What a printer queue is and why it gets stuck
A printer queue is the list of documents waiting to print. When you send a document to print, it goes into this queue and waits its turn. Normally the printer works through the queue in order, printing each document and removing it from the list. But sometimes a document gets stuck — the printer can't finish it, or the connection drops, or the file itself is corrupted — and the whole queue stops moving. Nothing prints until you clear out the stuck job.
This happens most often when you send a large file to print, cancel a print job halfway through, or lose connection to the printer while something is printing. The stuck job sits in the queue blocking everything behind it. Restarting the printer alone usually does not clear it — you have to tell your computer to forget about that job.
Key Takeaways
- A stuck print job blocks your entire queue, so nothing else will print until you remove it.
- On Windows, open Settings, go to Devices > Printers & Scanners, click your printer, and select Open Queue to see and delete stuck jobs.
- On Mac, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and click "Open Print Queue" to remove jobs.
- If the queue window shows nothing but jobs still won't print, restart the print spooler service on Windows or the CUPS service on Mac.
- Restarting the printer itself clears the printer's memory but not your computer's queue — you need to do both.
How to clear the queue on Windows
On Windows 10 or 11, the fastest way is through the printer settings. Open Settings (press Windows key + I), then go to Devices in the left menu. Click Printers & Scanners, find your printer in the list, click it once, and then click Open Queue. A window opens showing every job waiting to print.
Right-click any stuck job and select Cancel. If you want to clear everything at once, use the menu at the top: click Printer, then Purge Print Documents. This removes all jobs from the queue at once. Close the window and try printing something new — it should go through.
If the queue window is empty but your printer still will not print, the problem is deeper in the system. You need to restart the Print Spooler, which is the Windows service that manages printing. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Scroll down to Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart. Wait for it to finish restarting, then close the window and try printing again.
How to clear the queue on Mac
On Mac, go to System Settings (the gear icon in your dock or Applications folder). Click Printers & Scanners in the left menu, select your printer from the list, and click Open Print Queue. A window shows all waiting jobs.
Click any job you want to remove, then click the minus button (–) at the bottom of the window. To clear everything, you can click the first job, hold Shift, click the last job to select them all, then click the minus button. Close the window and try printing something new.
If the queue appears empty but printing still does not work, restart the CUPS printing service. Open Terminal (find it in Applications > Utilities), paste this line, and press Enter: sudo launchctl stop org.cups.cupsd. It will ask for your password — type it and press Enter. Then paste this line and press Enter: sudo launchctl start org.cups.cupsd. Close Terminal and try printing again.
Clearing the queue directly on the printer
Some printers have a button or menu option to clear their own queue. On most inkjet and laser printers, this is in the Settings or Menu button on the printer itself. Look for an option called Cancel All Jobs, Clear Queue, or Reset. Check your printer's manual if you are not sure where to find it — the exact location varies by brand and model.
Clearing the queue on the printer clears only what the printer itself is holding. Your computer may still have jobs in its own queue waiting to send to the printer. So clear both: clear the printer's queue using its buttons, then clear your computer's queue using the steps above. This makes sure nothing is stuck on either end.
Restarting the printer and reconnecting
After you clear the queue, restart the printer itself. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. This clears the printer's memory and resets its connection. While the printer is restarting, restart your computer too — this clears any leftover data in your computer's printing system.
Once both are back on, reconnect them. If your printer is networked (connected by Wi-Fi or Ethernet), make sure it is on the same network as your computer. If it is connected by USB, unplug the cable, wait 10 seconds, and plug it back in. Try printing a test page — most printers have a button to print a test page without needing a computer. If that works, try printing from your computer.
When to check the printer itself for problems
If you clear the queue on both your computer and the printer, restart everything, and the printer still will not print, the problem may be with the printer hardware, not the queue. Check for paper jams — open every panel and door on the printer and look inside. Even a small scrap of paper can block printing. Also check that paper is loaded in the tray and that the toner or ink cartridge is not empty.
Look at the printer's display screen or lights. Many printers show error codes or warning lights when something is wrong. Check your printer's manual or the manufacturer's website to decode any error message. If the printer is very old or has been sitting unused for months, the ink or toner may have dried out, and you may need to replace cartridges even if they show as full.
Preventing queue problems in the future
Most queue problems come from canceling print jobs or losing connection mid-print. If you need to stop a print job, use the cancel button in the print dialog on your computer rather than unplugging the printer or turning it off. This tells the printer to stop cleanly instead of leaving it confused about what it was doing.
Keep your printer connected and powered on while printing, especially for large files. If you are printing over Wi-Fi, make sure the connection is stable — move closer to the router if the signal is weak. Update your printer's drivers regularly through the manufacturer's website, because outdated drivers can cause queue problems. And if you print something and nothing happens, check the queue when ready rather than sending the same job again — sending it multiple times creates multiple stuck jobs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my printer queue show jobs but nothing prints?
The jobs are stuck, usually because the printer lost connection or could not finish one of them. Clear the queue using the steps for your operating system, restart both your computer and printer, and reconnect them. If the queue still shows jobs after clearing, restart the Print Spooler (Windows) or CUPS service (Mac).
Can I delete a print job while it is printing?
Yes. Open your printer queue and click Cancel on the job. The printer will stop printing that job and move to the next one in the queue. If you want to stop all printing, use Purge Print Documents (Windows) or select all jobs and click the minus button (Mac).
What if I clear the queue but the printer still shows a job on its screen?
The printer's own memory still has the job. Use the printer's menu or buttons to clear its queue directly — look for Cancel All Jobs or Clear Queue in the Settings menu. Then clear your computer's queue as well to make sure both are empty.
Does unplugging the printer clear the queue?
Unplugging clears the printer's memory but not your computer's queue. When you plug it back in, your computer will try to send the stuck job again. Always clear the queue on your computer first, then restart the printer if needed.
How do I know if a print job is actually stuck or just slow?
If a job has been in the queue for more than a few minutes and the printer is not printing anything, it is stuck. Large files can take longer, but you should see the printer working — hear it moving, see lights blinking, or see paper feeding. If the printer is completely silent and nothing is moving, the job is stuck and needs to be canceled.