Print spooler error after update

Question

Hi there,

I have 2 computers on the same network that whenever I try to do an bigger Windows Update (windows 11, 22H) , after that the print spooler will not work anymore. Tried all tips to get the print spooler back working but it will not help. Only thing that helped was deleting the last update, but just not updating the computer doesn't look like a solution to me.

Answer 1

Hello Lizz Jansen,

Good Day!

Welcome to Microsoft Community, we are here to help

Thank you for bringing this to our attention, I understand that you need assistance with your print spooler. Please follow the steps below:

The Print Spooler is a Windows service that manages print jobs. If you're encountering an error, here are steps to troubleshoot it:

Restart the Print Spooler Service

• Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
• In the Services window, find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Stop.
• Wait a moment, then right-click the Print Spooler again and select Start.

Clear the Print Queue

• Press Windows + R, type spool, and hit Enter.
• Navigate to PRINTERS folder and delete all files inside it to clear any stuck print jobs.
• Restart the Print Spooler service afterward.

Update Printer Drivers

• Go to Device Manager (press Windows + X and select Device Manager).
• Find your printer under Printers, right-click it, and choose Update driver.
• Follow the prompts to search for updated drivers.

Run Windows Troubleshooter

• Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• Select Printer and click Run the troubleshooter.

Check for System Updates

• Sometimes outdated system files can cause Print Spooler errors. Ensure your Windows is up-to-date by visiting Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

Advanced Troubleshooting

• If the issue persists, you can try to completely reinstall the printer driver or disable third-party printer services temporarily.

Best regards

JK

Microsoft Community

Moderator

Answer 2

Hello ,

I’m here to help you in resolving your issue

Fully Reset the Print Spooler :

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
2. Run these one by one:

net stop spooler

del /Q /F %systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*

net start spooler

3. This clears stuck print jobs and restarts the spooler cleanly.

Some updates re-install corrupt or incompatible print drivers.

1. Press Win + R, type printmanagement.msc
2. Go to: Print Servers > [Your PC] > Drivers
3. Remove any old or duplicate drivers, especially:

HP Universal

XPS

Microsoft Print to PDF

If printmanagement.msc doesn’t exist:

1. Open Device Manager
2. Enable "View > Show hidden devices"
3. Expand Print queues and uninstall anything unused or ghosted.

After trying above steps, please reach out to me if you have any doubts or issues

Answer 3

Hello,

We haven't heard from you, so we assume that your issue has already been addressed. We will not be monitoring this thread moving forward so, if you need further assistance, please create a new thread to discuss these concerns by clicking this link: Create a new question (microsoft.com)

Thank you for understanding.

Best Regards,

JK

Microsoft Community

Moderator

Answer 4

printer driver not work