Printers disapeared after 24h2 update

Question

Hello,

After the Windows 11 24H2 update, all Canon printers disappeared from the user computers, specifically the ones connected via a print server and shared. Interestingly, if you try to re-add them, you get the error "Windows cannot connect to the printer" or "No printers were found."

However, the printer is definitely there — you can ping it, access it via HTTPS, and even add it using its IP address. But the same printer, when shared through the print server, cannot be added.

What’s even more peculiar is that if the printer was never added to the user’s computer before, it works fine through the same print server without any issues.

Anyone had this problem? Already tried almost everything I know and in the google

*** Moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Windows update ***

Answer 1

Hello,

Thank you for posting in the Microsoft community forum.

May I know if you can see these printer devices in the Device Manager? If they exist, try uninstalling them and then adding them again.

You can also try the following steps to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Download and install the latest printer drivers.
2. Re-check user permissions:

On the print server, right-click the shared printer and choose Printer Properties. Go to the "Security" TAB to see that the target user or user group is included and given the appropriate permissions.

3. Restart the client and print server that are faulty due to the system update.

I hope this helps. If you have any follow-up questions, please contact us.

Best regards

Jacen

Answer 2

Printer does not exist anywhere, not in device manager not in print management

Tried with new drivers same

Access all good as if i take new computer where all these printers were not installed and try to add them wth the same user its all good. I added them with no problem

We did restart print server and client

It seems somewhere printer is still lurking like a ghost and preventing on systems they been to install from print server

Answer 3

Manually remove the printer from your registry - HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Printers> Connections.

Delete the keys, then open Print Management. Highlight and delete all the drivers, it will only delete drivers not in use.

Then re-add the printer.

Answer 4

Go into the old fashion Control Panel View of Printers & Devices

If you go to Settings>Bluetooth> Scroll down & click the "More Devices & Settings" Tab

This will bring up the old-fashioned Control Panel View for printers. There you will see that the printers turned into "Unspecified Devices." You can remove them from there and then re-add them. It has helped us add the printers back on our end users' devices.

Answer 5

Manually remove the printer from your registry - HKEY_CURRENT_USER> Printers> Connections.

Delete the keys, then open Print Management. Highlight and delete all the drivers, it will only delete drivers not in use.

Then re-add the printer.

Thanks for the suggestion, but this did not work for me. If I use "Select a shared printer by name" I can successfully browse and select the printer. But it fails to connect with "Windows couldn't connect to the printer." This was working beautifully until the update to 24H2.