Error Fixes · 13 min read

Print Jobs Stuck in the Queue?
Fix the Windows Spooler.

The Print Spooler is the most fragile service on your PC. Here's every reason it breaks — and the fix sequence that clears it for good.

By Daniel Marsh · January 2025 · Applies to: Windows 10 & 11

You press print. Your document disappears into the queue. The status reads "Printing" — but nothing happens. You cancel the job, but it won't cancel. You restart the printer, restart the PC, and the same job reappears like a ghost. This is a Print Spooler problem, and it's more common than Microsoft would like to admit.

The good news: it's almost always fixable without reinstalling Windows or calling support. This guide goes through every known cause and the exact steps to resolve each one.

What Is the Print Spooler, Exactly?

The Windows Print Spooler (spoolsv.exe) is a background service that manages all print jobs sent to your printer. It acts as a buffer — receiving documents from applications, converting them into printer-ready format, and feeding them to the printer in order. When it works, it's invisible. When it breaks, nothing prints and nothing clears.

Quick fact

The Print Spooler stores temporary job files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. If corrupted files accumulate in this folder, the spooler crashes every time it tries to process them.

Why Does It Keep Crashing?

There are five main culprits, and it's worth knowing which one you're dealing with before attempting a fix:

  • Corrupted spool files — leftover .SHD and .SPL files from failed jobs that choke the service on startup
  • Outdated or incompatible drivers — a driver installed for one Windows version can destabilise the spooler on another
  • Third-party software conflicts — antivirus programs and PDF readers are frequent offenders
  • Windows Update side-effects — cumulative updates sometimes overwrite print components without fully replacing them
  • Corrupt system files — in rare cases, Windows system files related to printing become damaged

Fix 1: Clear the Spool Folder

This resolves the issue in about 70% of cases. You're clearing out the corrupted job files that are preventing the spooler from starting cleanly.

  1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Scroll down to Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Stop. Leave this window open.
  3. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
  4. Select all files in this folder (Ctrl + A) and delete them. Do not delete the PRINTERS folder itself — only its contents.
  5. Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler again, and select Start.
  6. Try printing a test page.
Important

You must stop the spooler service before clearing the folder. If the service is running, Windows will lock the files and you won't be able to delete them.

Fix 2: Reinstall the Printer Driver

If clearing the spool folder didn't work — or if the problem comes back after a day or two — the driver is usually responsible. Here's how to do a clean driver reinstall:

  1. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners.
  2. Click your printer, then Remove device. Confirm.
  3. Open Device Manager (Windows + X → Device Manager), expand Print queues, right-click your printer, and select Uninstall device. Check the box to remove the driver software if offered.
  4. Restart your PC.
  5. Download the latest driver directly from your printer manufacturer's website — not from Windows Update, which sometimes installs generic drivers that cause conflicts.
  6. Run the installer and follow the prompts.

Fix 3: Run the Printer Troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in printer troubleshooter that can automatically repair spooler issues, clear stuck jobs, and reset print settings. It's not perfect, but it's quick and catches a surprising number of problems:

  1. Open Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters.
  2. Find Printer and click Run.
  3. Follow the on-screen steps. If it detects and repairs an issue, restart your PC before testing.

Fix 4: Repair Windows Print Components

If none of the above has worked, you may have corrupted system files. Run these two commands in an elevated Command Prompt (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin)):

  1. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for the scan to complete — it can take 10–15 minutes.
  2. After it finishes, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. This takes longer but repairs component store corruption that SFC can't fix alone.
  3. Restart your PC, then repeat Fix 1 to clear the spool folder.
Pro tip

After getting things working again, consider setting the Print Spooler service to restart automatically on failure. In Services.msc, right-click Print Spooler → Properties → Recovery tab → set all three failure actions to "Restart the Service."

Still Stuck?

In a small number of cases — particularly on older PCs running Windows 11 — the issue is a driver incompatibility that Microsoft hasn't patched. Check the manufacturer's support forums for your specific printer model and OS combination, as there are often community workarounds. You can also try running the printer in compatibility mode with an older driver version.

If you're regularly experiencing spooler crashes across multiple printers, the issue is almost certainly a conflicting application (antivirus software is the most common culprit). Try temporarily disabling it to test.