How to Access Printer Status and Fix Printer Status Issues

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An easy guide on fixing print-related headaches

Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Eric McClure

Last Updated: January 28, 2026 Fact Checked

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Checking Printer Status

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Printer Not Showing Up

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Offline Printer Bugs

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Paused Printer Bugs

Anyone who has owned a printer for more than a month or two knows that they’re kind of prone to bugs and errors. Windows doesn’t necessarily make diagnosing these problems a breeze, either. That’s why we met with professional tech experts and IT consultants to get the inside scoop on how to access your printer’s status and fix any bugs you’re running into there.

Checking and Fixing Printer Status Issues

Access your printer’s status by searching for "Settings" in the search bar, clicking on "bluetooth & devices" and then "printers & scanners."
If the printer won’t show up in your devices, disable the printer, delete the print spooler files, and reinstall the printer.
When in doubt, reinstall all of the printer’s drivers like you bought it brand new.

Section 1 of 4:

Checking Your Printer Status

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Find the printer status in the Printers & Scanners menu. In the search bar, type "Settings" and click on the directory. Click on Bluetooth & devices and then Printers & scanners. You should see all connected printers and scanners listed at the top, alongside "Microsoft Print to PDF."
- "Microsoft Print to PDF" is Microsoft’s built-in feature for creating PDF files. Basically, you can use the "print" feature to turn anything that could be a PDF into a PDF without messing with any converter tools.
- If you’re just looking for the print queue: Double-click on the printer logo in the bottom right of the taskbar. In Windows 10, right-click the printer and select "Display print queue."

Section 2 of 4:

Getting a Printer to Show Up in Windows

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1
Access your computer’s services. If your printer is not showing up in the Printers & Scanners menu at all, but you’re positive it’s connected and installed, your print spooler is probably the issue. In your search bar, type Services and select the option in your search menu.^{[1]
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- What is the print spooler? Print spooler is Microsoft’s background software for managing printers. It’s basically the program that communicates between your printer and Windows, so if your printer is installed and connected, but it won’t show up in the Settings, it’s probably a software issue with the spooler.
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Freeze the print spooler. In Services, click on the Standard tab at the bottom. Find Print Spooler in the services list and press the square-shaped "Stop" button at the top. Select "Ok" and then close or minimize the Services menu.^{[2]
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3
Delete the temporary files in the spool menu. In the search bar, type %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers and press enter. This will pull up the directory for all of the files in the printer spool. Delete everything in this folder.^{[3]
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4
Go back to the Services menu and restart the spooler. Open Services again and click on the Standard tab, or maximize the minimized window. Scroll down to the print spooler again and hit the Start button at the top. Hit Automatic in the Startup Type and select "Ok."^{[4]
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- Restart your PC to confirm the printer is connected. If it’s still not showing up in the printers & scanners menu, something is wrong with the printer’s installation. Try reinstalling the printer from scratch.

Section 3 of 4:

Getting an Offline Printer Online

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1
Confirm the printer itself is on and connected. Check the cable connecting your printer and the computer to confirm it’s plugged in all the way. Look at the status of the printer on the printer’s screen to confirm it’s on and working as intended.
- If you’re connected via Wi-Fi, switch to a physical cable if you can. Wi-Fit printer connections are notoriously prone to failure, so the internet is likely to blame there if you aren’t connected via cable.
- If you can’t get off Wi-Fi, tech specialist Luigi Oppido says to confirm the printer is online: "Usually, there's a solid blue wireless light on most printers or a small light that says wireless is good. If it's blinking, that usually means the wireless was connected, but it's no longer connected."^{[5]
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  Luigi Oppido
  Tech Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Clear any print jobs pending in the queue. You don’t want everything to try and print at once when the printer comes back online, especially if you don’t know what the problem is, yet.
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Run the Windows Troubleshooter. This will fix any Windows-related issues causing your printer to appear offline. Either click on the Get Help button if it pops up, or go to Microsoft’s printer support page and click on the blue Run the troubleshooter in Get Help button to automatically open the support wizard. Follow the steps to see if this resolves the issue.
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Power-cycle both the printer and your computer. This should reset everything and give your PC a fresh shot at discovering the printer. Start by shutting down your PC. Then, shut down your printer and unplug it for a few seconds. Plug the printer back in, let it start up, then restart your PC. Plug the printer back in and wait for the printer to display.
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Update your drivers to confirm they’re up to date. Oppido says, "When in doubt, install your drivers again. Go to the website, download the new drivers like you just bought the printer brand new, and install everything all over again."^{[6]
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Luigi Oppido
Tech Specialist

Expert Interview} He says this should fix the vast majority of remaining problems with your printer.

Section 4 of 4:

Resuming a Paused Printer

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1
Try restarting the print job. Open the print queue. Then, find your printer and right-click it. Select Restart and then wait a minute or two. If the print job continues, your printer simply ran into a bug, and the problem is resolved.
- Do you have an option to unpause your printer? Depending on the bug or issue, you may see a button on the printer status that says "Unpause printer" or a checkbox next to "Pause printer." Try those buttons first to see if the printer comes back online.
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Cancel the print job and power-cycle the printer and PC. Right-click on the paused print job and select Cancel. Then, restart your PC and your printer. Unplug the printer for a minute or so to let the settings all reset. Then, reconnect and restart everything. Try printing your document again.
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Make sure the ink cartridges are installed correctly and full. Some printers will automatically pause a print job if any of the ink cartridges are low. Replace any empty or low cartridges. Consumer technology expert Mitch Harris breaks the process down for checking the cartridges themselves: "Open the printer below the scan glass with the printer turned on, and the cartridges will slide into view. Push them down to release them. Make sure when adding the replacement cartridge, you remove any tape or other materials designed to protect the print heads."^{[7]
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Expert Source

Mitch Harris
Consumer Technology Expert

Expert Interview}
- If the printer continues to struggle finishing print jobs, try reinstalling the drivers and reinstalling the printer from scratch. If it still doesn’t work, it may just be time to buy a new printer.