Print Jobs Stuck in the Queue? How to Clear the Print Spooler

31 Jul 2026
Print Jobs Stuck in the Queue? How to Clear the Print Spooler

You click Print, but nothing happens.

The document sits in the print queue showing Pending, Error, Deleting, or Printing, while every new job piles up behind it. Cancelling the document does not work, restarting the printer makes no difference, and the queue refuses to clear.

This is usually caused by a problem with the Windows Print Spooler.

The Print Spooler is the Windows service responsible for receiving print jobs, temporarily storing them, and sending them to the correct printer. When a job becomes corrupted or the service stops responding, the entire queue can become blocked.

Fortunately, most stuck print queues can be cleared without reinstalling Windows or replacing the printer.

What Is the Print Spooler?

When you print a document, Windows does not normally send every page directly to the printer.

Instead, it passes the job to the Print Spooler, which:

  • Accepts the print request
  • Stores it temporarily
  • Places it in the correct queue
  • Communicates with the printer driver
  • Sends the data to the printer
  • Manages multiple jobs in order

This system allows you to continue working while documents print in the background.

However, if one job becomes damaged, the driver stops responding, or communication with the printer fails, the queue can become stuck.

Common Signs of a Spooler Problem

You may be dealing with a blocked spooler when:

  • A print job remains on Deleting
  • Documents stay on Pending
  • Nothing prints even though the printer is online
  • New jobs appear behind one failed document
  • The queue repeatedly shows Error
  • The printer works from another computer but not yours
  • Windows reports that the Print Spooler service is not running
  • The printer disappears and reappears
  • Applications freeze when you select Print
  • Restarting the printer does not clear the queue

Before making major changes, start with the simplest checks.

Step 1: Check the Printer Itself

A queue problem can sometimes be caused by the printer rather than Windows.

Check that the printer:

  • Is switched on
  • Has paper
  • Has no paper jam
  • Has sufficient ink or toner
  • Shows no warning lights or error messages
  • Is connected to Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or USB
  • Has not been paused
  • Is not waiting for a manual confirmation

Some printers pause all jobs when a paper tray is empty, a cover is open, or the selected paper size does not match the loaded paper.

Correct any visible printer error before clearing the queue.

Step 2: Cancel the Stuck Print Job Normally

Open the print queue first and try cancelling the job through Windows.

In Windows 11:

  1. Open Settings
  2. Select Bluetooth & devices
  3. Select Printers & scanners
  4. Choose the affected printer
  5. Select Open print queue
  6. Right-click the stuck job
  7. Select Cancel

You can also select Cancel all from the printer menu.

Wait for a minute before assuming it has failed. Some large jobs take time to disappear.

If the status remains on Deleting, move on to restarting the Print Spooler.

Step 3: Restart the Print Spooler Service

Restarting the service often releases a blocked queue.

  1. Press Windows key + R
  2. Type:

services.msc

  1. Press Enter
  2. Find Print Spooler
  3. Right-click it
  4. Select Restart

If Restart is unavailable, select Stop, wait a few seconds, and then select Start.

Reopen the print queue and check whether the stuck document has disappeared.

If it remains, the temporary spool files may need to be deleted manually.

Step 4: Clear the Spooler Folder Manually

Windows stores queued print jobs as temporary files. A corrupted file in this folder can keep returning even after you cancel the job.

You will need administrator permissions.

Stop the Print Spooler

Open Services again:

  1. Press Windows key + R
  2. Enter:

services.msc

  1. Right-click Print Spooler
  2. Select Stop

Keep the Services window open.

Delete the Queued Files

Open File Explorer and go to:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

You may be asked to approve administrator access.

Delete the files inside the PRINTERS folder, but do not delete the folder itself.

These are temporary print-job files. Removing them clears the queue.

Restart the Service

Return to the Services window.

Right-click Print Spooler and select Start.

Open the queue again. It should now be empty.

Clear the Spooler Using Command Prompt

You can perform the same process using an elevated Command Prompt.

Search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.

Enter these commands one at a time:

net stop spooler

del /Q /F /S "%systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*.*"

net start spooler

The first command stops the service. The second removes the queued temporary files. The third starts the service again.

Be careful to enter the folder path exactly as shown.

Clear the Spooler Using PowerShell

An administrator PowerShell window can also be used:

Stop-Service -Name Spooler -Force

Remove-Item "$env:SystemRoot\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*" -Force

Start-Service -Name Spooler

If Windows reports that a file is still in use, confirm that the Print Spooler service has stopped before trying again.

