To clear a print job that will not leave the queue, cancel every pending job first. On Windows, use Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, open the printer queue, and cancel the blocked item. If it remains stuck, restart Print Spooler; as a deeper reset, stop that service, remove the files inside C:WindowsSystem32spoolPRINTERS, and start it again. On macOS, use Print Center to select and delete the job blocking the queue.
Before resetting software, check the printer itself for paper or ink problems, an open cover, a paper jam, or an offline state. The sections below give the safe order of operations for Windows and macOS, explain when drivers are involved, and show when to use the printer maker’s diagnostics.
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Why one print job can stop the entire queue
A print queue is the holding area for documents waiting to reach a printer. A job that fails while it is being prepared, transferred, or rendered can remain in that list and prevent later jobs from being processed. That is why cancelling the queue is the first remedy; changing drivers or repeatedly resending the document can add more jobs without removing the original blockage.
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Check the printer before changing Windows or macOS settings
A queue can appear frozen when the physical printer is waiting for an issue to be corrected. Look at the printer’s display or status lights and inspect these conditions:
- Paper: Load the required paper size and make sure the tray is seated correctly.
- Ink or toner: Replace an empty cartridge or resolve the printer’s low-supply warning if the device will not proceed.
- Cover or access panel: Close every cover completely. A slightly open panel can leave the printer in a paused state.
- Paper jam: Follow the printer’s own jam-removal instructions and remove all visible scraps before retrying.
- Offline status: Confirm that the printer is powered on and connected to the same computer or network used to send the job.
After correcting a physical condition, wait for the printer to return to its ready state, then try cancelling the queued job. If the job still will not disappear, continue with the operating-system steps rather than sending another copy.
Windows: cancel the stuck job from the printer queue
Open the queue in Settings
- Open Settings.
- Select Bluetooth & devices, then choose Printers & scanners.
- Select the affected printer from the list.
- Choose Open print queue. Windows opens a window showing documents waiting to print.
Cancel every pending document
- In the queue window, select the document that is stuck.
- Use the queue’s Cancel command to remove it.
- Repeat for each remaining document until the list is empty.
Cancel all jobs, not just the newest one. A failed document at the top of the queue can keep later documents from starting, so leaving it in place can make a second job look faulty.
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A job labelled Deleting or Spooling may not respond immediately to a cancellation request. Give the queue a moment to update, then close and reopen Open print queue. If the same job remains, proceed to the Print Spooler restart instead of repeatedly clicking the cancel command.
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Windows: restart Print Spooler
Restarting the spooler refreshes the Windows service that controls queued print work. It is the first service-level recovery step and does not require deleting spool files.
- Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.
- Enter
services.mscand press Enter. - In the Services window, locate Print Spooler.
- Select Print Spooler, then choose Restart. If Restart is not offered, choose Stop, wait for the service to stop, and then choose Start.
- Close Services, return to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, and open the printer queue again.
If the queue is empty, send one small test document. A successful test confirms that the service was the immediate cause. If the blocked job is still present or returns as soon as you print, use the deeper spool-folder reset.
Windows: reset the spool folder when cancellation fails
This procedure removes pending print-job files from Windows. Use it only after ordinary cancellation and a Print Spooler restart have failed. Stopping the service first is essential; deleting files while the spooler is running can leave the queue in an inconsistent state.
- Press Windows key + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Find Print Spooler, select it, and choose Stop. Leave the Services window open so you can start the service again.
- Open File Explorer and navigate to
C:WindowsSystem32spoolPRINTERS. Windows may request administrator approval to open this location. - Delete the files inside the
PRINTERSfolder. Do not delete thePRINTERSfolder itself. - Return to Services, select Print Spooler, and choose Start.
- Open the printer queue again. The pending jobs should be gone because their spool files were removed.
Only queued print data is targeted by this reset. You will need to submit the document again after the service is running. If Windows will not let you delete a file, verify that Print Spooler is stopped and that your account has administrator permission; do not force-delete unrelated files from the surrounding Windows folders.
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Restart the printer and PC, then test in a controlled way
After a service restart or spool-folder reset, power-cycle the printer and restart the computer. Turn the printer off using its normal power control, wait until it has shut down, turn it back on, and wait for its ready indication. Then restart Windows and print a short test document before sending a large or graphics-heavy file.
If the test succeeds, the original queue blockage has been cleared. If the test immediately stalls again, note whether Windows shows an offline message, whether the same document causes the problem, and whether every application is affected. Those distinctions help separate a queue problem from a driver or application problem.
Check for outdated, conflicting, or duplicate printer drivers
When the queue reset works only temporarily, a driver can be the underlying cause. Windows may have an outdated driver, more than one driver for the same model, or conflicting entries left by an earlier installation. Use the latest driver intended for the exact printer model rather than a similarly named series.
