Reset the Print Spooler

Do you need to reset the print spooler? If you are having printing problems, resetting the print spooler is one option to regain print access. Here is the solution to do so.

Software Tips for An End User
1. Right click Computer from the Start Menu or My Computer on your desktop.
2. Click on Manage and wait for the Computer Management window.
3. In the resulting window, expand Services and Applications, then doubleclick on Services.
4. Scroll down the resulting list to find Print Spooler.
5. Right click on Print Spooler and click on Properties.
6. The Print Spooler Properties window will open.
7. Click on Stop to stop the print spooler and leave the window open.
8. Wait 5 seconds.
9. Wait 10 more seconds.
10. Now click on Start.
11. After the spooler is restarted, try to print your document and watch for any error messages on screen and on the printer.

Software Tips for A Technician
1. Right click Computer from the Start Menu or My Computer on your desktop.
2. Click on Manage and wait for the Computer Management window.
3. In the resulting window, expand Services and Applications, then doubleclick on Services.
4. Scroll down the resulting list to find Print Spooler.
5. Right click on Print Spooler and click on Properties.
6. The Print Spooler Properties window will open.
7. Click on Stop to stop the print spooler and leave the window open.
8. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder c:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS or click on Start then Run and then enter c:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS as the item to run.
9. Next, delete all the files (these are usually .tmp files) in the folder.
10. Next, close Windows Explorer and return to the Printer Spooler Properties dialog and click on Start.
11. After the spooler is restarted, try to print your document and watch for any error messages on screen and on the printer.

Software Tips for An Admiistrator
1. Bring up the Run window by using your mouse or keyboard.
2. Type services.msc then press the OK button.
3. Don’t scroll. Just hit the P key.
4. In the resulting list, right click Print Spooler.
5. Click Stop to stop to disable the print spooler.
6. Use Windows Explorer to navigate to the folder c:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS or click on Start then Run and then enter c:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS as the item to run.
7. Next, delete all the files (these are usually .tmp files) in the folder.
8. Next, close Windows Explorer and return to the Services dialog.
9. In the resulting list, right click Print Spooler.
10. Click Start to enable the print spooler.
11. After the spooler is restarted, try to print your document and watch for any error messages on screen and on the printer.

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Stephan Pringle

Technology Support Specialist at Sipylus
About The Author: Stephan Pringle is an Information Technology Support Specialist. He covers hardware and software and provides tips for you to troubleshoot and repair issues on your own. In his spare time, he writes articles about the State of New York on his Hackintosh and HackBook and that has helped him to become the top contributor of the New York City section of Yahoo! Answers.
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Stephan Pringle

About The Author: Stephan Pringle is an Information Technology Support Specialist. He covers hardware and software and provides tips for you to troubleshoot and repair issues on your own. In his spare time, he writes articles about the State of New York on his Hackintosh and HackBook and that has helped him to become the top contributor of the New York City section of Yahoo! Answers.