5 Ways to Remove a Stuck Print Job in Windows 11

Quick Tips

• You can clear the print queue in Windows 11 using the Settings app or Command Prompt.
• Restarting the Print Spooler service is an effective method for resolving printing issues.
• If your print jobs continue to get stuck, consider reinstalling the printer driver.

Fix 1: Clear Print Queue Using the Settings App

One of the most straightforward ways to remove stuck print jobs is to clear the entire print queue in Windows 11. Hence, try that first.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings app.

Step 2: Navigate to Bluetooth & devices and click on Printers & scanners.

Step 3: Select your printer from the list.

Step 4: Click on Open print queue.

Step 5: Click the three-dot menu at the top-right corner and select Cancel all.

Fix 2: Restart the Print Spooler Service

Print Spooler is an essential service that handles print operations on Windows. If the service encounters an error or stops functioning, your print jobs may get stuck. In most cases, restarting the Print Spooler service will fix any issues.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Services window, scroll down to locate Print Spooler. Right-click on it and select Restart. If the service is not running, select Start.

Wait for Windows to restart the Print Spooler service. Following that, you should be able to delete print jobs from the queue.

Fix 3: Use Command Prompt to Clear the Print Queue

Occasionally, Windows may prevent you from clearing the print queue due to a lack of permissions. So, you can open Command Prompt with administrative privileges and run a few commands to clear the print queue.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Terminal (Admin) from the list.

Step 2: Paste the following command and press Enter to stop the Print Spooler service.

net stop spooler

Step 3: Run the following command to clear the print queue.

del %systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q

Step 4: Paste the following command to start the Print Spooler service.

net start spooler

Fix 4: Clear Print Queue Manually From File Explorer

Windows stores your print jobs in the printer directory before printing. Deleting files from the printer directory also removes them from the print queue. For that, you must stop the Print Spooler service on your PC.

Step 1: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog. Type services.msc in the box and press Enter.

Step 2: In the Services window, scroll down to locate Print Spooler. Right-click on it and select Stop.

Step 3: Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. Paste the following path in the Open field and press Enter:

%systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\

Step 4: In the File Explorer window, select all files and click the trash icon at the top. That will purge all the print jobs.

Step 5: Switch to the Services window after deleting the files. Right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Start.

Fix 5: Reinstall the Printer Driver

Printer drivers on your PC allow Windows to communicate with your printer device. However, if the current printer drivers on your PC are malfunctioning, you’ll face all kinds of printer issues, including this one. Try reinstalling the printer drivers to fix the issue.

Step 1: Right-click on the Start icon and select Device Manager from the list.

Step 2: Expand the Print queues section, right-click your printer, and select Uninstall device.

Once removed, go ahead and restart your PC. Windows should install the missing printer drivers during boot. Following this, you should be able to remove the stuck print jobs in Windows 11 without issues.