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Fix Printer Queue Stuck – Printer Troubleshooting Guide | TroubleshootMyPrinter




How to Fix: Printer Queue Stuck

Print jobs become stuck in the print queue and cannot be cancelled or completed, blocking all subsequent print requests. This is a common issue that prevents any new documents from printing until the stuck jobs are cleared. This guide walks you through the most common causes and step-by-step solutions to fix printer queue stuck on any printer, regardless of brand or model.

Common Causes

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

  • A corrupted print job that cannot be processed or cancelled normally
  • Print Spooler service hanging while processing a large or complex document
  • Printer lost connection mid-job, leaving orphaned jobs in the queue
  • Insufficient disk space for the spooler to process the print job
  • Driver crash during job processing, leaving the job in a stuck state

Step-by-Step Solution

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

  1. Step 1: Open the print queue by double-clicking the printer icon and try to cancel all documents (Printer > Cancel All Documents)
  2. Step 2: If jobs won’t cancel, stop the Print Spooler service from Services (services.msc)
  3. Step 3: Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files in this folder
  4. Step 4: Restart the Print Spooler service
  5. Step 5: If the queue is still stuck, restart the computer and printer
  6. Step 6: Resend the print jobs one at a time to identify any problematic documents
  7. Step 7: For recurring issues, update the printer driver or try a different driver version

Brand-Specific Troubleshooting

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

Hp Printers

HP printers can use the HP Print and Scan Doctor to automatically clear stuck queues. The tool includes a ‘Fix Printing’ option that clears the queue and restarts necessary services in the correct order.

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

Canon Printers

Canon printers may require cancelling jobs both from the computer queue and the printer’s control panel. Press the Stop/Reset button on the Canon printer to cancel the currently processing job on the printer side.

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

Epson Printers

Epson printers have a Cancel button on the printer itself that can help clear jobs that are stuck mid-processing. The Epson Printer Utility also includes a queue management function that can force-cancel stuck jobs.

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

Brother Printers

Brother printers have a Job Cancel button on the control panel. For MFC models, press Menu > Job Cancel. If the job is stuck in the computer queue, use the Brother Status Monitor to view and manage queued jobs.

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

Related Problems

Users experiencing printer queue stuck often encounter these related issues:

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I force-cancel a stuck print job?

First try cancelling from the print queue: open the queue, right-click the stuck job, and select Cancel. If it won’t cancel, stop the Print Spooler service (services.msc), delete all files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then restart the Print Spooler. This clears all queued jobs. Also cancel any pending jobs on the printer’s control panel.

Why do my print jobs keep getting stuck in the queue?

Recurring stuck jobs usually indicate a driver issue, intermittent connection problem, or a specific document that the printer cannot process. Try updating the printer driver, using a wired connection instead of WiFi, and printing simpler test documents. If only specific files get stuck, try converting them to PDF format before printing.

Can stuck print jobs affect other printers on my computer?

A stuck job in one printer’s queue typically only blocks that specific printer. However, if the Print Spooler service itself crashes due to the stuck job, it can affect all printers on the system. Clearing the stuck job from the spooler folder resolves the issue for all printers.

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.