Printer Not Printing? How to Fix It Step by Step

You press Print, the printer sits there doing nothing, and no error message explains why. This is the most common printer problem there is, and in most cases the cause is something simple: a stuck print queue, the wrong default printer, a loose connection, or a driver that needs attention. Work through the fixes below in order. Most people get printing again within the first four steps.

Step 1: Check the basics first (2 minutes)

Before touching any settings, look at the printer itself:

• Power and paper: The printer is on, paper is loaded correctly, and no paper is jammed inside. Open the rear or front access panel and remove any stuck sheet gently.
• Ink or toner: An empty cartridge can stop a printer completely. Check the levels on the printer screen or in its app.
• Error lights or messages: A blinking light or a code on the display is the printer telling you exactly what is wrong. Note it down before continuing.
• Cable or Wi-Fi: For USB printers, reseat the cable at both ends. For wireless printers, confirm the Wi-Fi light is solid, not blinking.

Step 2: Make sure the right printer is selected

Computers often keep old printers, PDF printers, and duplicate copies in their list. Open the document, choose Print, and check the printer name carefully. Then set the correct one as default:

• Windows: Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → select your printer → Set as default. Turn off “Let Windows manage my default printer” if it keeps switching.
• Mac: System Settings → Printers & Scanners → set “Default printer” to your printer.

Step 3: Clear the stuck print queue

One corrupt job at the front of the queue blocks everything behind it. This is the single most common reason a printer “receives” a job but never prints.

1. Open the print queue (Windows: click your printer → Open print queue. Mac: click the printer icon in the Dock).
2. Cancel every job in the list.
3. Try printing a simple test page.

If jobs will not cancel, restart the Print Spooler on Windows: press Windows + R, type services.msc, find Print Spooler, right-click → Restart.

Step 4: Restart everything, in the right order

Turn the printer off and unplug it for 60 seconds. Restart your computer. If it is a Wi-Fi printer, restart the router too, wait until it is fully back online, then turn the printer on and let it reconnect before printing again. This clears temporary communication errors that settings changes cannot.

Step 5: Check the printer is not set to “Offline” or “Paused”

Windows can quietly switch a printer to offline mode after a network hiccup. Open the print queue, click the Printer menu, and make sure Use Printer Offline and Pause Printing are both unticked. If your printer shows as offline every time, read our full guide: Printer Offline? How to Get It Back Online.

Step 6: Remove and re-add the printer

If the queue is clear and the printer still will not print, remove it completely and add it fresh. This rebuilds the connection and the driver link in one go:

• Windows: Settings → Printers & scanners → your printer → Remove. Then “Add device” and let Windows find it again.
• Mac: System Settings → Printers & Scanners → select the printer → Remove Printer, then click Add Printer and re-add it.

Step 7: Update or reinstall the driver

Outdated or corrupted drivers cause printing failures after Windows or macOS updates. Go to your printer maker’s official support site (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother), enter your exact model, and download the latest full driver package for your operating system. Install it, restart the computer, and test again. Brand-specific steps: HP Printer Not Printing? and Epson Printer Not Printing?

Step 8: Print a test page from the printer itself

Use the printer’s own control panel to print a test or status page (usually under Settings → Reports or Tools). If the printer cannot print its own test page, the problem is inside the printer — ink, printhead, or hardware — not your computer. If the test page prints fine, the problem is the connection or the computer, so repeat Steps 5–7.

When it is probably a hardware problem

Grinding noises, repeated paper jams in the same spot, error codes that return after a full restart, or a printer that will not power on at all point to hardware. At that point, check whether the printer is still under warranty before paying for a repair — for budget home printers, a repair can cost more than a replacement.

Quick recap

Check paper, ink, and cables → confirm the right printer is default → clear the print queue → restart printer, router, and computer → untick Offline/Paused → remove and re-add the printer → reinstall the driver → test from the printer’s own panel. In that order, these steps fix the large majority of “printer not printing” cases.