Error code
“Filter failed” in the Mac print queue
“Filter failed” on a Mac means the step that converts your job for the printer crashed, usually because of an outdated driver. Switch to AirPrint or reinstall.
Mac message
What it means
Before a Mac sends a job to a printer, the printing system passes it through one or more filters that translate each page into a language the printer understands. Filter failed means one of those translators crashed or refused the job, so the queue stops. The filter usually belongs to the printer’s driver, which is why the message most often appears after a macOS update or on a Mac using an old driver.
When you’ll see it
- In the printer’s queue window, with the queue paused
- Right after upgrading macOS
- On a new Mac set up with an old printer driver
- Printing one particular PDF while other documents print fine
Usually caused by
- Most commonThe printer driver is out of date for this version of macOS
- SometimesDriver files were damaged or partly removed
- SometimesAn Intel-only driver on an Apple silicon Mac without Rosetta
- SometimesThe document contains something the filter can’t handle
- Less commonLeftover settings from an old printer entry
How to clear it
Work down the list in order. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved on this device.
macOS
0 of 6 tried
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Remove the printer from Printers & Scanners
Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners (older macOS: System Preferences > Printers & Scanners). Select the printer and click Remove Printer; on older versions, select it and click the minus button under the list.
You should see: The printer disappears from the list.
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Add it back using AirPrint
Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax, select your printer, and in the Use menu choose AirPrint if it’s offered. AirPrint uses software built into macOS, so there’s no separate driver filter to break, and most network printers sold in the last decade support it.
You should see: A short test print from TextEdit comes out without the queue pausing.
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Update the manufacturer’s driver if you need it
If AirPrint isn’t offered or you need features it lacks, first check System Settings > General > Software Update, since Apple delivers some printer drivers there. Otherwise download the current macOS driver for your exact model from the manufacturer’s official support site, install it, restart, and add the printer again, choosing that driver in the Use menu.
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Install Rosetta for an older driver
Some older drivers contain Intel-only filters, which won’t run on a Mac with Apple silicon unless Rosetta is installed, and the printing system won’t prompt you for it. Install it by running the command below in Terminal, then print again. A newer driver from the manufacturer that runs natively on Apple silicon is the better long-term answer.
softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license -
Test with a simple document
Print a short page from TextEdit. If it prints but your original file fails, the document is the problem: open it in Preview, choose File > Export as PDF, and print the new copy.
You should see: The re-exported PDF prints without the queue stopping.
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Reset the printing system
As a last step, in Printers & Scanners Control-click in the printer list and choose Reset Printing System. This removes every printer and all queued jobs, so note what you had first, then add the printer again using AirPrint.
Common questions
Is “Filter failed” a fault in the printer?
No. It happens on the Mac, before the job reaches the printer, and the printer usually prints normally once the driver problem is sorted.
Why did “Filter failed” start after a macOS update?
The update changed parts of the printing system that the old driver relied on. A current driver, or a switch to AirPrint, matches the new version.
Do I need to delete the old driver files by hand?
Usually not. Removing the printer and adding it with AirPrint or a fresh driver is enough. If the manufacturer supplies an uninstaller, use that rather than deleting files from the system Library folder yourself.