Identify the exact printer and Windows edition
- Read the complete model name from the printer’s label or its built-in information screen.
- Note whether the connection is USB or network-based, because the manufacturer may provide different packages.
- Confirm the Windows release shown in Settings > System > About before selecting a driver package.
Install the current model-specific driver
- Go to the printer manufacturer’s support area using a browser.
- Search for the exact model, including any suffix or regional variant.
- Select the driver that matches your Windows release and connection type.
- Install it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the installer asks whether to replace an existing driver, follow its cleanup or replacement option rather than creating another indistinguishable queue.
- Return to Printers & scanners and print a small test document.
Driver availability and menu wording vary by printer maker and Windows release. Do not install a package intended for a different model merely because the names look similar.
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Look for duplicate printer entries
In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, check whether the same physical printer appears more than once, such as separate USB, network, or copy-number entries. A duplicate can point jobs to an unavailable port or load a conflicting driver. Keep the entry that matches the connection you actually use and remove an obsolete duplicate only when you are certain it is not the active printer. If you are unsure, record the names first and consult the manufacturer’s setup guidance before removing anything.
macOS: remove the blocking job in Print Center
Open the printer queue
- Open Print Center on the Mac.
- Select the printer whose queue is not progressing.
- Review the listed jobs and identify the one showing an error or preventing later jobs from moving.
- Select that job and use the delete or cancel control in the queue window.
Apple Support specifically advises selecting the job that is blocking the queue because of an error and deleting it. If several jobs are waiting, remove the failed one first and then clear any remaining documents you no longer want to print.
When only one Mac application fails
If documents from other applications print normally, investigate the application that created the failed job rather than resetting the entire printer setup. Close and reopen that application, create a simple document, and try again. A file that fails only from one application may contain a rendering or document-specific problem even though the printer and Print Center are operating normally.
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Use the same physical checks listed earlier: paper, ink or toner, covers, jams, power, and online status. Once the printer is ready and Print Center shows no unwanted jobs, submit a small test document. If every application continues to fail, use the printer maker’s diagnostics and model-specific support instructions.
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Windows and macOS recovery paths compared
| Question | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you control the queue? | Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Open print queue | Print Center, with the printer and its pending jobs selected |
| First action | Cancel each pending job | Select and delete the job blocking the queue |
| Deeper operating-system reset | Restart Print Spooler; if needed, stop it, clear files in C:WindowsSystem32spoolPRINTERS, and start it again |
Delete the blocking job in Print Center; investigate the application separately when only one app is affected |
| Likely next check | Outdated, conflicting, or duplicate printer drivers; install the latest driver for the exact model | Application-specific behavior and the printer maker’s diagnostics |
| Hardware checks on either system | Paper, ink or toner, open cover, paper jam, powered-on state, and offline status | |
Use manufacturer diagnostics when operating-system cleanup is not enough
Printer manufacturers commonly supply diagnostics for their own models. These utilities can check the connection, identify the installed model, repair or reinstall a matching driver, and report device-specific conditions that a generic queue window cannot explain. Their coverage depends on the maker, model, operating system, and connection method.
Use the diagnostic supplied for your exact printer rather than a utility intended for a different brand. Follow its connection test first, then any driver-repair or queue-reset recommendation. If the utility reports a hardware fault, continue with the manufacturer’s service instructions; clearing the Windows or macOS queue will not repair a mechanical problem.
Troubleshoot by the symptom you see
| Symptom | Most useful next step |
|---|---|
| One document is stuck while later documents wait | Cancel the failed document and then clear any unwanted jobs behind it. |
| The job remains on “Deleting” or “Spooling” in Windows | Restart Print Spooler through services.msc; use the spool-folder reset only if the job remains. |
| The printer is shown as offline | Check power and the connection, then inspect paper, ink or toner, covers, and jams before resubmitting. |
| Every Windows job returns after a reset | Check for outdated, conflicting, or duplicate drivers and install the latest driver for the exact model. |
| Only one macOS application creates stuck jobs | Investigate that application after deleting the blocking job in Print Center. |
| Nothing prints after queue and driver checks | Run the printer manufacturer’s model-specific connection and diagnostic tools. |
Safe order of operations
- Inspect the printer for paper, ink or toner, a cover, a jam, power, and online status.
- Open the operating system’s queue and cancel or delete the blocking job.
- On Windows, restart Print Spooler.
- If Windows still retains the job, stop Print Spooler, clear only the files inside the
PRINTERSspool folder, and start the service. - Restart the printer and computer, then test with a small document.
- If the failure returns, investigate the exact driver, duplicate entries, or the single application involved.
- Escalate to the printer manufacturer’s diagnostics for model-specific connection or hardware checks.
This order preserves the simplest recovery first and reserves deletion of spool files for cases where ordinary cancellation cannot release the queue.
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