How to reinstall print spooler service windows 10? Windows 10 is known for its simplicity, but sometimes uninstalling or reinstalling the print spooler service may be necessary. If you are experiencing issues with your printer, sometimes just restart or reinstall print spooler service windows 10 and get the issues resolved.
What is the Print Spooler Service?
Print spooler service is a service that is responsible for managing printing jobs. The spooler service can be used on all operating systems, but Microsoft has implemented it only in Windows OS. The OS is installed with the following services: LPD Service – allows computers on a network to print to remote printers on TCP port 515 Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) Service – allows clients to connect to shared printers.
This service is implemented using the Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) to support Web-based printing. The Web server (IIS) listens on TCP port 631 Server Message Block (SMB) – allows clients to connect to shared printers. This service is implemented using SMB for file sharing and print services.
Printer spooler problems can arise in cases where printer queues may overflow with print jobs, if the queue limits are exceeded. If print jobs do not print or fail to print correctly, you may need to increase the size of the print spooler queue. In cases where a network printer is not available or offline for a period of time.
If you are facing printing issues like windows 10 print spooler keeps stopping or windows 10 print spooler vulnerability issue, we will discuss about simillar topic in this article. Sometimes you get rid of the hassle just by restarting the print spooler service. So, try restarting the Print Spooler service. If you find that you need to update Windows so it can better perform the Print Spooler Service, then it is time to get an update.
If restarting the print spooler service does not help, now you can go for troubleshoot the service.
What can I do to troubleshoot the Print Spooler Service?
Before reinstalling the print spooler service you must try to troubleshoot the print spooler service.
Here are the Print Spooler Service Troubleshooting Steps for windows 10:
- Click on the Start button.
- Then select Settings.
- Select Update & Security.
- Under Windows Update, select Check for updates. If updates are available, click Install updates.
- Once installed, restart your computer if prompted.
This should fix the issue with the Print Spooler service.
If not, you may try to uninstall the print spooler service.
How to uninstall print spooler service windows 10?
Once the print spooler service troubleshoot did not help, let’s try to fix the issues with uninstalling and reinstalling the print spooler service.
Follow these steps:
You can uninstall services from the services.msc utility list in Windows 10 with one of these two ways.
Firstly, exit any print spooler service related programs like MS Word or MS Publisher.
Way-1:
- Press and hold down the Windows Key from your keyboard, then press “R” to bring up the Run window.
- Now Type “SC DELETE Print Spooler“, then press “Enter“ from your keyboard.
Caution: Must type the service name correctly.
If the way-1 fails for you, can try way-2.
Way-2:
- Go to windows > run as follow: Press and hold down Windows key+R from the keyoboard. The run window will pop-out.
- Type in the run window: regedit, and click OK.
- Registry editor will pop-out. Now retrace your steps to the following address in the registry as follows:
First go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then System, then CurrentControlSet and then Services.
In the Services location you can find many folders containing each service which are available in your operating system (Windows 10). DisplayName you see for each folder is the name of each service. You can find the “Print Spooler” service there.
How to reinstall print spooler service Windows 10?
You can reinstall print spooler service windows 10 by following the steps.
Method 1:
Step 1: Press Windows+R buttons on your keyboard.
Step 2: Type “services.msc” in Run dialog box and press Enter button. It will open Services Manager.
Step 3: Look for Print Spooler service from the list. If you can’t find it, then look for Spooler service. Right-click on Print Spooler or Spooler service and select Restart.
After restarting the service, go to Windows Update once again and check for updates. It should automatically download and install the updates.
Method 2:
Update Windows manually Since you’re not able to get the update via Windows Update, it’s time to manually update your PC. Go to Settings > Update & Security and under “Update settings” select “Advanced options.” Then check for updates and click the button “Check for updates.” Windows 10 Home users with automatic updates enabled will be able to get the update via Windows Update. Windows 10 Professional users can check for updates via Windows Update as well, but they will be able to download the update from Microsoft Update Catalog as well. In order to do so, you have to enable the optional feature of the Windows Update.
Special instructions
Without reinstalling the print spooler service windows 10, you can solve your print spooler service issue by reinstalling your printer driver. Sometimes this method also works to solve printer spooler service related issues.
How to Reinstall Print Spooler Service on Windows 11
Is your printer on Windows 11 not working right? Maybe prints are stuck. Or you see print spooler errors. Don’t worry! It happens. Like on Windows 10, the print spooler service might just need a little push. Let’s see how to reinstall print spooler service on Windows 11.
Quick Answer: You can often fix print spooler problems on Windows 11. Just restart the service. Use the Services app or the Task Manager. If that does not help, try clearing the print queue. You can also use the Command Prompt.
Method 1: Restarting the Print Spooler Service (The Easy Way)
Think of this as a quick break for your printer. Sometimes, that is all it takes!
- Open the Services App: Press the Windows key and R. Type services.msc. Hit Enter. This opens the place to see all the background tasks.
- Find Print Spooler: Look down the list. Find “Print Spooler“. It is in order by letter. It should not be hard to find.
- Restart the Service: Right-click on “Print Spooler“. You will see some choices. Click “Restart“. If “Restart” is not clickable, try “Stop” first. Then, click “Start“.
Method 2: Clearing the Print Queue
Sometimes, too many print jobs can make the print spooler stop. Let’s clear them out.
- Stop the Print Spooler: Do the steps above. Stop the “Print Spooler” service.
