cant connect to my printer

EILEEN MAYA 0 Reputation points
2026-08-26T02:07:05.66+00:00

can't connect to my printer to my pc. recognise printer but cant print or scan

Windows for home | Other | Devices and drivers
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-26T02:07:21.92+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Power cycle the printer.
      • Turn the printer off and unplug it.
      • Wait 30 seconds.
      • Plug it back in and turn it on.
    2. Check the connection type.
      • USB printer: make sure the USB cable is firmly connected to both the printer and PC, then try a different USB port.
      • Wi-Fi printer: make sure the printer and PC are on the same Wi-Fi network/SSID. If the printer has a wireless test option, run it.
      • Bluetooth printer: make sure Bluetooth is enabled on both devices and the printer is within range.
    3. Restart the Print Spooler service.
      • Press Windows + R.
      • Type services.msc and press Enter.
      • Find Print Spooler.
      • Right-click it and select Restart.
    4. Remove and reinstall the printer.
      • In Windows 11: go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
      • In Windows 10: go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
      • Select the printer and remove it.
      • Then choose Add device or Add a printer or scanner to install it again.
      • If Windows does not find it, select Add manually.
    5. If the printer is found but still will not print, install the latest printer driver.
      • Install the latest driver for the exact printer model.
      • Then add the printer again and print a test page.
    6. If printing still fails, clear and reset the print spooler.
      • Warning: this deletes queued print jobs.
      • Open Services from the taskbar search.
      • Double-click Print Spooler and select Stop.
      • In the taskbar search, open %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in that folder.
      • Go back to Print Spooler, select Start, set Startup type to Automatic, and select OK.

    For scanning issues, if printing works after reinstalling but scanning still fails, install the latest full driver/scan utility for the printer model and re-add the device.

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

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  2. Vikki-T 11,450 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-26T07:10:02.1833333+00:00

    Hi EILEEN MAYA,

    I understand that Windows can detect the printer, but neither printing nor scanning is working. To narrow this down, could you please share the printer’s exact brand and model, your Windows version, and whether it is connected by USB or Wi-Fi?

    At this point, I recommend that you review and try the steps provided in the AI generated answer on your thread. That reply typically include the most relevant checks for this scenario. 

    Also, when you open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, does the printer show as Ready, Offline, or display a driver-related message? Please let us know whether any error code appears when you try to print or scan.

    Since both functions are affected, I recommend downloading the full driver and scanning software for your exact printer model directly from the printer manufacturer’s official support website. A basic driver installed automatically by Windows may recognize the device without enabling all printing and scanning features.

    While my initial response may not fully resolve the issue, I truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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