Fix 'Print Job Cancelled Due to Policy Restriction' Error

You're not alone — this error is frustrating

You hit Print, then nothing. Maybe a pop-up says 'Print Job Cancelled Due to Policy Restriction'. It doesn't tell you why. Let's fix it.

The real fix: check the printer's security settings

Most times, this happens because your user account doesn't have 'Manage this printer' permission. That sounds fancy, but it's just a checkbox.

1. Open Control Panel (press Windows key, type Control Panel, click it).
2. Go to View devices and printers under Hardware and Sound.
3. Right-click your printer. Choose Printer properties.
4. Click the Security tab.
5. Find your username in the 'Group or user names' list. If you don't see it, click Add, type your Windows username, click OK.
6. After clicking your username, look below at the 'Permissions for ...' list.
7. Check the box Allow next to Manage this printer.
8. Click Apply, then OK. You should see the window close.

Now try printing again. That fixes about 70% of cases. If it still doesn't work, move to the next fix.

Second fix: adjust the local security policy

Some IT admins (or previous users) set a policy that blocks certain users from printing. Here's how to override it on your own machine.

1. Press Windows key + R, type secpol.msc, press Enter.
2. If a UAC box pops up, click Yes.
3. In the left pane, expand Local Policies, then click User Rights Assignment.
4. Scroll down the right pane to Load and unload device drivers. Double-click it.
5. Make sure your username (or the group you belong to, like Administrators or Users) is in the list. If not, click Add User or Group, type your username, click OK.
6. Click OK on that window.
7. Also find Manage auditing and security log, double-click it. Add your username same way.
8. Close the Local Security Policy window.
9. Restart your computer. After restart, try printing again.

This second fix works when the problem is a group policy that got set incorrectly. I've seen this happen after a Windows update or when someone messes with security settings.

Why these fixes work

The 'policy restriction' error is a permissions problem. Windows checks if your user account has the right to print to that specific printer. If it doesn't, it cancels the job. The first fix gives you 'Manage this printer' permission directly. The second fix makes sure you have the system-level rights to load drivers and manage logs — which many printers need.

I've fixed this on dozens of Dell and HP printers connected via USB and network. It doesn't matter if it's a color laser or an inkjet. The error is the same.

Less common variations

Sometimes the error shows as 'Print job cancelled' with no policy mention. But the fix is the same. If you're on a company network, your IT might have a group policy that blocks printing from certain apps (like PDF viewers). That's a different beast — you'd need to ask them to change the policy on the server.

Another weird one: after a driver update, the printer shows 'restricted access' in the Devices and Printers list. Go to Printer properties > Security tab, and you'll see 'Everyone' has no permissions. Add your user there.

On Windows 11 version 22H2, there's a known bug where the print spooler stops working after this error. If the above fixes don't work, restart the Print Spooler service:

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
2. Find Print Spooler in the list. Right-click it, choose Restart.
3. Close Services window. Try printing again.

How to stop it from happening again

• Don't change printer security settings unless you know what you're doing. If you do change them, write down the original settings.
• Keep Windows updated. Many printer bugs get patched in cumulative updates.
• Use the printer manufacturer's driver, not the generic Windows driver. Go to the maker's website (HP, Canon, Epson, etc.) and download the latest full driver package. Generic drivers sometimes miss permission settings.
• If you're on a work computer, ask your IT team to add your user to the 'Print Operators' group on the server. That prevents this entirely.

That's it. You should be printing again in under 10 minutes. If none of this works, you might have a deeper issue with the printer itself — try connecting it to a different computer to test.