laptop does not recognize printer

Question

Since the last update to windows 11 in my laptop printer stop working windows 11 does not recognize the printer. printer is PIXMA 7020a on 5/20/26 had tech from CANON uninstall and reinstall it to no success after tech said to speak to Microsoft. Please help I need to print Window 11 is not a good program. Moderator note: PII removed

Answer 1

Welcome celia portilla,

Please note that our forum is a public platform, and we will modify your question to hide your personal information in the description. Kindly ensure that you hide any personal or organizational information the next time you post an error or other details to protect personal data.  

I understand how frustrating it can be when your Canon PIXMA 7020a printer is no longer being recognized by your Windows 11 laptop after a recent update, even after reinstalling it with Canon support. 

Before proceeding, I’d like to clarify a couple of details to better assist you:      

• Could you confirm if the printer is connected via USB cable or Wi‑Fi? 
• Does the printer appear at all under Printers & scanners, or is it completely missing? 

In addition to Q&A Assist's suggested steps, please try these extra checks to move forward:  

Option 1: Restart both devices 

• Turn off the printer and unplug it for 30 seconds 
• Restart your laptop, then turn the printer back on  

Option 2: Run the built‑in printer troubleshooter 

• Open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters 
• Run the Printer troubleshooter to detect and fix common issues 

Option 3: Try adding the printer manually 

• Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select Add device 
• If not found, select The printer that I want isn’t listed 
• Enter the printer IP address (for Wi‑Fi printers)  

I hope it help for your issue. If not, reach out to me via thread. I'll be here to assist you.  

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Answer 2

Follow these steps on the Windows 11 laptop to get the PIXMA 7020a recognized again:

1. Check printer connections
   • If using USB: Make sure the USB cable is firmly connected to both the printer and the laptop. Try a different USB port on the laptop.
   • If using Wi‑Fi: Confirm the printer is connected to the same Wi‑Fi network as the laptop using the printer’s display/settings.
2. Restart the Print Spooler service
   1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
   2. Scroll down and find Print Spooler.
   3. Right‑click Print Spooler and select Restart.
3. Update or reinstall the printer driver via Device Manager
   1. Select Start > Device Manager.
   2. Expand Printers (or Print queues if it appears there).
   3. Right‑click the PIXMA 7020a (or any Canon entry for that printer) and select Update driver and follow the prompts.
   4. If no update is found or the issue persists, right‑click the printer again and select Uninstall device.
   5. Restart the laptop; Windows will attempt to reinstall the printer driver automatically.
4. Remove and re‑add the printer in Settings
   1. Select Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   2. Select the PIXMA 7020a and choose Remove; confirm removal.
   3. Restart the PC.
   4. Go back to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   5. Make sure the printer is powered on and connected (USB or Wi‑Fi).
   6. Select Add device (or Add a printer or scanner) and wait while Windows searches.
   7. When the PIXMA 7020a appears, select Add device to install it.
5. If Windows still cannot find a working driver
   • Install the latest Windows 11–compatible driver from Canon’s support site for the PIXMA 7020a (matching Windows 11 and 64‑bit/32‑bit as appropriate), then repeat step 4 to add the printer again.
6. Set the printer as default and test
   1. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the PIXMA 7020a.
   2. Choose Set as default.
   3. From any app (for example Word or a browser), select Print, choose the PIXMA 7020a, and print a test page.

If the problem started immediately after a Windows update and only after a driver update, and the printer shows in Device Manager, use Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver (if available) to revert to the previous driver, then restart the PC and test again.

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References:

• Fix printer not found and printer not recognized errors in Windows
• Fix printer driver compatibility issues in Windows
• Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows
• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps
• My printer won't connect and I'm unable to print anything - Microsoft Q&A
• Printing error on windows 11 laptop - Microsoft Q&A