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Fix Print Spooler Error – Printer Troubleshooting Guide | TroubleshootMyPrinter




How to Fix: Print Spooler Error

The Windows Print Spooler service encounters errors, crashes, or fails to start, preventing any printing from the computer. The Print Spooler manages all print jobs in the queue and its failure affects all printers connected to the system. This guide walks you through the most common causes and step-by-step solutions to fix print spooler error on any printer, regardless of brand or model.

Common Causes

This problem is most often caused by one or more of the following:

  • Corrupted print jobs stuck in the spooler queue
  • Corrupted spooler files in the Windows spool directory
  • Conflicting printer drivers from multiple installed printers
  • Windows system file corruption affecting the spooler service
  • Third-party software or malware interfering with the spooler service

Step-by-Step Solution

Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the issue. Test your printer after each step.

  1. Step 1: Open Services (services.msc) and restart the Print Spooler service
  2. Step 2: If the service won’t start, clear the spool folder: stop the service, delete files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then restart the service
  3. Step 3: Run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter from Settings > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters
  4. Step 4: Check Windows Event Viewer for specific spooler error messages under Windows Logs > System
  5. Step 5: Run ‘sfc /scannow’ from an elevated command prompt to repair corrupted system files
  6. Step 6: Remove all installed printers, restart the spooler, then reinstall printers one at a time
  7. Step 7: If the issue persists, reset the print subsystem by deleting printer registry keys (back up first)

Brand-Specific Troubleshooting

Some printer brands require slightly different troubleshooting approaches. See the brand-specific guidance below.

Hp Printers

HP Print and Scan Doctor includes a spooler repair function. HP printers with the HP Smart app may conflict with the standard spooler on some Windows versions. Running the HP diagnostic tool first is recommended before manual spooler troubleshooting.

For more Hp-specific troubleshooting, visit our Hp Printer Troubleshooting hub.

Canon Printers

Canon driver installation adds several services that interact with the spooler. If the spooler crashes specifically when printing to Canon printers, try reinstalling the Canon driver. The Canon CARPS2 driver can sometimes conflict with the spooler on Windows 11.

For more Canon-specific troubleshooting, visit our Canon Printer Troubleshooting hub.

Epson Printers

Epson Status Monitor can occasionally cause spooler conflicts. Try disabling Epson Status Monitor in the printer driver’s Utility tab if you experience recurring spooler crashes when printing to an Epson printer.

For more Epson-specific troubleshooting, visit our Epson Printer Troubleshooting hub.

Brother Printers

Brother Status Monitor and Brother BRAdmin services may conflict with the Print Spooler. If spooler crashes occur with Brother printers, disable the Brother status monitor service temporarily to isolate the conflict.

For more Brother-specific troubleshooting, visit our Brother Printer Troubleshooting hub.

Related Problems

Users experiencing print spooler error often encounter these related issues:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Print Spooler and why does it keep crashing?

The Print Spooler is a Windows service that manages all print jobs sent from your computer to any printer. It crashes due to corrupted print jobs, conflicting drivers, or corrupted system files. Recurring crashes often indicate a problematic printer driver — try removing all printers and reinstalling them one at a time to identify the conflicting driver.

How do I fix ‘Print Spooler service is not running’ error?

Open Services (press Win+R, type services.msc), find Print Spooler, right-click and select Start. If it won’t start, set its Startup Type to Automatic, then try starting it. If it still fails, clear the spool folder by navigating to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and deleting all files inside, then start the service.

Will fixing the Print Spooler delete my queued documents?

Clearing the spooler spool folder will delete all pending print jobs. However, this does not affect the original documents on your computer. After fixing the spooler, you can simply resend the documents to print. It’s a necessary step when corrupted jobs are causing the spooler to crash.

Need brand-specific help?

This guide covers the general fix. For model-specific instructions, find your printer brand below and navigate to your exact model for tailored troubleshooting steps.