Why Won’t This Printer Print?

Frustrated with a printer that says "Ready" but does absolutely nothing? Let’s fix that.

1. Is It Set as the Default Printer?

Go to your computer’s printer settings and make sure the correct printer is selected as the default. Sometimes it tries to send the job to “Fax” or “Microsoft Print to PDF.”

2. Check for Stuck Print Jobs

Open your printer queue. If there’s a job stuck at the top, it might block everything else. Right-click → Cancel any stuck or failed jobs.

3. Is It Offline or Paused?

Right-click the printer in your settings and look for “Use Printer Offline” or “Pause Printing.” If either is checked, uncheck it.

4. Restart the Print Spooler

This one’s surprisingly effective:

5. Update or Reinstall Your Drivers

Old or corrupt drivers are often the root of printer weirdness. Visit your printer manufacturer’s website, download the latest driver for your model, and install it.

6. USB vs Wi-Fi Printing

Try a direct USB connection to see if it prints. If it works via USB but not wirelessly, your network connection or IP configuration could be the issue.

Pro Tip: Unplug the printer for 30 seconds and plug it back in. It’s basic, but often resets minor connection issues.

7. Still Not Working?

If none of the above helped, try uninstalling and reinstalling the printer from scratch in your computer settings.