How to Completely Remove a Printer in Windows 11 or 10?

Completely removing a printer in Windows 11 or Windows 10 involves more than simply deleting the printer from Settings. To fully clean the system, you also need to remove printer drivers, clear the Print Spooler files, uninstall related software, and sometimes delete entries from Device Manager. 

Now, let’s understand the complete process in detail!

How to Completely Remove a Printer in Windows 11 or 10?

To completely remove a printer in Windows 11 or 10, first delete the printer from the Settings app, then remove its driver from Print Server Properties or Device Manager. After that, stop and clear the Print Spooler service files, and finally restart the spooler service. This removes leftover printer drivers, print queues, and cached files that may cause printer-related problems.

Let’s explore the steps in detail!

Step 1: Disconnect the Printer From Your Computer

Before removing the printer from Windows, it is a good idea to disconnect the printer physically from your PC.

If you are using a USB printer, unplug the USB cable from the computer. If you are using a wireless printer, disconnect it from the WiFi network or simply turn the printer off temporarily.

This prevents Windows from automatically reinstalling the printer while you are trying to remove it.

For wireless printers, you can usually disconnect them by opening the printer’s control panel and turning off the wireless connection. The exact steps depend on the printer brand and model.

After disconnecting the printer, move to the next step.

Step 2: Remove the Printer From Windows Settings

The first major step is deleting the printer from the Windows Settings app.

In Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.

In Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.

You will now see a list of printers connected to your computer. Find the printer you want to remove and click on it.

In Windows 11, select the printer and click Remove.

In Windows 10, click the printer name and then select Remove device.

A confirmation message may appear asking if you are sure you want to remove the printer. Click Yes to continue.

Windows will now uninstall the printer from your system. However, this only removes the basic printer connection. The printer driver and additional files may remain on your computer.

If the printer disappears from the list, continue with the next step.

Step 3: Remove the Printer Driver Using Print Server Properties

Even after removing the printer, Windows often keeps the driver package installed. Removing the driver is important because corrupted or outdated drivers can continue causing problems.

Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows + R on your keyboard.

Type control printers and press Enter.

This opens the classic Devices and Printers window.

At the top of the window, click Print server properties. If you do not see it immediately, click inside an empty area of the window first.

In the Print Server Properties window, select the Drivers tab.

You will now see a list of installed printer drivers on your computer. Locate the driver connected to the printer you removed earlier.

Select the driver and click Remove.

Windows may ask whether you want to remove only the driver or remove the driver and driver package. Choose Remove driver and driver package whenever possible because this performs a more complete cleanup.

Click OK to confirm.

If Windows displays an error saying the driver is currently in use, do not worry. You can usually fix this later by restarting the Print Spooler service, which is explained in the next steps.

After the driver is removed, close the Print Server Properties window.

Step 4: Stop the Print Spooler Service

The Print Spooler service manages printing tasks in Windows. Sometimes it keeps old printer files locked, preventing you from deleting them.

Stopping the Print Spooler allows you to remove leftover printer data completely.

• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Type services.msc and press Enter.
• The Services window will appear.
• Scroll down and locate Print Spooler.
• Right-click on Print Spooler and select Stop.
• Wait a few seconds until the service fully stops.

Do not close the Services window yet because you will need it again later.

Step 5: Delete Leftover Printer Files

Now that the Print Spooler service is stopped, you can remove leftover printer cache files.

Open File Explorer and go to the following path:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

You may see a permission prompt from Windows. Click Continue to access the folder.

Inside the PRINTERS folder, delete all files you see. These files are temporary print queue files that may contain stuck print jobs or corrupted printer data.

Next, go to this path:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\x64

If you are using a 32-bit version of Windows, the path may be:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers\W32X86

Inside these folders, you may see folders named with numbers or printer manufacturers. Carefully delete folders related to the printer you removed.

Be careful not to delete drivers connected to printers you still use.

Removing these leftover files helps ensure Windows no longer loads the old printer driver.

Step 6: Restart the Print Spooler Service

After deleting the leftover printer files, you need to restart the Print Spooler service.

• Return to the Services window you opened earlier.
• Locate Print Spooler again.
• Right-click it and select Start.
• Windows will restart the printing service.

