One of our machines has lost the Microsoft Print to PDF and Microsoft XPS Document Writer. I have tried the following remedies to fix this issues but nothing seems to work: Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF using “Windows Features” (fails with 0x7 code if print spooler is active, completes if print spooler is stopped) Microsoft Print to PDF Microsoft XPS Document Writer Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF Using Devices and Printers, Add Printer (fails with element not found error when selecting driver and next) Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF Using DISM repair install windows keeping apps & files tried running sfc /scannow & all dsim tools Any other ideas on how to resolve this issue or do I just need to format the disk and reinstall from scratch? PS: Windows 10 Pro is the latest 20H2 version from Oct 2020. Not sure when these printers disappeared. They aren't used too often on this system.

Hi, over the years, everyonce in a while, one of the many computers in my business loses the ability to Print to PDF with about the behavior mentionned above here. None of the solutions work. Not only that, but even though ALL fixes mentioned the re-adding the printers, as stated above, those printers are NOT in the drives lists in manual configs. Even the computers with working PDF printing, do NOT have the PDF and XPS printers in the list. They all all the 'xx Classes' printers. On the problematic systems, trying to add any of those 'classes' printers will result in stating that the drivers are non existing. I was hopeful with AndyMichel's solution, but even that does not work for me. Adn resetting an entire OS because of a printer is NOT a solution! MS. Ihave a health business with some critical computers with software on it that need special techs to install, we can't just re-install an OS for some trivial thing like this! I am a bit frustrated right now because I have less and less computers able to print to PDF. Something is not right in the system, because when the XPS or PDF stop working, it's like Windows loses the linkage to the drivers, even though they are there in the registry and in the folders. There need to be an easier solution for this, I will not re-install my computers.

Microsoft Print to PDF & XPS Document Writer Missing & Won't Reinstall

CoMpUtErGoD20XX 1

One of our machines has lost the Microsoft Print to PDF and Microsoft XPS Document Writer. I have tried the following remedies to fix this issues but nothing seems to work:

Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF using “Windows Features” (fails with 0x7 code if print spooler is active, completes if print spooler is stopped)

Microsoft Print to PDF
Microsoft XPS Document Writer

Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF Using Devices and Printers, Add Printer (fails with element not found error when selecting driver and next)
Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF Using DISM
repair install windows keeping apps & files
tried running sfc /scannow & all dsim tools

Any other ideas on how to resolve this issue or do I just need to format the disk and reinstall from scratch?

PS: Windows 10 Pro is the latest 20H2 version from Oct 2020. Not sure when these printers disappeared. They aren't used too often on this system.

Anonymous

2021-05-05T13:25:03.643+00:00

Hi, I am doing some research for current issue, thanks for your waiting.
CoMpUtErGoD20XX 1 Reputation point

2021-05-08T00:01:14.807+00:00

Thanks, will do.
Anonymous

2021-05-19T11:51:40.057+00:00

Hi Clif,

I am doing some research for current issue, thanks for your waiting.
Anonymous

2021-06-02T04:09:57.037+00:00

Hi, I am doing some research for current issue, thanks for your waiting.
Scott T 1 Reputation point

2021-06-20T07:20:45.537+00:00

Sorry, probably coming a little late to the game here. Had the exact same iss with Windows 2016 server. We ended up removing all installed patches applied in 2021 and the problem disappeared. We then applied April 2021 cumulative update and all worked still. Was applying June 2021 updates when I left the office.

11 answers

Chrism 1 Reputation point

2021-10-03T21:11:30.56+00:00

Hi, over the years, everyonce in a while, one of the many computers in my business loses the ability to Print to PDF with about the behavior mentionned above here.

None of the solutions work. Not only that, but even though ALL fixes mentioned the re-adding the printers, as stated above, those printers are NOT in the drives lists in manual configs. Even the computers with working PDF printing, do NOT have the PDF and XPS printers in the list. They all all the 'xx Classes' printers.

On the problematic systems, trying to add any of those 'classes' printers will result in stating that the drivers are non existing.

I was hopeful with AndyMichel's solution, but even that does not work for me.

Adn resetting an entire OS because of a printer is NOT a solution! MS. Ihave a health business with some critical computers with software on it that need special techs to install, we can't just re-install an OS for some trivial thing like this! I am a bit frustrated right now because I have less and less computers able to print to PDF.

Something is not right in the system, because when the XPS or PDF stop working, it's like Windows loses the linkage to the drivers, even though they are there in the registry and in the folders.

There need to be an easier solution for this, I will not re-install my computers.
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Chrism 1 Reputation point

2021-10-03T23:13:35.447+00:00

IIn fact, whenever I can get my hands on a PDF printer driver in Microsoft, on some of the faulty computers I have, it tries to re-install the drivers and then just say it can`t do it, because 'element not found'

So in short, so far 100% of all the solutions you can find on the internet is not working here.

Larry Liddiard 0 Reputation points

2023-03-08T00:29:15.46+00:00

https://www.winhelponline.com/blog/reinstall-microsoft-print-to-pdf-delete-accidentally/

This works. Drivers are there just printers that use them are not working right and do not show up. Delete them like it shows in this tutorial and then re-add them. 100% works. I have tried lots of things before getting to this...
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