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This article will show you how to Fix ‘Print Spooler Service is Not Running’ issue. The Print Spooler is a small program that your operating system includes. It lets you send more than one print job to a queue without having to wait for the first job to finish. Windows will give you the print spooler service is not running error if the print spooler service stops working. Even though there are many reasons you might not be able to print, such as link problems or problems with the printer itself, it is usually because of a problem with the “print spooler” in Windows 10.
This service spools print jobs and handles interactions with the printer. Sometimes it stops working, even if your computer and printer are both restarted. Imagine that you have a lot of papers to print, but the printer isn’t doing its only job, which is to print documents. This could be because of many things, like a broken print spooler. If you want to know more information about this Visit Official Microsoft Website for further Support.
One of the most common printing problems is that “The Printer Spooler service is not running.” The Print Spooler is a part of Windows 10 and Windows 11 that sends requests to print from the computer to the printer. The printer won’t be able to print once the print spooler service is broken or turned off. It is a regular mistake that can happen when printing. But the reasons for the mistake can be different. You might get this error when setting up a new printer, after running an update, or when upgrading your router. In any case, here are some Fix ‘Print Spooler Service is Not Running’ issue in Windows.
What is the Print Spooler Service?
The Print Spooler Service is a built-in component of the Windows operating system that manages print jobs sent to a printer or print server. When you print a document or file, it is added to the print queue by the Print Spooler Service. The service then sends the print job to the printer or print server, ensuring that the print jobs are processed in the order they were received. It also handles communication between the computer and the printer, manages printer drivers, and monitors the status of print devices. The Print Spooler Service plays a crucial role in the printing process on Windows systems.
Causes of the ‘Print Spooler Service is Not Running’ issue
The “Print Spooler Service is Not Running” issue can occur due to various reasons. Here are some common causes of the issue:
- Print Spooler Service stopped: Sometimes, the Print Spooler Service itself stops running or fails to start, which leads to the issue.
- Corrupted or outdated printer drivers: Outdated or corrupted printer drivers can interfere with the functioning of the Print Spooler Service, causing it to stop.
- Print job conflicts: If multiple print jobs get stuck in the print queue, it can overwhelm the Print Spooler Service and cause it to stop running.
- Dependency issues: The Print Spooler Service relies on other system services to function properly. If any of these dependencies are not running or encounter issues, it can result in the “Print Spooler Service is Not Running” error.
- Malware or virus infection: Malicious software or viruses can corrupt or disrupt the Print Spooler Service, leading to its failure.
- Hardware-related problems: Faulty or incompatible hardware, such as a problematic printer or a damaged printer cable, can cause issues with the Print Spooler Service.
- System file corruption: Corrupted system files, particularly those related to the Print Spooler Service, can prevent it from running correctly.
- Incorrect Print Spooler settings: Incorrect configurations or settings within the Print Spooler Service itself can cause it to stop running.
Ways to Fix ‘Print Spooler Service is Not Running’ issue
Edit the Print Spooler Service Configuration
Fix: ‘Print Spooler Service is Not Running’ issue: If setting the Print Spooler to start automatically doesn’t solve the problem, you can try configuring the service further as another option. It turns out that users have been able to fix the problem by changing how the computer acts when the service breaks. You can do this in the service’s properties box. You can choose what to do when the service fails for the first, second, and subsequent times. Follow the steps below to get this done:

- Hit the Windows key + R to open the Run box.
- In the Run box, type “services.msc” and press the Enter key.
- Find the Print Spooler service and double-click on it to open the Properties window.
- Switch to the Recovery tab in the Properties window.
- Choose the ‘Restart Service‘ option for ‘First Failure,‘ ‘Second Failure,‘ and ‘Subsequent Failures’ under the Recovery tab. This will ensure that the print spooler service starts again if it fails.
- Click on “Apply” and then on “OK.”
- Check to see if the problem message goes away after performing these steps.
Install pending Windows updates
As it turns out, Windows changes can sometimes mess up certain parts of the operating system. Windows updates add new features and fix bugs that are already known, but some versions can cause problems. But these problems are often fixed in patches that come later.
