bug in the windows updates that was renaming everyone's printers to an HP printer. https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-update-bug-renaming-printers-m101-m106/#:~:text=Key%20Takeaways,printer%20despite%20the%20incorrect%20name.

Possibly any app where you've used a printer previously?

I haven't got a work around for it checking printer connections on each start up unfortunately. I think we have to wait for MS to fix their bad update.

I think I was able to fix mine, it's working on mine I'm getting another guy who's experiencing it worse than me to give a go when he's on, but mine seemed to be fixed by changing the default of Microsoft Print to PDF to A4, I'm in Australia so that's what we use here, here's where I went

Don't forget to hit apply on the second last screen, I did go through and do the other guys test first, but that did nothing, then I did this then I had to try to undo what I did on his, maybe take a screen shot of the screens so you can enable the start ups you need again, hope it works, or maybe just try this first, if it doesn't work then do his but yep worked for me :)

I had the same problem.
Popup box saying "Please wait for printer connection or cancel connection" would randomly appear in Word, Visio etc and I couldn't continue to work.
Only option on popup was cancel _ but hitting cancel I would get "This actions cannot be completed because the other program is busy. Choose 'Switch to' to activate the busy program and correct the problem" Buttons Switch to or Retry.

This problem came after adding a new HP printer a few days ago (driver came from MS) and an update. So could be either one of those two events in my case.

For me I removed all printers and so far so good. Will try adding a printer back in again when I need it.
I am suspicious of the windows update as I hear there have been other printer issues.