What a print queue is and why it gets stuck
A print queue is the list of documents waiting to print on your printer. When you send something to print, it sits in this queue until the printer finishes the job before it. Normally the queue clears itself as each job prints and completes.
A queue gets stuck when a document fails to print but doesn't leave the queue. This happens when your printer loses connection mid-job, when a file is corrupted, when the printer runs out of paper or ink, or when the printer software crashes. Once one job is stuck, everything behind it waits forever — your printer appears to do nothing, even though you keep sending new documents.
Clearing the queue means telling your computer to forget about those stuck jobs so new ones can print. The steps differ between Windows and Mac, and the process takes about five minutes.
Key Takeaways
- A stuck print queue usually means one document failed to print but is still sitting in the queue, blocking everything behind it.
- On Windows, you clear the queue through Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, then remove the printer and restart the Print Spooler service.
- On Mac, you open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, right-click your printer, and select "Reset printing system".
- After clearing the queue, restart your printer by turning it off for 30 seconds, then power it back on before printing again.
- If the queue fills again when ready, the problem is usually a corrupted printer driver, which you can fix by uninstalling and reinstalling the printer software.
Clearing the print queue on Windows 10 and 11
Open Settings and go to Devices, then Printers & Scanners. Find your printer in the list, click it once to select it, then click Remove device. This removes the printer from your computer's list — it does not delete anything from the printer itself, and you will add it back in a moment.
Next, you need to restart the Print Spooler, which is the Windows service that manages the queue. Press the Windows key and type Services, then open the Services app. Scroll down to find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart. Wait for the restart to finish — you will see the status change to "Running" again.
Now add the printer back. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners again and click Add a printer or scanner. Windows will search for your printer. When it appears, click it and select Add device. The queue is now clear.
Clearing the print queue on Mac
Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar. Find your printer in the list on the left. Right-click it (or hold Control and click) and select Reset printing system from the menu. A dialog will appear asking you to confirm — click Reset.
Mac will ask for your password because this action requires administrator permission. Type your password and click OK. The system will remove all printers and clear the queue. After a few seconds, your printer should reappear in the list automatically. If it does not, click the plus sign at the bottom of the printer list and select your printer to add it back.
What to do after clearing the queue
Turn off your printer completely and wait 30 seconds. This clears the printer's own memory and resets its connection to your computer. Then turn the printer back on and wait for it to finish its startup sequence — you will usually see lights blink or hear it move briefly.
Try printing a test page. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, click your printer, and select Print a test page. On Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and click Print Test Page. If the test page prints, your queue is working again.
If the queue fills up again right away
If documents keep getting stuck in the queue even after you clear it, the problem is usually a corrupted printer driver — the software that tells your computer how to talk to the printer. Clearing the queue fixes the symptom, but reinstalling the driver fixes the cause.
On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, click your printer, select Remove device, and restart your computer. Then go back to Printers & Scanners and click Add a printer or scanner. Windows will read and install a fresh driver automatically. On Mac, the driver usually updates through System Settings > General > Software Update, so check there first.
If Windows cannot find your printer automatically, you will need to read the driver from the printer manufacturer's website. Go to their support page, search for your printer model, and read the driver for your version of Windows. Run the installer and follow the on-screen steps, then restart your computer.
When to check your printer's physical condition
Before you assume the queue is stuck, make sure the printer itself is working. Check that it has paper, that the paper tray is closed, and that there are no error lights on the printer's panel. If the printer shows an error code, look it up in your printer's manual — some codes mean the printer is offline or out of ink, which will cause the queue to back up.
Also check the cable connecting your printer to your computer or network. If it is a USB cable, try unplugging it from both ends and plugging it back in. If it is a network printer, restart your router by turning it off for 30 seconds and turning it back on. A loose connection can make the queue appear stuck when the printer is actually just unreachable.
Preventing future queue problems
Keep your printer driver up to date. On Windows, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and check for updates — Windows sometimes includes printer driver updates. On Mac, go to System Settings > General > Software Update. Manufacturers also release driver updates on their websites, so check there every few months if you print frequently.
Restart your printer once a week if you use it daily. Turn it off completely for 30 seconds, then turn it back on. This clears the printer's memory and prevents small errors from building up into a stuck queue. Also avoid sending very large files to print — if a file is over 100 megabytes, try splitting it into smaller documents or printing only the pages you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing the print queue delete my documents?
No. Clearing the queue only tells your computer to stop trying to print those documents. The original files stay on your computer untouched. You can open them again and print them once the queue is clear.
What if my printer is wireless and I can't find it in Settings?
Make sure your printer and computer are on the same Wi-Fi network. Restart your router and your printer, then go back to Add a printer or scanner and search again. If it still does not appear, restart your computer — sometimes the network connection needs a full refresh.
Can I clear the queue without removing the printer?
On Windows, restarting the Print Spooler service (as described above) clears the queue without removing the printer. On Mac, you must use the "Reset printing system" option, which does remove and re-add all printers. Both methods clear the queue completely.
How long does it take to clear the queue?
The actual clearing takes less than a minute. Adding the printer back takes another minute or two, depending on how fast your computer finds it. The whole process usually takes three to five minutes from start to finish.
What if the queue is still stuck after I restart the Print Spooler?
Restart your computer completely. Sometimes the Print Spooler service does not fully restart without a full system restart. After your computer boots back up, try printing a test page. If it still does not work, uninstall and reinstall your printer driver as described in the "If the queue fills up again" section.