Printer is on but won't print
You press Print and nothing comes out. Check the printer, the queue and the selected printer, then reset printing on Windows or Mac.
Quick fix
Check the printer's screen for an error such as no paper, a jam or an empty cartridge and clear it. Then open the print queue on your computer, cancel any stuck jobs, make sure the queue isn't paused, and print a single test page.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsYou might see
- Nothing happens when you click Print
- The job appears in the queue, then vanishes without printing
- The queue says Printing or Error but no paper comes out
- The printer works from one device but not another
Usually caused by
- An error on the printer, such as paper, a jam, ink or an open cover
- Wrong printer selected in the print window
- A stuck job blocking the queue
- Paused queue or offline status
- Print Spooler stuck on Windows
- Damaged driver or printer entry
Step-by-step fix
Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.
Windows 11 / 10
0 of 6 steps tried
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Clear errors on the printer
Look at the printer's display or lights. Load paper, close every cover, clear any jam and replace an empty cartridge. A blinking light usually means the printer is waiting for you to fix something.
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Check which printer you sent to
In the app's print window, look at the printer name. It's easy to send jobs to Microsoft Print to PDF, an old printer, or a duplicate with Copy 1 in its name. Pick the right one and try again.
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Clear and resume the queue
Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners), select the printer and choose Open print queue. Cancel every job, and if there's a Printer menu, untick Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline.
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Print a test page
On the printer's page, choose Print test page. If it prints, the printer and driver work, and the problem is the app or document you were printing.
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Restart the Print Spooler
Select Start, type
cmd, choose Run as administrator and run the command below. It restarts the Windows service that passes jobs to your printer.net stop spooler && net start spooler -
Remove and re-add the printer
On the printer's page in Printers & scanners, choose Remove. Restart the PC, click Add device and add the printer again. This rebuilds a damaged printer entry.
macOS
0 of 5 steps tried
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Clear errors on the printer
Fix anything the printer is reporting: paper, jams, open covers or empty cartridges.
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Open the queue and resume
Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the printer and click Printer Queue. Delete stuck jobs and click Resume if the queue is paused. Any message under the job name tells you what went wrong.
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Print from another app
Print a simple page from TextEdit. If that works, the original app or document is the problem.
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Remove and re-add the printer
Select the printer, click Remove Printer, then add it back with Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, choosing AirPrint in the Use menu where offered.
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Reset the printing system
If nothing else works, Control-click in the printer list and choose Reset printing system. This deletes all printers and jobs, so add your printer again afterwards.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Try these next
Still stuck? The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why does my print job disappear without printing?
Usually the job went to a different printer, or the driver failed to process it. Check the printer name in the print window and look in the queue for an error message.
Why does my printer work from my phone but not my computer?
The printer itself is fine, so the problem is on the computer: a stuck queue, an outdated port or driver, or the wrong printer selected. Clearing the queue and re-adding the printer fixes most cases.