Printer in Error State Won't Print? Try This First
Your printer's stuck in error state? Here's the fix that works 90% of the time—clear the print queue and restart the spooler. Quick steps inside.
I know that "printer in error state" message is maddening—especially right before a deadline. I've seen this on HP DeskJet 3755s, Canon PIXMA TR8620s, and Epson WorkForce Pro printers. Here's the fix that works for most people, and it takes about two minutes.
Step 1: Clear the Print Queue
Corrupt jobs in the queue are the number one cause. Here's how to nuke them:
- Open Services – press Windows + R, type
services.msc, hit Enter. - Find Print Spooler in the list. Right-click it and choose Stop.
- Now open File Explorer and go to
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. - Delete everything inside that folder. Don't worry—it's just temp print files.
- Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler, and choose Start.
That clears stuck jobs that corrupt the queue. I've seen cases where a single Word document with a bad margin setting would freeze spooler for everyone on the network.
Step 2: Restart the Printer Itself
After clearing the queue, power-cycle the printer. Unplug it from the wall (not just the power button) for 30 seconds. Plug it back in and wait for it to fully boot—some models like the HP Smart Tank 7001 take a full 60 seconds. Then try printing a test page.
Why This Works
The spooler is Windows' middleman between your app and the printer. When a job gets corrupt—say, from a PDF with embedded fonts that confuses the driver—the spooler chokes. Deleting the queue empties the pipeline. Restarting refreshes the service without loading any bad job data.
On the hardware side, printers often don't properly reset when you press the power button—they stay in a low-power state. Fully unplugging clears weird internal states (like a jam sensor flag that's stuck). I've seen Brother printers that needed a full power drain to clear a phantom paper jam error.
Less Common Variations
Driver Corruption
If the above didn't work, the driver might be toast. Go to Devices & Printers, right-click your printer, choose Remove device. Then reinstall the driver from the manufacturer's site—don't use Windows Update, it often pulls generic drivers. For Canon PIXMAs, always grab the full driver package from Canon's site, not the lightweight one.
USB Port or Cable Issues
I once spent an hour swapping drivers, only to find a frayed USB 2.0 cable. If your printer uses USB, try a different port (preferably USB 2.0, not 3.0—some printers hate 3.0). Or switch to a different cable. For network printers, assign a static IP in your router so the printer doesn't drop off the network.
Windows 11 Quirks
Windows 11 22H2 had a known bug where printers connected via WSD (Web Services for Devices) would randomly show error state. If your printer is using WSD, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click your printer, then Print server properties, then Drivers tab. If the driver is listed as "WSD," remove the printer and add it using a TCP/IP port instead.
Prevention
Three things will keep your printer out of error state:
- Never unplug the printer while it's printing. Wait for the job to finish or cancel it from the queue first.
- Update drivers once a quarter. Mark it on your calendar. Printer manufacturers push fixes for exactly these spooler hangs.
- Restart your printer weekly. It's overkill, but I swear by it. Most consumer printers have leaky memory that builds up after days of use.
One last thing—if you're on a corporate network, check with IT before messing with services. Some companies lock down the spooler service via Group Policy. But for home users, this fix works every time.
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