Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows

Why is My Printer Not Printing? Fixes for a Printer That Won't Print - Few things are as frustrating as when you try to print something and your printer won't output the pages. A printer that won't print can bring your productivity to a standstill. But don't panic - the cause is likely a common issue that can be resolved with a few troubleshooting steps. Here are some of the top reasons a printer won't print along with solutions to get it functional again.

It's Disconnected From Your Computer

One obvious but easy-to-overlook cause of printing failure is a physical disconnection from your computer. Check that:

• The USB, Ethernet, or WiFi connection is intact and secure.
• Cables are plugged in properly between printer and computer.
• Wireless printers are both powered on and within signal range.
• The connection type is set correctly in your printer settings.

Rectifying any connectivity issues can instantly get your printer communicating with your PC or laptop again.

It's Out of Ink or Paper

Printers can't operate without their core consumables:

• Examine ink cartridge levels - if empty the printer can't lay down ink. Replace empty cartridges.
• Check the paper tray and refill it if blank. Auto-sensing will prevent printing on an empty paper tray.

Refilling spent ink cartridges and paper allows print jobs to commence.

It Has a Paper Jam

Paper jams inside the printer mechanism will lead to a failure to print. Clear out any stuck sheets of paper from the internal rollers and feed paths by:

• Opening the printer and locating obstructed paper causing a jam.
• Carefully removing the stuck paper without tearing it.
• Checking for and removing any small ripped pieces still inside.
• Cleaning out paper dust and debris in the rollers.

With jams cleared fully, printing can start flowing again.

The Print Queue is Stalled

When jobs get bottlenecked in the print queue, the printer will appear to do nothing:

• Open the print queue viewer and look for stalled jobs marked with an error symbol.
• Retry or delete stuck jobs one by one until the queue unfreezes.
• As a last resort, clear the entire queue to reset the printer.

Unjamming the stalled print queue is key to sending jobs to the printer again.

The Printer Driver is Corrupt

Corrupted printer drivers can prevent communication between computer and printer. To reset:

• Uninstall the current printer driver completely in your OS settings.
• Reboot the computer to clear any remnants.
• Reinstall a fresh up-to-date printer driver from the manufacturer.

Newly updated drivers helps rule out driver corruption issues impeding print jobs.

Don't resign yourself to a perpetually idle printer. Methodically run through connectivity and configuration checks, consumables status, and print queue troubleshooting until you isolate the roadblock. With consistent maintenance and problem-solving, you can minimize printer downtime and keep those pages printing.