➤ The printer does not work on Windows 11? Here's how to fix it 🎮

Find out how to fix printer not working on Windows 11. Follow these tips to fix various possible problems and get back to printing.

Run the printer troubleshooter

After verifying that the printer is well connected, that there is paper in the printer tray, and that the printer is not out of ink or toner cartridge, the troubleshooter will most likely fix general software problems.

All you have to do is open Settings> System> Troubleshooting> Other Troubleshooting Tools . Here you will find the troubleshooter for printer in the list of Windows troubleshooters. Click the button Run next to it to activate it. If there are any problems preventing the printing process, the troubleshooter will show you how to fix it.

Update relevant drivers

Running the troubleshooter should be the step to follow whenever an error or problem occurs. However, it is very rare for it to diagnose, let alone fix, the problem. Consequently, the next sensible first step is to check for driver updates.

Right-click the del button Start menu and select Device management from the list.
Scroll down and expand the menu Print queues.
Right-click on Microsoft Print to PDF and select Update Driver . This message will open another window.

Selecting Automatically searches for updated driver software in Windows 11, a check for updates is performed on the PC. If it shows the best device driver already installed, you can still try the manual option. To do it:

Right-click on Microsoft Print to PDF and select Property from the drop-down menu.
Go to the panel Details .
Select Path to the device instance from the drop-down list in Property , then copy the value displayed.
Go to .
Paste the copied value into the search box, download a suitable driver and then install it.

Restart the print spooler

Occasionally, printer problems are caused by unresponsive devices and driver settings, rather than outdated drivers.

To solve this:

Awards Win + R to launch the Run dialog.
Type " services.msc ”And hit enter.
In services, find Print spooler and double click on it.
Proceed by clicking on Stop .
Then follow the path C:Windowssystem32 spoolsv.exe and delete all files in the folder.
Now, all you have to do is go back to Services and manually restart the Print Spooler service.
Restart your PC.

Double check your default printer

Often, incorrect printer and scanner configuration is the main cause of printing problems. The most common reason for printer problems is that you have not chosen the PDF printer as the default printing device or that you have configured it to the wrong port. It can be simply solved by:

apri the Control Panel via the Windows search menu
click on View devices and printers in Hardware and sound .
In the panel Printers , right-click the PDF printer and select Set as default.
So, go on Properties> Doors .
Scroll through the list and select the type of port that matches your connection.
Select Configure Port> Apply> OK .

Disable the firewall

If your problem is still not solved, the most likely culprit is your Windows Defender Firewall. The firewall may have been configured too tightly, preventing the printer from interacting properly. Therefore, disabling the firewall is a viable option.

Go up Start> Settings> Privacy and Security> Windows Security> Firewall and Network Protection.
Disattiva Windows Defender Firewall.
Go back and repeat the same for Private network and Network public .

Check for new Windows updates

Sometimes a new Windows update available can be the key to fixing printer problems and errors on Windows 11. You may not have been notified of the latest Windows update, so it's worth checking if a new version is available manually.

Press the button Win and click the icon Settings.
Go to Windows Update
click on Check for updates .

Windows will automatically search for updates and if a new version is available, it will be installed, thus resolving the printer error.

Remove the latest Windows 11 update

Ironically, a new Windows update can also invite bugs that make your printer unusable. If you noticed that your printer stopped working right after a recent Windows update, you will need to delete the update from your computer.

For this, go on Settings> Windows Update> Update History. Here you should select Uninstall updates located in Related settings . This action will prompt you to open a list of Windows updates where you need to select the latest and click Uninstall .

If the latest Windows 11 update was the culprit, reversing it should do the trick to restarting the printer.

Run System Restore

If the problem started as soon as you upgraded to Windows 11 and ran out of all other alternatives, there is one last solution: Windows System Restore. Using this method restores Windows to a previous restore point where the printer is known to work without any errors.

To go back to a restore point:

Press the button Windows and type Control Panel.
Click on its icon, search Restoration in the Control Panel search box and choose apri System Restore from the search results.
The System Restore dialog opens. click on NEXT per I will proceed.
Select the restore point to restore your computer to when the printer was running smoothly.
Again, click NEXT and then end to confirm the restore point.
It will confirm one last time if you want to proceed with the system restore process. Move the cursor up Yes and click.