This step is important because it restores normal printing functionality in Windows after cleanup.

You can now close the Services window.

Step 7: Remove the Printer From Device Manager

Some printers also appear in Device Manager, especially USB printers. Removing them here helps complete the uninstall process.

Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.

In Device Manager, expand these sections if available:

• Printers
• Print queues
• Universal Serial Bus controllers

Look for the printer you removed earlier.

Right-click the printer entry and select Uninstall device.

If you see a checkbox labeled Delete the driver software for this device, check it.

Click Uninstall to confirm.

Repeat this process for any duplicate entries related to the same printer.

Once finished, close Device Manager.

Step 8: Remove the Printer Using Command Prompt (Optional Advanced Cleanup)

If the printer still appears somewhere in Windows, you can remove it using Command Prompt.

Type cmd into the Windows Search box.

Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.

To see all installed printers, type the following command and press Enter: wmic printer get name

Find the exact printer name from the list. Then type this command:

printui.exe /dl /n “Printer Name”

Replace Printer Name with the actual printer name.

For example:

printui.exe /dl /n “HP LaserJet Pro”

Press Enter.

This command tells Windows to delete the printer directly using the PrintUI utility.

After the command finishes, restart your computer.

Step 9: Remove Printer Software From Installed Apps

Many printer manufacturers install additional software packages along with the driver. These applications may continue reinstalling drivers or running background services.

To remove them, open:

In Windows 11, go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.

In Windows 10, go to Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

Look for software related to your printer brand, such as:

• HP Smart
• Canon Utilities
• Epson Software
• Brother iPrint&Scan

Select the software and click Uninstall.

Follow the on-screen instructions to remove the software completely.

After uninstalling the software, restart your computer.

Step 10: Check if the Printer Has Been Fully Removed

After restarting your PC, verify that the printer is completely gone.

Go back to:

In Windows 11, Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.

In Windows 10, Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.

Make sure the printer no longer appears.

You can also reopen Print Server Properties and confirm the driver has been removed from the Drivers tab.

If the printer no longer appears anywhere in Windows, the removal process was successful.

What to Do if Windows Refuses to Remove the Printer?

Sometimes Windows may refuse to remove a printer because the driver is in use or the spooler service is stuck.

If this happens, try these solutions:

• Restart your computer and repeat the removal process.
• Stop the Print Spooler service again before deleting drivers.
• Use Safe Mode to remove stubborn printer drivers.
• Update Windows to install the latest printer management fixes.
• Use the printer manufacturer’s cleanup utility if available.

Many printer companies provide dedicated uninstall tools that can remove deeply embedded drivers and services.

Why You May Need to Completely Remove a Printer?

Sometimes Windows keeps old printer files even after you uninstall the printer normally. These leftover files can create several problems, including:

• Printer driver conflicts
• Duplicate printers appearing in Windows
• Stuck print queues
• Printing errors
• Unable to reinstall the printer
• Offline printer messages
• Corrupted printer settings

Completely removing the printer gives Windows a clean slate, which is especially useful before reinstalling the same printer or switching to a different printer model.

FAQs

Does removing a printer delete the driver too?

Not always. Removing a printer from Settings usually deletes only the printer connection. The driver often remains installed until you manually remove it through Print Server Properties or Device Manager.

Why does my printer keep coming back after removal?

This usually happens because Windows automatically reinstalls the printer through Windows Update or because leftover printer software is still running in the background.

Is it safe to delete printer spool files?

Yes. The files inside the PRINTERS spool folder are temporary print queue files. Deleting them is generally safe and often fixes stuck print jobs.

Can I reinstall the printer later?

Yes. After completely removing the printer, you can reinstall it normally using the manufacturer’s setup software or the Windows printer setup wizard.

Do I need administrator access to remove a printer completely?

Yes. Some steps, especially deleting drivers and stopping the Print Spooler service, require administrator permissions.

What happens if I delete the wrong printer driver?

If you remove a driver for another printer you still use, that printer may stop working until you reinstall its driver.

Can Windows automatically reinstall printer drivers?

Yes. Windows Update may automatically download and reinstall compatible printer drivers when the printer reconnects to the computer.