Won’t print
Print jobs stuck in the queue and won’t delete
Documents sit in the print queue saying Printing, Error or Deleting and nothing moves. Clear the queue safely on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and phones.
You’ll need: An administrator account on the computer
Try this first
Open the print queue, select the stuck job and cancel it, then turn the printer off for 30 seconds and back on. If the job still says Deleting or refuses to go, restart the print spooler on Windows, or clear the queue from Terminal on a Mac, using the steps below. Those clear jobs the cancel button can’t.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsWhat you’ll notice
- A job says Printing, Error or Deleting and never finishes
- Cancel does nothing, or the job comes back after a restart
- New documents pile up behind one stuck job
- The printer is on and ready but receives nothing
Usually caused by
- Most commonOne damaged or very large job is blocking everything behind it
- Most commonThe printer went offline or jammed in the middle of a job
- SometimesThe Windows print spooler stopped responding
- SometimesThe queue is paused
- Less commonA faulty driver keeps failing on the same job
Step by step
Work down the list in order. Tick off each step as you go: your progress is saved on this device.
Windows 11 and 10
0 of 6 tried
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Cancel the job in the queue
Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, click the printer and choose Open print queue. Right-click the stuck job and choose Cancel, or use the option to cancel all jobs.
You should see: The job disappears from the list within a few seconds.
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Turn the printer off and on
Switch the printer off for 30 seconds. A job stuck because the printer stopped answering often clears as soon as the connection drops.
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Stop the print spooler
If the job is still there, right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) (Windows 10: Windows PowerShell (Admin)), then run this command.
Stop-Service -Name Spooler -ForceYou should see: The prompt returns with no error.
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Delete the leftover spool files
With the spooler stopped, run the command below. It removes only the temporary copies of queued jobs from the
spool\PRINTERSfolder inside Windows; your original documents are untouched. Don’t delete the folder itself or anything elsewhere in the spool folder.Remove-Item -Path "$env:windir\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*" -Force -
Start the spooler again
Run the command below in the same window to bring printing back.
Start-Service -Name SpoolerYou should see: The queue opens empty and the printer’s status returns to ready or idle.
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Send one short test
Print a one-page document before resending anything large. If the same document jams the queue again, save it as a PDF and print that, or print it in smaller page ranges.
macOS
0 of 4 tried
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Open the queue and delete the job
Click the printer in the Dock, or open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the printer and click Printer Queue. Select the job and click the small delete button (an X) beside it.
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Resume a paused queue
If the toolbar shows Resume, the queue is paused and nothing will move. Click it so later jobs can go through.
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Cancel every job from Terminal
Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities and run the command below. It cancels all waiting jobs on every printer on this Mac and leaves the printers themselves in place.
cancel -aYou should see: Running
lpstat -oafterwards prints nothing, which means no jobs are left. -
Reset the printing system if jobs return
In Printers & Scanners, Control-click an empty part of the printer list and choose Reset printing system. It removes all printers and jobs, so add your printer back afterwards.
ChromeOS
0 of 3 tried
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Open the print jobs list
Click the print notification near the clock, or search the launcher for Print jobs, to see current and recent jobs.
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Cancel the stuck job
Click the cancel button beside the job, or cancel all ongoing jobs, then restart the printer.
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Restart the Chromebook
Restart the Chromebook, which closes the printing service along with everything else, then print a single page.
You should see: The page prints and the jobs list shows it as completed.
iPhone, iPad and Android
0 of 3 tried
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Cancel in Print Center on iPhone or iPad
While a job is waiting, open the app switcher, tap Print Center, then tap Cancel Printing.
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Cancel from the Android notification
Pull down the notification shade, tap the printing notification and choose Cancel.
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Restart the printer
Turn the printer off and on so it drops any half-received job, then send the document again.
Did this fix it?
Good to hear. If the problem comes back, the steps will still be here, and your ticked steps are saved on this device.
Try these next:
- If the spooler stops again by itself soon after starting, a faulty driver is a common cause; remove the printer and its driver, then reinstall from Windows Update or the manufacturer’s official support site.
- If one particular document always sticks, print it to PDF first and print the PDF, or reduce the size of large images in it.
- Check whether the printer itself shows a jam or error; a printer waiting on a jam keeps the job open on the computer.
Still stuck? Run the diagnose questions, or check your printer’s manual and the manufacturer’s official support site.
Common questions
Will clearing the queue delete my documents?
No. The queue holds temporary print copies only. Your original files stay exactly where you saved them.
Why does a job say Deleting forever?
Windows waits for the printer to confirm the job is gone. If the printer is off, asleep or disconnected, that confirmation never arrives, so restart the printer or the spooler.
Do I have to do this every time I print?
No. If jobs stick regularly, look for the cause instead: a weak Wi-Fi link, a printer that sleeps mid-job, or a driver that needs updating.