HP Printer Not Printing — 7 Quick Steps

You hit print but nothing happens? Here are 7 steps to get your HP printer working again, from the simplest checks to deeper solutions.

Step 1: Check Printer Status

• • Is the printer powered on? (Look for solid green/blue light)
• • Does it show any error lights or error messages on the display?
• • Is there paper loaded in the tray?
• • Are the ink/toner cartridges installed and not empty?

Step 2: Clear the Print Queue

1. Go to Control Panel → Devices and Printers
2. Right-click your HP printer → See what's printing
3. Click Printer menu → Cancel All Documents
4. Confirm the cancellation
5. Try printing again

Step 3: Set as Default Printer

1. Go to Settings → Devices → Printers & Scanners
2. Uncheck "Let Windows manage my default printer"
3. Click your HP printer → Manage → Set as default

Step 4: Restart Print Spooler

1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, hit Enter
2. Find Print Spooler in the list
3. Right-click → Stop
4. Wait 10 seconds
5. Right-click → Start
6. Try printing again

Step 5: Check Connection

USB Connection:

• • Unplug the USB cable, wait 10 seconds, replug firmly
• • Try a different USB port on your computer

WiFi Connection:

• • Check that the wireless light on your printer is solid (not blinking)
• • Print a Network Configuration page from the printer menu to verify WiFi status
• • Make sure your computer and printer are on the same WiFi network

Step 6: Update or Reinstall Driver

1. Open Device Manager (press Windows + X)
2. Expand Print queues
3. Right-click your HP printer → Update driver
4. Select Search automatically
5. If that doesn't work, right-click → Uninstall device, restart your PC, and let Windows reinstall it

Step 7: Run HP Print and Scan Doctor

• • Open HP Smart app on your computer
• • Go to the Diagnose & Fix section
• • Run the diagnostic tool — it will automatically detect and resolve common issues