How to Solve Print Spooler Service is Not Running Error in Windows?

Print Spooler Service

If you have reached out to this article, that means you must be looking for ways to fix a print spooler service not running in error while printing or you do not see a list of your printers in the Windows control panel.

Before we let you know how you can fix the print spooler service is not running error, let us tell you a bit about print spooler service.

Print Spooler is a Windows service that is liable to manage all print jobs sent from a Windows computer by a user or a print server. The two dependencies services of the print spooler service are DCOM Server Process Launcher and RPC Endpoint Mapper.

In simple words we can say, print spooler service allows the user control over the print queue tasks running in the background of Windows PC.

More About Print Spooler Service

In computer language, the print spooler service helps Windows PCs to communicate with the printer, and orders the print jobs in your printer queue.

When sending print commands or installing printers, you may get an error prompting The print spooler service is not running. This error can occur on any version of  Windows.

If you are getting this error message or something similar to this, your printer may not be listed under Devices & Printers.

Maybe while sending a print command this error prompted on your computer and you can’t take prints. Additionally, you are unable to install the printer.

How to Solve Print Spooler is Not Running Problem in Windows?

Cause of this Error: There are many reasons behind this error message but most probably your Windows print spooler service has stopped.

This may happen due to some virus attack on the system as viruses do have the capability to modify Windows services at any point of time or could be any other reason. Print spooler service affects users only when they stop using the printer.

How to Fix: If you are getting this error, that means the printer spooler service has stopped. We need to start this service from the Windows Services Management Console.

Note: Given solution will work with Windows XP and later operating system including Windows 10 and Windows 11 as well.

[Read: Share USB Printer with your Home or Office Network]

Follow the steps below:

Step 1. Open the Run dialog box by using the key combination Win + R on your keyboard. Then, type services.msc and hit enter or click on the OK button.

Step 2. The Services Management Console will open on your screen.

Please check the screenshot below, Print Spooler doesn’t have the Status as Running and Startup Type is Manual, it should be Automatic instead of Manual.

print spooler service not running errorStep 3. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Properties.

how to fix print spooler service not runningStep 4. A print Spooler dialog box will open on your screen.

  • Select Automatic from the drop down of Startup type and then click on Start under Service status.
  • This will do a small process and finish it automatically. Then click on the OK button to close the Print Spooler dialog box.

print spooler service not running in windowsStep 5. Now see that Print Spooler Status is Running and Startup type is Automatic.

The issue has finally been resolved here.

Now go ahead and try to take a print. You will not be getting the error The print Spooler service is not running and you will get the prints.

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