Many users have said that the problem began after they installed a certain Windows update. Also, there have been claims that the problem has been fixed in later updates. So, if you haven’t loaded any updates recently, it might be a good idea to do so, since it could fix the problem for you. Follow the steps below to install any changes that are still needed:
- To start, press the Windows key + I on your computer to open the Settings window.
- In the window for Settings, go to Windows Updates.
- Once you’re there, click the “Check for Updates” button to download and install any pending changes.
- Wait until the changes are done. During the process, your machine will restart on its own. Then, check to see if the problem is still there.
Remove duplicate printers
When more than one printer uses the same port or IP address, this problem can happen. This can be helpful if the error message only shows up on some of your network’s computers. When this happens, you need to check to see if both computers use the same network printer. If this is the case, you need to get rid of the extra printers, which should do the job. With the help of the Control Panel, it’s easy to get rid of items from your computer. To do this, follow the steps below:
- First, look for the Control Panel in the Start Menu to open it.
- In the window for the Control Panel, go to Hardware and Sound.
- There, click on the choice that says Devices and Printers.
- Now, if you are using Windows 11, you should see a Settings box.
- Click Devices on the Settings box.
- Click on “More devices and printer settings” at the bottom of that page.
- After that, look for the extra printers in the Devices and Printers window and right-click on them.
- Choose “Remove device” from the choice that drops down. Check to see if this solves the problem.
Disable the Windows Defender Firewall
The Windows Defender Firewall is a very important part of Windows. As its name suggests, the Windows Defender Firewall keeps an eye on the links coming into and going out of your computer. So, it helps keep your computer safe when it’s connected to the internet.
In some cases, the warning message in question could be caused by the Windows Defender Firewall. This can happen if the Windows Firewall doesn’t let the right spooler calls through. If this is the case, you will need to turn off the Windows Defender Firewall for a while to fix the problem. Here are the steps you need to take to do this:
- First, look for the Control Panel in the Start Menu to open it.
- On the window for the Control Panel, go to System and Security.
- Click the Windows Defender Firewall choice there.
- Now, click the “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off” link on the left side of the Windows Defender Firewall screen.
- Then, click “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall” for both Public and Private networks.
- Click OK to finish and save the changes.
- Check to see if this solves the problem.
Set the Print Spooler Service to automatic
You won’t be able to print anything if the Print Spooler service doesn’t start immediately when it needs to. This can happen if the starting type of the service is set to “manual.” In that case, you’ll need to start the service by hand before you can print anything. Before you can start fixing the problem, you need to make sure that the Print Spooler service can start up on its own.
If the service isn’t running in the background when you try to print something, your system won’t be able to talk to the printer. If this is the case, you will need to change the type of startup for the service so that it can start automatically whenever it is needed. Follow the steps below to get this done:
- First, press the Windows key + R on your computer to open the Run box.
- In the box that says “Run,” type “services.msc” and hit “Enter.”
- Look for the Print Spooler service in the Services window. Pressing P on your computer will take you to services that start with the letter P. The search should be easier now.
- If you double-click on the Print Spooler service, the Properties window will open.
- Change the Startup type in the Properties box to Auto.
- Click “Apply,” and then click “OK.”
- Check to see if the mistake shows up again.
Questions and Answers
When the printer state says “spooling,” it means that another document is being printed and that yours is waiting to be printed next. This is because printers don’t have nearly as much memory as computers do, so they need a middle tool to run the print jobs and send them to home plate.
Sometimes Print Spooler service keeps stopping because there are too many Print Spooler files, files that are still being processed, or files that are broken. By deleting your print spooler files, you can get rid of print jobs that aren’t done yet, too many files, or files that are broken.
The print spooler is a file that can be run and takes care of printing. In order to manage printing, you have to find the right printer driver, load it, turn high-level function calls into a print job, schedule the job to be printed, and so on.
The print spooler helps your Windows computer talk to the printer and organizes the jobs that are waiting to be printed. If you see a warning message about the print spooler, it means that this tool is broken or isn’t working with other software the way it should.