Step 5: Restart the Printer and Computer

Once the queue has been cleared:

  1. Shut down the printer
  2. Disconnect its power cable for around 30 seconds
  3. Restart the computer
  4. Reconnect and switch on the printer
  5. Print a simple test page

Power-cycling the printer clears temporary memory and communication errors that may have contributed to the original failure.

Step 6: Print a Test Page

A test page helps determine whether the problem affects Windows generally or only one document.

Go to:

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Select the printer, choose Printer properties, and select Print Test Page.

If the test page prints successfully, the original document or application may have caused the problem.

If the test page also fails, investigate the driver, connection, port, or printer configuration.

What If Only One Document Gets Stuck?

A particular document can contain damaged fonts, images, formatting, or print instructions.

Try:

  • Saving the file under a new name
  • Printing one page at a time
  • Exporting the document as a PDF
  • Opening the PDF in another viewer
  • Removing complex images
  • Changing the selected printer temporarily
  • Copying the content into a new document
  • Restarting the application

For a PDF, try using a trusted PDF reader rather than printing directly from a web browser.

Some PDF readers also include a Print as image option, which can help with documents containing complex graphics or fonts.

Check That the Correct Printer Is Selected

Windows may send the job to an old, disconnected, or virtual printer.

Check the printer name carefully.

Common accidental selections include:

  • Microsoft Print to PDF
  • Microsoft XPS Document Writer
  • An old office printer
  • A disconnected USB printer
  • A printer installed twice
  • A printer on a different floor or branch
  • A remote desktop redirected printer

Set the intended device as the default printer when appropriate.

In Windows 11, open:

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Select the correct printer and choose Set as default.

You may need to turn off Let Windows manage my default printer before setting one manually.

Check Whether the Printer Is Paused or Offline

Open the printer queue and look for options such as:

  • Pause printing
  • Use printer offline

If either is enabled unintentionally, clear it.

A printer may appear offline because:

  • Its IP address has changed
  • It has disconnected from Wi-Fi
  • The USB cable is faulty
  • The print server is unavailable
  • Windows is using the wrong port
  • The printer has entered a deep sleep state

Clearing the spooler will not fix an underlying network or connection problem.

Restart the Print Spooler Automatically

The Print Spooler service should normally start automatically with Windows.

To check:

  1. Open services.msc
  2. Double-click Print Spooler
  3. Set Startup type to Automatic
  4. Select Apply
  5. Start the service if it is stopped

If the service keeps stopping, another driver, service, or corrupted print component may be causing it to crash.

Reinstall or Update the Printer Driver

A damaged or outdated printer driver can repeatedly corrupt the queue.

Start by checking the printer manufacturer’s support site for a current driver designed for your version of Windows.

For business printers, the manufacturer may offer several driver types, including:

  • PCL 5
  • PCL 6
  • PostScript
  • Universal Print Driver
  • Microsoft IPP Class Driver

The best option depends on the printer model, applications, and network environment.

Avoid downloading drivers from unofficial driver websites.

Remove and Re-add the Printer

If clearing the spooler does not resolve the problem, remove and reinstall the printer.

Go to:

Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners

Select the printer and choose Remove.

Restart the computer, then add the printer again.

For a network printer, it is often more reliable to add it using its fixed IP address rather than relying on automatic discovery.

Do not remove a centrally managed office printer without speaking to your IT provider, as it may be deployed through Group Policy, Intune, or a print server.

Remove a Corrupted Driver Package

Simply removing the printer may leave the driver behind.

To view installed print drivers:

  1. Press Windows key + R
  2. Enter:

printui /s /t2

  1. Press Enter
  2. Select the relevant driver
  3. Choose Remove

You may be offered the option to remove the driver only or remove the driver and package.

Proceed carefully. Other printers may depend on the same universal driver.

It is sensible to create a restore point or consult your IT provider before removing shared business drivers.

Check the Printer Port

A printer can appear installed correctly while using the wrong communication port.

Open the printer’s Printer properties and select the Ports tab.

Common ports include:

  • USB ports
  • Standard TCP/IP ports
  • WSD ports
  • Shared printer paths
  • Local ports
  • Virtual PDF ports

For network printers, a Standard TCP/IP port using the printer’s correct IP address is often more stable than WSD discovery.

If the printer’s IP address changes regularly, consider assigning it a reserved or static address through the network configuration.