- Open File Explorer: Click the folder on your taskbar. Or press the Windows key and E.
- Go to the Spooler Folder: In the top bar, type %windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS. Press Enter. This takes you to the folder with the print jobs. They are there for a short time.
- Delete the Files: Pick all the files in this folder. Delete them. These are just files that are waiting to print.
- Start the Print Spooler: Go back to the Services app. Start the “Print Spooler” service again.
Method 3: Using Command Prompt (A More Direct Way)
If the easy ways do not work, try the Command Prompt. It can tell the print spooler what to do.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Type cmd in the Windows search box. Right-click “Command Prompt“. Pick “Run as administrator“. You need to do this to change services.
- Stop the Spooler: Type net stop spooler. Press Enter. You should see a message. It says the Print Spooler service stopped.
- Start the Spooler: Type net start spooler. Press Enter. You should see another message. It says the Print Spooler service started.
Method 4: Reinstalling the Print Spooler Service (If Things Are Really Bad)
Okay, the quick fixes did not help? Let’s try to reinstall printer spooler. This is a more complete way.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Just like in Method 3.
- Stop the Spooler: Type net stop spooler. Press Enter.
- Uninstall the Spooler: Type sc delete Spooler. Press Enter. This removes the print spooler service.
- Restart Your Computer: This lets the changes happen. It is important.
- Open Command Prompt as Administrator (Again): After your computer starts again.
- Reinstall the Spooler: Type sc create Spooler binPath= “C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe” type= own. Press Enter. This makes the print spooler service again.
- Start the Spooler: Type net start spooler. Press Enter.
Troubleshooting Common Print Spooler Issues on Windows 11
Sometimes, just to reinstall print spooler service is not enough. Here are some common problems on Windows 11.
Common Windows 11 Print Spooler Issues and Solutions
| Issue | Possible Solution(s) |
| Print spooler keeps stopping | Update your printer drivers. Check if other programs are causing problems. Run the System File Checker (SFC) tool. |
| Print spooler not running | Try starting it in the Services app. If it is not there, you might need to use system restore. Or check for bad software. |
| Printer not working after update | The Windows 11 update might be the problem. Try going back to the old version for a little while. Also, look for new drivers for Windows 11. |
| Print jobs stuck in queue | Clear the print queue. We talked about this in Method 2. Make sure the print spooler service is running. Sometimes turning your printer off and on helps too. |
| Cannot add printer | Make sure the print spooler service is running. Check if your printer drivers work with Windows 11. Make sure your computer can talk to the printer. This could be with a wire or over the network. |
Comparing Print Spooler Management on Windows 10 and Windows 11
| Feature/Method | Windows 10 | Windows 11 | Key Differences |
| Restarting Service | Use the Services app (services.msc) or Task Manager. | Use the Services app (services.msc) or Task Manager. | It is mostly the same. |
| Clearing Print Queue | Stop the service. Delete files in %windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS. | Stop the service. Delete files in %windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS. | It is the same. |
| Command Prompt Usage | Use net stop spooler, net start spooler, sc delete Spooler, sc create. | Use net stop spooler, net start spooler, sc delete Spooler, sc create. | The commands are the same. Make sure you open Command Prompt as administrator. |
| PowerShell Usage | You can stop and start services with it. | You can stop and start services with it. | It works the same way. For basic reinstall print spooler, using CMD is usually enough. |
| Driver Management | Use Device Manager. | Use Device Manager. | It might look a little different on Windows 11. But it does the same thing. Keep drivers updated on both. |
Dealing with printer problems can be annoying. I know! But I hope this guide helped you reinstall print spooler service on your Windows 11 computer. Now you should be able to print those things you need. Remember to try the easy steps first. If it is harder, try the other ways. Keeping your drivers updated and your computer healthy will help stop print spooler problems in the future. Happy printing!
FAQ
Is there a quick way to just restart the print spooler on Windows 10?
Yes! To quickly restart on Windows 10, just do it. Search for “Services”. Find “Print Spooler“. Right-click and pick “Restart“. Easy!
What are some signs that my print spooler on Windows 10 is having problems?
On Windows 10, if the print spooler is bad, prints might get stuck. Your printer might say “offline”. You could also see print spooler service errors.
Can outdated printer drivers cause issues with the print spooler on Windows 10?
Yes, for sure! Old printer drivers can cause problems with the print spooler on Windows 10. Keep your drivers updated. Check the printer company’s website.
Can I just restart the print spooler instead of reinstalling?
Most times, yes! Just restarting the print spooler service (like in Method 1) can fix small issues. It is like a reset for your printer. Restart print spooler Windows 11 is often the first thing to try!
What if the print spooler service is missing in Windows 11?
Oh no, that is not good! If the print spooler service missing Windows 11, it could be a bigger problem. Try the System File Checker (Method 4) first. If it is still missing, try a system restore. Maybe some bad software caused it. Run a virus scan too.
How do I fix print spooler errors in Windows 11?
To fix print spooler errors Windows 11, try a few things. First, restart the service. Then, clear the print queue. If it still has errors, update your printer drivers. Sometimes, you might need to reinstall printer spooler. The table above has more tips.
Last words
Hope now you know how to reinstall print spooler service windows 10 or windows 11. It is good to keep your Windows 10 or Windows 11 updated. You can find updates in the Windows Update settings. The print spooler service lets you print on both. If you have trouble printing on Windows 10 or Windows 11, try restarting or reinstall print spooler. It might just fix it!
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