How to Reset and Restart Print Spooler [Step-By-Step]
If your printer suddenly stops working, shows pending print jobs, or refuses to print at all, the issue is often related to the Print Spooler service on your Windows computer. The Print Spooler service is a built-in Windows service that temporarily stores print jobs before sending them to the printer. When you click Print, the spooler queues the document and processes it in order.
Sometimes the spooler may stop working due to corrupted files, printer driver conflicts, or too many pending print jobs. When this happens, you may see common errors such as the printer not responding, the print queue being stuck, or being unable to connect to the printer.
Resetting the Print Spooler means stopping the service, clearing temporary print job files, and starting the service again. This removes any stuck or corrupted jobs and restores proper communication between your computer and printer.
You can restart the Print Spooler using the Services window, Command Prompt, or Windows settings. Each method is explained below with detailed steps so you can choose the one that works best for you.
In this guide, I will teach you how to reset and restart the Print Spooler step by step so that you don’t make any mistakes!
How to Reset and Restart Print Spooler?
To reset and restart the Print Spooler on Windows, open the Services window, locate the Print Spooler service, stop it, clear the printer queue files from the spool folder, and then restart the service. This process removes stuck print jobs and refreshes printer services to fix printing errors.
The following steps apply to Windows 11 and Windows 10 systems developed by Microsoft.
Step 1. Open the Services Window
The first step to resetting the Print Spooler is to open the Services window on your Windows computer. This window allows you to manage all background services, including the Print Spooler.
Press the Windows key and R together on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. In the Run box, type services.msc and press Enter. The Services window will now open on your screen.
You will see a list of all Windows services arranged alphabetically. Scroll down carefully until you find the service named Print Spooler.
Once you locate the Print Spooler service, do not click anything yet. You will first need to stop this service before clearing the spooler files.
Step 2. Stop the Print Spooler Service
After opening the Services window, you need to stop the Print Spooler service. Stopping the service allows you to safely delete temporary print job files without causing system errors.
Right-click on the Print Spooler option in the Services list. A small menu will appear with several options. Click on Stop to stop the service.
Once stopped, the Print Spooler status will change from Running to blank. This means the service has been successfully stopped.
Do not close the Services window yet because you will need it again later to restart the service.
Stopping the Print Spooler ensures that no print jobs are actively running and allows you to clear the print queue completely.
Step 3. Open the Spool Folder
After stopping the Print Spooler service, you need to open the spool folder where Windows stores temporary print job files. These files may sometimes become corrupted and cause printing issues.
Press the Windows key and E together to open File Explorer. In the address bar of File Explorer, type the following path:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Press Enter after typing the path. If prompted for administrator permission, click Continue.
This folder contains all current and pending print job files. If your printer queue is stuck, you will likely see several files here.
These files are safe to delete once the Print Spooler service has been stopped.
Step 4. Delete All Files in the PRINTERS Folder
Inside the PRINTERS folder, you will see multiple temporary files. These files represent print jobs that were sent to the printer but not completed successfully.
Press Ctrl and A together to select all files in the folder. After selecting all files, press the Delete key on your keyboard.
If prompted for permission, confirm the deletion. All temporary print spooler files will now be removed from your system.
Deleting these files clears the print queue completely and removes any corrupted or stuck print jobs that may be causing errors.
Make sure the folder is empty before moving to the next step.
Step 5. Restart the Print Spooler Service
After deleting all spooler files, return to the Services window that you opened earlier.
Scroll again to locate the Print Spooler service. Right-click on Print Spooler and click Start from the menu.
The service will now restart. You will see the status change to Running. This indicates that the Print Spooler has been successfully reset and restarted.
Restarting the service allows Windows to create new spooler files and resume normal printing operations.
Once the service is running again, you can close the Services window.
Step 6. Test Your Printer
After restarting the Print Spooler, it is important to test your printer to ensure the issue has been resolved.
Open any document or image and click Print. Select your printer and send a test print.
If the document prints successfully, the Print Spooler reset process worked correctly. Your printer should now function normally without errors or stuck jobs.
If the problem continues, you may need to update printer drivers or reconnect the printer.
Step 7. Reset Print Spooler Using Command Prompt
Another effective method to reset and restart the Print Spooler is by using the Command Prompt. This method is faster and useful for advanced users.
Press the Windows key and type Command Prompt in the search bar. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
net stop spooler
This command stops the Print Spooler service.
Next, type the following command and press Enter:
del /Q /F /S “%systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS*.*”
This command deletes all temporary spooler files.
Finally, restart the service by typing:
net start spooler
Press Enter. The Print Spooler service will now restart.
Close the Command Prompt and test your printer again.
Step 8. Restart Print Spooler from Task Manager
You can also restart the Print Spooler using Task Manager.
Press Ctrl, Shift, and Esc together to open Task Manager. Click on the Services tab at the top.
Scroll down until you find Spooler in the list. Right-click on Spooler and click Restart.
This will quickly restart the Print Spooler service without opening the Services window.
FAQs
Why does the Print Spooler keep stopping?
The Print Spooler may stop due to corrupted printer drivers, incompatible software, or stuck print jobs. Clearing spooler files and updating drivers usually fixes the problem.
Is it safe to restart the Print Spooler?
Yes, restarting the Print Spooler is completely safe. It only refreshes the printing service and clears temporary files without affecting your documents.
Will resetting the Print Spooler delete my printer?
No, resetting the Print Spooler does not remove installed printers. It only clears pending print jobs and restarts the service.
How often should I reset the Print Spooler?
You only need to reset the Print Spooler when you face printing errors, stuck queues, or printer connection problems.
Can I automate Print Spooler restart?
Yes, advanced users can create a batch file or script to automatically restart the Print Spooler when needed.