Why WSD Printers Sometimes Stop Working

Windows can discover network printers using Web Services for Devices, or WSD.

This makes installation easy, but WSD connections can occasionally become unreliable when:

  • The printer’s address changes
  • Network discovery fails
  • The device wakes from sleep slowly
  • The firewall blocks discovery traffic
  • Windows creates a duplicate printer
  • The printer is moved between networks

Replacing the WSD port with a Standard TCP/IP port can improve reliability in some environments.

Check the Windows Print Troubleshooter

Windows includes automated troubleshooting options that may detect common print problems.

Open:

Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters

Look for the printer troubleshooter or use the Get Help application to search for printer issues.

The troubleshooter may:

  • Restart the spooler
  • Detect an offline printer
  • Check the default device
  • Identify a blocked queue
  • Repair some configuration problems

It may not resolve advanced driver, network, or print-server issues, but it is a reasonable initial step.

Network Printer Queue Stuck for Several Users

When multiple people cannot print to the same device, the fault is unlikely to be limited to one computer.

Possible causes include:

  • A stuck queue on the print server
  • A failed printer
  • A network outage
  • An incorrect printer IP address
  • A print-server service problem
  • A broken shared driver
  • A permissions issue
  • A firmware fault

Do not ask every employee to reinstall the printer immediately. Investigate the shared infrastructure first.

Clearing a local queue will not remove a job that is stuck on a central Windows print server.

Clearing the Spooler on a Print Server

On a Windows print server, the same general method applies:

  1. Pause printing where appropriate
  2. Identify the affected queue
  3. Stop the Print Spooler service
  4. Clear the spool files
  5. Restart the service
  6. Confirm that all shared printers return
  7. Test from a workstation

However, restarting the spooler on a server can briefly affect every shared printer.

This should be planned carefully, particularly during working hours.

When the Spooler Keeps Crashing

A Print Spooler that repeatedly stops may indicate:

  • A corrupted printer driver
  • A badly written third-party print monitor
  • A damaged spool file
  • Conflicting printer software
  • A Windows component problem
  • Malware or exploitation attempts
  • An unstable print server
  • A recently installed printer update

Check Windows Event Viewer for errors involving:

  • PrintService
  • spoolsv.exe
  • Printer driver names
  • Print processors
  • Port monitors

The error details may reveal which driver or component is crashing the service.

Could Malware Affect the Print Spooler?

The Print Spooler has historically been targeted by security vulnerabilities because it runs with high system privileges.

A stuck queue does not automatically mean the computer is infected. Most incidents are caused by ordinary driver, document, or communication problems.

However, businesses should:

  • Keep Windows fully updated
  • Remove unused printer drivers
  • Disable unnecessary print services on systems that do not print
  • Restrict driver installation
  • Use endpoint protection
  • Monitor unusual spooler behaviour
  • Control access to print servers

If the spooler behaves unexpectedly across several systems, professional investigation may be appropriate.

Preventing Print Jobs From Becoming Stuck

You can reduce future printing problems by:

  • Keeping printer firmware updated
  • Using supported manufacturer drivers
  • Removing old and duplicate printers
  • Giving network printers stable IP addresses
  • Avoiding unofficial printer utilities
  • Restarting heavily used printers periodically
  • Keeping Windows updated
  • Replacing damaged USB and network cables
  • Monitoring print servers
  • Training users not to resend the same job repeatedly

Repeatedly clicking Print can create dozens of duplicate jobs and make troubleshooting harder.

When to Contact an IT Professional

Seek professional help when:

  • The spooler will not start
  • It stops immediately after starting
  • Print jobs return after being deleted
  • Several employees are affected
  • A print server is involved
  • The printer driver cannot be removed
  • Windows repeatedly creates duplicate printers
  • The issue returns after every restart
  • The printer contains confidential queued documents
  • Printing is essential to business operations

An IT technician can examine drivers, ports, event logs, network connectivity, printer firmware, permissions, and print-server configuration to identify the underlying cause.

Get Your Printing Working Again

A stuck print job is often caused by one corrupted temporary file blocking the entire queue.

Restarting the Print Spooler and clearing the contents of the spool folder usually resolves the immediate problem. If it keeps happening, the underlying cause is more likely to involve the printer driver, network port, document, or print server.

Hamilton Group can diagnose unreliable printers, clear blocked queues, repair Windows printing services, manage network printers, and support business print servers.

Call 0330 043 0069 or visit hgmssp.com to book a meeting with one of our IT experts.


 

Previous Next