


how to fix 'the print spooler service is not running' on win
Aug 02, 2025 am 05:38 AMRestart the Print Spooler service via Services or Command Prompt; 2. Run the built-in Printer Troubleshooter in Settings; 3. Manually clear the spool queue by deleting files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS after stopping the service; 4. Check that dependent services like RPC and Plug and Play are running and ensure admin permissions; 5. Re-register ole32.dll and oleaut32.dll using regsvr32 commands in an elevated Command Prompt; 6. Install pending Windows updates and run a full malware scan; 7. Reinstall or update printer drivers through Device Manager or Programs and Features—most issues are resolved by restarting the service and clearing the spool folder, but persistent problems require checking dependencies, system files, or drivers.
The "Print Spooler service is not running" error on Windows is common and usually easy to fix. It prevents you from printing, adding printers, or managing print jobs. The issue means the background service responsible for managing print tasks has stopped or can't start. Here’s how to fix it step by step.

1. Restart the Print Spooler Service Manually
This is the quickest fix and often resolves the issue.
- Press
Win R
, typeservices.msc
, and press Enter. - In the Services window, scroll down and find Print Spooler.
- Right-click it and select Start (if it’s stopped) or Restart (if it’s already running but not working).
- If it fails to start, right-click → Properties, set Startup type to Automatic, then click Start.
If you get an error when starting, note the error code—it can help diagnose deeper issues.
![]()
2. Run the Printer Troubleshooter
Windows includes a built-in troubleshooter that can automatically detect and fix common printing problems.
- Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters.
- Select Printer, then click Run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions.
This tool may reset the spooler, fix permissions, or re-enable the service automatically.

3. Clear the Print Spooler Queue Manually
Corrupted print jobs stuck in the queue can crash the spooler.
- Stop the Print Spooler service (via Services or run
net stop spooler
in Command Prompt as admin). - Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
- Delete all files in this folder (these are pending print jobs).
- Restart the spooler:
- Back in Services, start the Print Spooler again, or
- Run
net start spooler
in Command Prompt (admin).
This clears stuck jobs that might be preventing the service from starting.
4. Check Dependencies and Permissions
The Print Spooler relies on other services. Missing dependencies can cause failure.
- In Services, double-click Print Spooler.
- Go to the Dependencies tab.
- Make sure the services listed (like Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and Plug and Play) are running.
Also:
- Ensure your user account has admin rights.
- Run Services as administrator if changes don’t stick.
5. Re-register Print Spooler DLLs (Advanced Fix)
If the spooler crashes repeatedly, system files may be corrupted.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
net stop spooler cd /d %windir%\system32 regsvr32 /u ole32.dll regsvr32 /u oleaut32.dll regsvr32 ole32.dll regsvr32 oleaut32.dll net start spooler
This re-registers critical system components the spooler depends on.
6. Check for Windows Updates or Malware
- Install the latest Windows updates—some spooler bugs are patched in updates.
- Run a full system scan with Windows Defender or trusted antivirus—malware sometimes disables system services.
7. Reinstall or Repair Printer Drivers (if problem persists)
Faulty or outdated drivers can destabilize the spooler.
- Go to Device Manager → expand Print queues.
- Right-click your printer → Uninstall device.
- Reinstall the printer using the manufacturer’s latest driver.
Alternatively, use Programs and Features to remove third-party printer software (like HP, Epson suites) and reinstall.
Basically, most cases are fixed by restarting the service and clearing the spool folder. If it keeps stopping, dig into dependencies or system files. Not complex—but easy to miss a step.
The above is the detailed content of how to fix 'the print spooler service is not running' on win. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

When the Windows Security Center is blank or the function is missing, you can follow the following steps to check: 1. Confirm whether the system version supports full functions, some functions of the Home Edition are limited, and the Professional Edition and above are more complete; 2. Restart the SecurityHealthService service to ensure that its startup type is set to automatic; 3. Check and uninstall third-party security software that may conflict; 4. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair system files; 5. Try to reset or reinstall the Windows Security Center application, and contact Microsoft support if necessary.

Players have been experiencing the PEAK voice chat not working issue on PC, impacting their cooperation during climbs. If you are in the same situation, you can read this post from MiniTool to learn how to resolve PEAK voice chat issues.Quick Navigat

The computer is stuck in the "Undo Changes made to the computer" interface, which is a common problem after the Windows update fails. It is usually caused by the stuck rollback process and cannot enter the system normally. 1. First of all, you should wait patiently for a long enough time, especially after restarting, it may take more than 30 minutes to complete the rollback, and observe the hard disk light to determine whether it is still running. 2. If there is no progress for a long time, you can force shut down and enter the recovery environment (WinRE) multiple times, and try to start repair or system restore. 3. After entering safe mode, you can uninstall the most recent update records through the control panel. 4. Use the command prompt to execute the bootrec command in the recovery environment to repair the boot file, or run sfc/scannow to check the system file. 5. The last method is to use the "Reset this computer" function

Encountering something went wrong 657rx can be frustrating when you log in to Microsoft Teams or Outlook. In this article on MiniTool, we will explore how to fix the Outlook/Microsoft Teams error 657rx so you can get your workflow back on track.Quick

When encountering the "RPCserverisunavailable" problem, first confirm whether it is a local service exception or a network configuration problem. 1. Check and start the RPC service to ensure that its startup type is automatic. If it cannot be started, check the event log; 2. Check the network connection and firewall settings, test the firewall to turn off the firewall, check DNS resolution and network connectivity; 3. Run the sfc/scannow and DISM commands to repair the system files; 4. Check the group policy and domain controller status in the domain environment, and contact the IT department to assist in the processing. Gradually check it in sequence to locate and solve the problem.

When you encounter the prompt "This operation requires escalation of permissions", it means that you need administrator permissions to continue. Solutions include: 1. Right-click the "Run as Administrator" program or set the shortcut to always run as an administrator; 2. Check whether the current account is an administrator account, if not, switch or request administrator assistance; 3. Use administrator permissions to open a command prompt or PowerShell to execute relevant commands; 4. Bypass the restrictions by obtaining file ownership or modifying the registry when necessary, but such operations need to be cautious and fully understand the risks. Confirm permission identity and try the above methods usually solve the problem.

When you encounter the "DefaultGatewayisNotAvailable" prompt, it means that the computer cannot connect to the router or does not obtain the network address correctly. 1. First, restart the router and computer, wait for the router to fully start before trying to connect; 2. Check whether the IP address is set to automatically obtain, enter the network attribute to ensure that "Automatically obtain IP address" and "Automatically obtain DNS server address" are selected; 3. Run ipconfig/release and ipconfig/renew through the command prompt to release and re-acquire the IP address, and execute the netsh command to reset the network components if necessary; 4. Check the wireless network card driver, update or reinstall the driver to ensure that it works normally.

When encountering the "SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION" blue screen error, you do not need to reinstall the system or replace the hardware immediately. You can follow the following steps to check: 1. Update or roll back hardware drivers such as graphics cards, especially recently updated drivers; 2. Uninstall third-party antivirus software or system tools, and use WindowsDefender or well-known brand products to replace them; 3. Run sfc/scannow and DISM commands as administrator to repair system files; 4. Check memory problems, restore the default frequency and re-plug and unplug the memory stick, and use Windows memory diagnostic tools to detect. In most cases, the driver and software problems can be solved first.
