waiting for printer connection pop up

Question

waiting for printer connection pop up window when trying to print from Microsoft Word and can not print at all from adobe acrobat

Answer 1

Hi Stephanie Wilkins, 

I can imagine it’s frustrating when Word shows “Waiting for printer connection” and Acrobat is not printing at all. Have you got the chance to check the AI answer yet? That reply typically includes the most relevant checks for this scenario. 

To help narrow it down, could you please let me know: 

• Could you also let me know the printer brand and exact model number? 
• Is the printer connected by USB or Wi‑Fi/network? 
• Are you able to print a Windows test page or print from a simple app like Notepad or Paint? 
• In Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, does the printer show as Ready/Online, or does it show an error/offline status? 
• Did this start after any recent change such as a Windows update, Office update, Acrobat update, or printer driver change?  

In the meantime, please try the steps below one by one: 

1. Check whether Windows is pointing to the correct printer 

• Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners and make sure your actual printer is selected, not a virtual printer such as Microsoft Print to PDF.  
• If needed, set the physical printer as the default printer, then test again.  

2. Print a Windows test page 

• From the printer’s properties in Windows, try printing a test page.   

While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding. 

Wishing you success with the troubleshooting and a smooth experience moving forward. 

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 

Answer 2

Use the following steps in order, testing printing after each step.

1. Power cycle the printer
   • Turn the printer off and unplug it.
   • Wait at least 30 seconds.
   • Plug it back in and turn it on.
2. Check the connection
   • For USB printers: Ensure the USB cable is firmly connected to both PC and printer. Try a different USB port if needed.
   • For wireless printers: Make sure Wi‑Fi on the printer is turned on and connected (often indicated by a blue wireless icon). Run the printer’s wireless connectivity test from its menu if available.
   • Ensure the PC is on the same network (same Wi‑Fi SSID) as the printer.
3. Verify Windows sees the printer
   • Open Devices and Printers (press Windows logo key + S, type Devices and printers, press Enter).
   • Confirm the correct physical printer (not “Microsoft Print to PDF” or “XPS”) is present and set as default.
   • If the printer shows “Printer in error state,” check for paper jams, low ink/toner, or open covers.
4. Run the Windows printer troubleshooter
   • In Devices and Printers, right‑click the printer and select Troubleshoot.
   • Follow the wizard and apply any fixes it suggests.
5. Restart the Print Spooler service
   • Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
   • Scroll to Print Spooler, right‑click it, select Restart.
   • Try printing again from Word and Acrobat.
6. Update or reinstall the printer driver
   • Open Device Manager (Start > type Device Manager).
   • Expand Printers.
   • Right‑click the printer > Update driver.
   • If no update is found or the issue persists, right‑click > Uninstall device, then restart the PC so Windows reinstalls the driver automatically.
   • Alternatively, download and install the latest driver from the printer manufacturer’s website.
7. Remove and re‑add the printer (if still failing)
   • In Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, remove the printer.
   • Add it again. If automatic detection fails, choose Add manually and follow the wizard.
   • For a directly connected printer, choose Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings, then select the correct port (USB/WSD) and driver as prompted.
8. Repair Office (for Word printing issues)
   • Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Select Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Office > Modify.
   • Run Quick Repair first. If the problem persists in Word, run Online Repair.

If printing works from some apps but not others after these steps, the remaining issue is likely with the specific application; repairing Office addresses Word, and reinstalling/updating Adobe Acrobat may be needed for Acrobat.

---

References:

• My Print button and some printer settings aren’t available
• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps
• Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows