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Drivers & software

Printer driver is unavailable or missing

Windows shows Driver is unavailable, or the printer has no working driver. Clear out the broken one and install a clean, matching driver from a safe source.

  • Time needed: 10–25 min
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Checked

You’ll need: Your printer’s exact model number · An administrator account on the computer · A working internet connection

Try this first

Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove. Restart the PC, then click Add device beside Add a printer or scanner and let Windows find the printer again. A fresh install replaces the damaged driver link, and for most current printers Windows supplies a working driver on its own.

Didn’t work? Go to the full steps

What you’ll notice

  • Printers & scanners shows the words Driver is unavailable under the printer
  • Jobs sit in the queue or fail without any message
  • Printing preferences or Printer properties won’t open, or open with tabs missing
  • The printer appears in print dialogs but choosing it gives an error
  • It started after an update, a new PC or a move to a newer Windows version

Usually caused by

  • Most commonDriver files were damaged or removed by an update or a cleanup
  • Most commonA newer Windows version no longer accepts the old driver
  • SometimesThe driver doesn’t match the PC type (64-bit or Arm)
  • SometimesLeftover packages from an earlier install are conflicting
  • SometimesThe Print Spooler service is holding the old driver open
  • Less commonThe manufacturer never released a driver for this Windows version

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 7 tried

  1. Restart the printer and the PC

    Turn the printer off and on, then use Restart in Windows rather than shutting down. A restart reloads the whole print system and occasionally clears a driver that only failed to load.

    You should see: If Driver is unavailable no longer appears under the printer’s name, print a test page to confirm and stop here.

  2. Remove the printer and add it again

    In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer and click Remove. Restart, return to the same page and click Add device. Wait for your model to appear in the list and click Add device next to it.

    You should see: The printer is back in the list with no warning, and Print test page on its page produces a sheet.

  3. Look for a driver in Windows Update

    Open Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates. Then go to Advanced options > Optional updates and look under Driver updates for anything carrying your printer’s brand. On Windows 10 the same list is under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View optional updates.

    You should see: A printer driver listed there installs like any other update. Restart afterwards even if Windows doesn’t ask.

  4. Delete the old driver package

    Remove the printer again. On the Printers & scanners page, scroll to Related settings and open Print server properties. On the Drivers tab, select the printer’s driver, click Remove and choose Remove driver and driver package. If Windows says the driver is in use, open Command Prompt as administrator, run the command below, and try again.

    net stop spooler && net start spooler

    You should see: The driver no longer appears on the Drivers tab.

  5. Check whether the PC is x64 or Arm

    Open Settings > System > About and read System type. An x64 printer driver will not install on an Arm-based PC (many recent thin laptops with Snapdragon chips), and 32-bit drivers won’t work on 64-bit Windows. Note what it says before you download anything.

    You should see: You know whether to look for an x64 or an Arm64 driver.

  6. Install the manufacturer’s current driver

    Go to the manufacturer’s official support site, enter the exact model number from the printer’s label and choose your Windows version. Download the recommended full or basic driver, run it, and connect the printer only when the installer asks. Skip third-party driver download sites and apps that promise to update every driver for you.

    You should see: The printer shows no warning, and Printing preferences opens with the manufacturer’s own tabs.

  7. Add it by IP address with the built-in driver

    If no current driver exists for your model, find the printer’s IP address on its network screen or a printed network report. Click Add device, choose Add manually when it appears, and pick the option to add a printer using an IP address or hostname. Many network printers from the last decade print this way with Windows’ own class driver, though extras such as tray choice may be missing.

Common questions

Is it safe to use a driver from a driver download site?

No. Get printer drivers only from the manufacturer’s official support site, Windows Update or the app stores. Repackaged drivers can be outdated, wrong for your model, or bundled with software you didn’t ask for.

Why does Windows install a driver with Class Driver in its name?

That’s Windows’ built-in driver for printers that follow common printing standards. It prints reliably but may hide extras such as booklet printing or tray choices; install the manufacturer’s driver if you need them.

Will removing the driver delete my documents or settings?

No documents are touched. You’ll lose printer preferences such as the default paper size, which you can set again after reinstalling.

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