The ‘Print Spooler service’ acts as a middleman between your computer and the printer. It queues documents and sends them one at a time to prevent overload.
When this service gets stuck, you might see issues like documents not printing, print jobs stuck in the queue, or error messages saying the printer is offline. Restarting the service clears the queue and refreshes the connection between your system and the printer.
In this guide, you will learn exactly how to start, stop, and restart the Print Spooler in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
How to Start, Stop, Restart Print Spooler in Windows 11 or 10?
The ‘Print Spooler’ is a background service that temporarily stores print jobs in a queue before sending them to your printer. If this service is stopped or becomes unresponsive, printing will fail.
To fix printing issues, you can manually start, stop, or restart the Print Spooler using tools like the ‘Services Manager’, ‘Command Prompt’, or ‘Task Manager’. Restarting the service is often the quickest and most effective solution when print jobs are stuck or not responding.
Step 1: Open the ‘Services Manager’
The first step is to access the ‘Services Manager’, where all Windows background services are listed.
Press the “Windows + R” keys together to open the Run dialog box. In the box, type “services.msc” and press Enter. This will open a window that shows a long list of services running on your system.
Take a moment to let the list fully load. You will see services arranged alphabetically, which makes it easier to find what you are looking for.
Step 2: Locate the ‘Print Spooler’ Service
Now scroll through the list until you find ‘Print Spooler’. Since the services are sorted alphabetically, it should be under the letter P.
Once you find it, click on it once to highlight it. On the left side of the window, you will see options like “Start”, “Stop”, and “Restart” depending on its current status.
If the service is running, you will see the status as “Running”. If it is not active, the status will be blank.
Step 3: Stop the ‘Print Spooler’ Service
If you are troubleshooting printing issues, stopping the service is often the first move.
Right-click on ‘Print Spooler’ and select “Stop”. This will immediately halt all printing activities. Any active or pending print jobs will pause.
Stopping the service is useful when you want to clear stuck print jobs or reset the printing system.
Step 4: Start the ‘Print Spooler’ Service
Once the service has been stopped, you can start it again to restore printing functionality.
Right-click on ‘Print Spooler’ and select “Start”. This will reactivate the service and allow your system to send print jobs to the printer again.
If your printer was not responding earlier, this step often fixes the issue instantly.
Step 5: Restart the ‘Print Spooler’ Service
Restarting is basically a combination of stopping and starting the service in one go. It is the quickest way to fix most spooler-related problems.
Right-click on ‘Print Spooler’ and choose “Restart”. Windows will stop the service and automatically start it again within a few seconds.
This action clears temporary glitches and refreshes the print queue without requiring you to perform multiple steps manually.
Step 6: Clear the Print Queue Manually if Needed
Sometimes restarting the spooler is not enough, especially if there are corrupted print jobs stuck in the queue.
To fix this, open File Explorer and navigate to “C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS”. You may need administrator permission to access this folder.
Delete all files inside this folder. These files represent pending print jobs. Once cleared, go back to the ‘Services Manager’ and start the ‘Print Spooler’ again.
This step ensures a completely fresh start for your printing system.
Step 7: Use ‘Command Prompt’ as an Alternative Method
If you prefer a faster or more advanced method, you can control the spooler using the ‘Command Prompt’.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator. Then type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each:
Type “net stop spooler” to stop the service.
Type “net start spooler” to start it again.
This method is especially useful if the Services window is not responding or if you want a quicker solution.
Step 8: Verify the Service Status
After restarting the spooler, it is a good idea to confirm that everything is working properly.
Go back to the ‘Services Manager’ and check the status of ‘Print Spooler’. It should show as “Running”.
You can also try printing a test page to ensure your printer is functioning correctly.
Faqs
What is the ‘Print Spooler’ in Windows?
The ‘Print Spooler’ is a system service that manages print jobs by storing them temporarily before sending them to the printer. It ensures smooth and organized printing.
Why does the ‘Print Spooler’ keep stopping?
This can happen due to corrupted print jobs, outdated drivers, or system conflicts. Restarting the service and clearing the print queue usually resolves the issue.
Is it safe to restart the ‘Print Spooler’?
Yes, it is completely safe. Restarting the spooler only affects active print jobs and does not harm your system or files.
What happens when I stop the ‘Print Spooler’?
When you stop the service, all printing activities pause. You will not be able to print until the service is started again.
Can I automate restarting the ‘Print Spooler’
Yes, you can create a batch file or use Task Scheduler to automate restarting the service if the issue occurs frequently.
Why are my print jobs stuck in the queue?
This usually happens when the spooler crashes or a print job becomes corrupted. Clearing the queue and restarting the service fixes it.