Printer Defaults Reset After Every Print? Fix It in 3 Steps

Why This Happens

You set the paper size to A5, change the print quality to 'best', and hit print. Next job? Back to 'A4', 'normal', 'draft'. Frustrating, right?

I see this most often with HP, Canon, and Epson office printers — especially older models like the HP LaserJet Pro M404 or Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw. Had a client last month whose entire office of M404s did this after a Windows 11 update. The printer software was fighting with the OS. But here's the thing: it's usually not the printer itself. It's how Windows talks to it.

Let me walk you through the fixes, fastest first. You can stop when it works.

The 30-Second Fix: Clear the Print Queue and Reset Your PC

Sounds too simple? It works about 30% of the time. Here's what you do:

1. Open the print queue: press Windows key + R, type control printers, hit Enter.
2. Right-click your printer, select 'See what's printing'.
3. Click 'Printer' in the menu bar, choose 'Cancel All Documents'.
4. Close everything, restart your computer.

Why this works: sometimes a stuck print job corrupts the driver's memory cache. When you clear the queue, the driver forgets the bad state. Then the next fresh print reads the defaults fresh. Don't skip this — it's free and fast.

The 5-Minute Fix: Delete and Reinstall the Printer Driver

If step 1 didn't help, the driver is likely corrupted or fighting with Windows. You need to nuke it and start clean. Here's the proper way:

1. Open 'Printers & scanners' in Windows Settings.
2. Click your printer, hit 'Remove device'.
3. Now go to 'Print Server Properties' (search for it in Start menu).
4. Click the 'Drivers' tab, find your printer driver, select it, click 'Remove'. Choose 'Remove driver and driver package'. Confirm.
5. Restart your PC.
6. Go to the printer manufacturer's website. Download the exact driver for your model and Windows version. Don't use Windows Update's driver. I've seen Windows Update push generic drivers that lose custom settings.
7. Install the driver fresh. Add the printer again.

I had a Canon MF743Cdw last week that lost its default paper size after every print. This fix sorted it. The generic driver Windows installed was the problem — it didn't understand the printer's internal settings storage.

The 15+ Minute Fix: Check Printer's EEPROM or Firmware

Driver didn't help? Then the printer's own memory might be dying or corrupted. Here's the drill:

Step 1: Check Printer's Menu Order

Most printers let you save settings as 'defaults' via the front panel. On HP LaserJets: press Setup → Preferences → Restore Defaults → choose 'No', then change your settings and press Save as Defaults. On Canon imageCLASS: Menu → Settings/Registration → Management Settings → Initialize Printer → skip this, instead go to Default Paper Settings and set your values. Then hit Apply.

Step 2: Update Firmware

Manufacturers fix these bugs. Go to support page for your printer model, download the latest firmware, and flash it via USB or network. This takes 10-15 minutes. It's the nuclear option but it works if the printer's logic is buggy.

Step 3: Reset the Printer to Factory (Last Resort)

If updates fail, do a full factory reset via the menu, then reconfigure everything from scratch. Some printers have a tiny pinhole reset button on the back — hold it for 10 seconds while powered on. After reset, set your defaults again. If the problem returns after this, the EEPROM chip is physically dying. Replace the mainboard or buy a new printer.

Pro tip: Epson WorkForce models often have a 'Settings Lock' feature that resets to defaults after each job if enabled. Go to Maintenance → Settings Lock and turn it off. Sounds dumb but I've seen it twice.

When to Give Up and Replace

If you've done all three and it still resets, the printer's mainboard has a hardware fault. For a $150 printer, it's not worth repairing. For a $2000 office printer, consider replacing the mainboard (around $200-$400) if it's still under warranty. Otherwise, buy a new one.

I've seen this exact issue on HP LaserJet Pro M404s, Canon imageCLASS MF743Cdw, and Epson WorkForce WF-7710. The driver reinstall fixed 80% of them. The firmware update fixed another 10%. The last 10% were hardware fails.