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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIf your Windows 11 printer reports error 0x800706b5, start with the automated printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app, then check the printer connection, queued jobs, model-specific driver, and Print Spooler. The exact printer-related cause of this code is not established by the available evidence, so use the symptom you can observe to choose the next step rather than assuming one component has failed.
How do I fix printer error 0x800706b5 in Windows 11?
Microsoft recommends running the automated printer troubleshooter in Windows 11’s Get Help app first. Open Get Help from Start, search for printer troubleshooting if needed, and follow the prompts for the problem you are seeing. Microsoft’s printer connection and printing troubleshooting guide covers this starting point and the follow-up checks below.
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Before troubleshooting, note when the code appears: while adding the printer, when sending a print job, after restarting Windows, or only in one application. Also note whether the printer connects by USB, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or a shared network. Those details determine which checks are most relevant.
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If the printer is not detected or the error appears while adding it, start with the physical or network connection. Confirm that the printer is powered on and ready, and check that its cable or network connection is secure. Restart the printer; if appropriate, restart the PC as well.
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- USB: Check that the cable is firmly connected at both ends. If practical, try another USB port.
- Wi-Fi or Ethernet: Confirm the printer and PC are connected to the network you expect. Check the printer’s display or network status if it has one.
- Shared printer: Confirm the computer or server sharing the printer is available and that the printer remains shared.
In Windows, check that the intended printer is selected rather than a different device or a virtual printer. If the printer is present but Windows cannot use it, Microsoft’s general guidance includes removing and adding the printer again. Use Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners to find the printer, remove it if necessary, then choose Add device to add it again.
The printer error appears when I send a job
A stalled job can block later documents, but that does not prove it caused error 0x800706b5. Check the queue before changing drivers or resetting services.
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- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select the affected printer, then open its print queue.
- If a job is stuck, cancel it. If other jobs are waiting behind it, cancel those too if they are no longer needed.
- Send a small test document from another application. If it prints, the original app or document may be involved; if it fails across applications, continue with the driver and spooler checks.
For detailed queue and service guidance, see Microsoft’s Print Spooler troubleshooting steps.
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Install the driver for your printer model
Printer drivers are model-specific. Get the current driver for the exact printer model from its manufacturer, rather than using a generic driver-download site. Microsoft also recommends keeping the driver current when resolving printer problems.
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If Windows 11 runs on an ARM-based PC and a manufacturer installer does not work, Microsoft recommends installing the printer through Windows Settings instead. This exception matters only for ARM devices; it is not a general fix for every Windows 11 computer.
An older Microsoft Q&A thread describes a Windows 10 user who saw 0x800706b5 while printing a download to an HP Envy 7640. A volunteer moderator suggested reinstalling the driver and obtaining the latest model driver. That anecdote is not an official diagnosis or verified fix for Windows 11, and it does not establish the cause of the code. See the Q&A thread.
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Check the print queue and Print Spooler
The Print Spooler manages print jobs. If jobs remain stuck or the spooler service is not running, restarting the service is a relevant troubleshooting branch—not proof that it caused this particular error.
- Save or cancel work in progress, then open Services from Start.
- Find Print Spooler in the service list.
- Right-click it and choose Restart. If Restart is unavailable, choose Start when the service is stopped.
- Try printing again.
Microsoft’s Print Spooler guidance also covers canceling jobs and removing old or duplicate drivers. Avoid deleting drivers unless you can identify the correct printer and reinstall its current model-specific driver.
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Reset the spool folder only if simpler checks fail
If the queue remains stuck after the preceding checks, Microsoft’s printer troubleshooting guide describes clearing the spool folder. This removes pending print jobs, so do not use this step if you still need documents waiting in the queue.
- Open Services, right-click Print Spooler, and select Stop.
- In File Explorer’s address bar, enter
%WINDIR%system32spoolPRINTERS. - Delete the files in that folder. This clears queued jobs.
- Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler, and select Start. Set its startup type to Automatic if it is not already.
- Try a new print job.
Use this as a later step, not the first response to the error. Microsoft includes it in its Windows printer troubleshooting guide.
If 0x800706b5 still appears
If the same error remains after the checks that fit your symptoms, collect the details needed to narrow down the problem:
- The exact error text and when it appears
- Printer make and model, connection type, and whether the printer is local or shared
- Your Windows 11 version and build
- Whether printing fails in every application or only one
- Whether the printer appears in Windows and whether jobs remain in its queue
Use the printer manufacturer’s support for model-specific troubleshooting. If the symptoms point to a Windows component rather than the printer or its connection, contact Microsoft support. The code alone does not identify a universal cause: a separate Microsoft Q&A result uses 0x800706b5 in an unrelated Task Scheduler discussion, which is another reason not to infer a printer diagnosis from the number alone. See that unrelated discussion.
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