Stop the Printer Panic: Troubleshooting ‘Print Spooler Keeps Stopping’ Errors

Is your printing process constantly interrupted by the frustrating error message “Print Spooler Keeps Stopping”? This common issue can halt your productivity and leave you struggling to get documents printed. The print spooler is a vital service in Windows that manages print jobs, sending them from your applications to your printer. When it crashes, printing grinds to a halt. Fortunately, you can often resolve this problem with a series of troubleshooting steps. This guide will walk you through practical methods to get your print spooler running smoothly again and eliminate those disruptive error messages.

Simple First Steps to Restart Your Printing

Before diving into more complex solutions, let’s try some quick fixes that might resolve the issue immediately.

Restart the Print Spooler Service

Often, simply restarting the print spooler service can clear temporary glitches. Here’s how:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter. This will open the Services window.
3. Scroll down to find Print Spooler in the list of services.
4. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Stop.
5. Wait a few seconds, then right-click on Print Spooler again and select Start.

After restarting the service, try printing again to see if the issue is resolved. If the “print spooler keeps stopping” error persists, proceed to the next steps.

Clear the Print Spooler Files

Sometimes, corrupted print job files can cause the spooler to crash. Clearing these files can often solve the problem.

1. Stop the Print Spooler service as described in the previous section (steps 1-4).
2. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:WindowsSystem32spoolPRINTERS. You can also open the Run dialog box again (Windows key + R), type spool, and press Enter. Then open the PRINTERS folder.
3. Delete all files within the PRINTERS folder. This folder temporarily stores print jobs waiting to be processed.
4. Start the Print Spooler service again (step 5 in the previous section).

Attempt to print a document to check if clearing the print queue has fixed the problem. If not, more in-depth troubleshooting may be necessary.

Advanced Troubleshooting: Driver Issues and Clean Installation

If basic troubleshooting doesn’t work, the problem might lie with your printer drivers. Outdated, corrupt, or incompatible drivers are common culprits behind print spooler errors.

Clean Uninstall and Reinstall Printer Drivers

Performing a clean driver reinstallation ensures that all old driver files are completely removed before installing fresh ones.

1. Disconnect your printer from your computer if it’s connected via USB.
2. Uninstall printer software: Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features. Find your printer software (especially any HP software if you are using an HP printer, or the software for your specific brand) and uninstall it.
3. Remove printer devices: Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers. Right-click on your printer icon and select Remove device for each instance of your printer.
4. Open Print Server Properties: Press Windows key + R, type printui.exe /s, and press Enter.
5. Go to the Drivers tab in the Print Server Properties window. Select any drivers related to your printer and click Remove.
6. Delete leftover files: Open Run again, type c:programdata, and press Enter. Look for folders related to your printer manufacturer (like Hewlett-Packard or Canon, etc.) and delete printer-related folders and files.
7. Restart your computer.
8. Install the latest drivers: Visit the official support website of your printer manufacturer (e.g., HP, Canon, Epson, Brother). Search for your printer model and download the latest full feature driver package compatible with your operating system.
9. Install the drivers you downloaded, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Typically, the installer will prompt you to connect your printer when necessary.

After reinstalling the drivers, test your printer to see if the “print spooler keeps stopping” issue is resolved.

Still Having Issues? Explore Further Resources

If you continue to experience problems, there could be more complex underlying issues. Consider consulting these additional resources:

• Printer Manufacturer Support: Check the support website for your printer manufacturer for specific troubleshooting guides and FAQs related to print spooler issues.
• Windows Built-in Drivers: In some cases, using the generic drivers provided by Windows can be more stable. You can find instructions on how to use Windows built-in drivers on your printer manufacturer’s website or general Windows support resources.
• Online Troubleshooting Guides: Search online for “print spooler keeps stopping Windows” for more detailed guides and community forums where other users may have found solutions to similar problems.

Troubleshooting “print spooler keeps stopping” errors can be a methodical process. By following these steps, starting with simple restarts and progressing to driver reinstallation, you should be able to identify and resolve the issue, getting your printer back to reliable operation.