Print job stuck in the queue on Windows 11: 4 fixes to try

Step-by-step guide

Follow these steps in order. After each step, check if it works.

1. 1

   Open the printer page

   Open Start, Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners and click your printer.

   On its page, click Open print queue.

   Done
   
2. 2

   Cancel the jobs in the queue

   The Print Queue window lists every waiting job. Right-click each job and choose Cancel, or use the three dots at the top right.

   Give it half a minute, as a job often shows Deleting for a while. Our queue was empty, so it says No print jobs.

   Done
   
3. 3

   Open Services

   If a job stays stuck, press Windows + R, type services.msc and click OK.

   Done
   
4. 4

   Restart the Print Spooler

   Scroll down to Print Spooler and select it. Click Restart the service on the left, or right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart.

   Its status should say Running and its startup type Automatic. Then try to print.

   Done
   
5. 5

   Stop the spooler and empty the folder

   If the job is still there, select Print Spooler in the same window and click Stop the service (the link is in the step 4 picture). Open File Explorer, go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all the files inside, but not the folder itself.

   On our Cloud PC, Windows first showed You don't currently have permission to access this folder, with Continue and Cancel. Click Continue, which needs administrator permission. The picture shows that prompt.

   Done
   
6. 6

   Start the Print Spooler again

   Go back to Services, select Print Spooler and click Start the service on the left.

   On our Cloud PC, while the service was stopped, the Status column for Print Spooler was blank and Startup Type still said Automatic. After you start it, the status should say Running again.

   Done
   
7. 7

   Restart the printer and the PC

   Switch the printer off, wait at least 60 seconds and switch it on again. Restart the PC with Start, Power, Restart, then print the document again from its program.

   On our Cloud PC, the Power menu shows Lock, Disconnect and Restart: a Cloud PC shows Disconnect instead of Sleep and Shut down.

   Done
   

If you do not see this option

• Your printer is not under Printers & scanners Microsoft says to make sure the printer is on and connected, then click Add device (or Refresh) on that page. If it is still not listed, choose Add manually. Sources: Fix print job stuck in queue errors in Windows, Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows
• Print Spooler does not start by itself Microsoft's steps end with choosing Automatic in the Startup Type box of Print Spooler's properties before you click OK. Sources: Fix print job stuck in queue errors in Windows, Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows
• There is no Stop or Restart link, only Start the service The Print Spooler is already stopped. On our Cloud PC the left pane then shows only Start the service and the Status column is blank. Empty the PRINTERS folder, then click Start the service.

If this does not work

• The queue clears but nothing prints Microsoft suggests the printer troubleshooter in the Get Help app on Windows 11, then the latest driver for the printer.
• The printer says it is in an error state Then the printer itself is sulking about something physical. Microsoft says to check it for low paper or ink, an open cover or a paper jam.
• The PRINTERS folder will not open Windows shows You don't currently have permission to access this folder, which sounds far sterner than it is. Click Continue to get access; this needs administrator permission. Cancel leaves the folder closed.

Good to know

The files in the PRINTERS folder are only the waiting print jobs, so there is nothing to be nervous about there. Deleting them does not remove the printer or its settings; the only cost is that the documents have to be sent again.

If the queue blocks again with the same document, then that document is the troublemaker. Print it as a PDF first, or print a few pages at a time, so the printer gets it in smaller bites.

If the queue is empty and still nothing comes out: printer not working. To set the printer up again from scratch: how to add a printer on Windows 11.

About this guide

Device

Windows

Shown on

Windows 11 Enterprise 25H2 (build 26200.9457), Microsoft Cloud PC

App

Settings

Real screenshots

7 of 7 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

2 official, linked below

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