Cannot see the installed printers

Dean Anglea 0 Reputation points
2026-08-20T21:59:47.6033333+00:00

Cannot see the installed printers when I got to settings and printers and scanners even though there are printers installed

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Devices and drivers

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Dean Anglea 0 Reputation points
    2026-08-26T20:33:02.5033333+00:00

    Now my printers are showing up again. The last update must have corrected this (I believe it was the 24h2 repair version that did the trick). Thanks for you assistance!

    Was this answer helpful?

  2. John Jefferson Doyon 89,550 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-21T00:01:19.1233333+00:00

    Yes, I can print fine and the printers show just fine in the printersfolder. I just can't see them in the normal printers and scanners section of the settings menu.

    Thanks for confirming. Since printing works and the printers appear in the Printers folder, the printers and drivers are fine. This looks like an issue with the "Printers & scanners" page in Windows Settings not displaying them correctly.

    For now, I would leave the printers installed and avoid removing them.

    Please check "Settings > Windows Update" and install any available updates, then restart the PC.

    If the issue still persists, to help narrow down the issue:

    1. Press Windows + R, type winver and press Enter. What Windows 11 version and OS build does it show?
    2. In "Printers & scanners," is the page completely empty, or does it show some printers but not all of them?

    Click "Add comment" to let me know.

    Thanks!

    Was this answer helpful?

  3. AI answer

    2026-08-20T21:59:59.6766667+00:00

    If printing still works, this can be a Windows 11 Settings app issue rather than the printers being removed. A reported workaround is to open the older Devices and Printers view, where the installed printers may still appear.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and check whether only one printer or no printers are listed.
    2. Open the older Devices and Printers window and verify whether the printers appear there.
    3. If the printers are missing in Settings but still work, avoid re-adding them immediately unless printing is failing.
    4. If printing is also failing, remove and reinstall the affected printer:
      • Go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners
      • Select the printer
      • Select Remove
      • Then select Add device next to Add a printer or scanner to reinstall it
    5. Update or reinstall the printer driver:
      • Open Start > Device Manager
      • Expand Printers
      • Right-click the printer and select Update driver
      • If no update is available, select Uninstall device, then restart Windows so it can reinstall the driver automatically
    6. If the printer still does not appear correctly, restart the Print Spooler service:
      • Search for services and open Services
      • Double-click Print Spooler
      • Select Stop > OK
      • Delete files in %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS
      • Open Services again, double-click Print Spooler, then select Start and set Startup type to Automatic

    Warning: clearing the print spooler deletes queued print jobs.

    If the issue is only that printers do not show in Settings, waiting for a Windows update can resolve it in some cases.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.