My computer is connecting to my printer

Question

My computer is connecting to my printer My documents keep going to the queue

Answer 1

Welcome Diane Shapiro to the Q&A forum!

From what you shared, I understand your Windows 11 laptop is able to detect and connect to the printer, but print jobs only enter the queue and do not proceed to printing.

First, please try the methods outlined in this referenced article: Fix print job stuck in queue errors in Windows

If the issue persists, please share additional details so we can look into it further:

1. Does this happen when printing from all applications, or only certain ones (for example, PDFs or browsers)?
2. Is the printer connected by USB or over the network (Wi‑Fi/Ethernet)?
3. What printer model and driver type are currently installed?
4. Did this start after a recent Windows update, driver update, or system change? I look forward to your response so we could determine the best next steps if needed.

Best regards.

Answer 2

Follow these steps in Windows 11 to clear the queue and restore printing:

1. Cancel all stuck print jobs
   1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
      Open Printers & scanners settings
   2. Select the printer, then select Open print queue.
   3. Right‑click each job in the list and select Cancel, or select ... (ellipsis) and choose Cancel all if available.
2. Restart the Print Spooler service
   1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
   2. Scroll down and locate Print Spooler.
   3. Right‑click Print Spooler and select Restart.
3. Manually clear the spool folder (if jobs still won’t clear)
   1. Stop the Print Spooler service:
      • Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
      • Right‑click Print Spooler and select Stop.
   2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
   3. Delete all files in this folder (these are only temporary spool files).
   4. Start the Print Spooler service again:
      • In services.msc, right‑click Print Spooler and select Start.
4. Restart PC and printer
   1. Turn the printer off, wait at least 60 seconds, then turn it back on.
   2. On the PC, select Start > Power > Restart.
   3. After restart, try printing a small test document.

If documents still go straight to the queue and never print, also confirm the printer is set as the default and on the same Wi‑Fi network:

1. Set as default printer
   • Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   • Select the printer > Set as default (turn off Let Windows manage my default printer if needed).
2. Check Wi‑Fi connection
   • Use the printer’s built‑in menu or manual to verify it is connected to the same Wi‑Fi network as the Windows 11 device.

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References:

• Troubleshooting offline printer problems in Windows
• Fix print job stuck in queue errors in Windows