Fix Printer

Printer showing "Driver is Unavailable" after a Windows update? Here's how to remove the old driver, clear the print spooler, and get printing again.

Published 2026-02-04 by TechNet New England

After a Windows update, you go to print something and see "Driver is Unavailable" under your printer. The printer worked fine yesterday. This happens because Windows updates can replace or remove printer drivers, especially older ones that aren't fully compatible with the latest version of Windows.

Why This Happens

Windows updates occasionally replace third-party drivers with generic Microsoft versions, or they remove drivers that are flagged as incompatible. Printer manufacturers don't always keep up with every Windows update cycle, so it's not uncommon for a previously working printer driver to break after an update.

Fix 1: Remove and Reinstall the Printer

  1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners
  2. Click on the printer that shows "Driver is Unavailable"
  3. Click "Remove" to delete it
  4. Restart your computer
  5. Go back to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners
  6. Click "Add device" and let Windows detect and reinstall the printer

If Windows finds the printer and installs it with a working driver, you're done. If it installs but still shows the error, move on to the next fix.

Fix 2: Clear the Print Spooler

The print spooler is a service that manages print jobs. Old or corrupted spooler files can prevent new drivers from working properly.

  1. Press Win+R, type services.msc, and press Enter
  2. Find "Print Spooler" in the list
  3. Right-click it and select "Stop"
  4. Open File Explorer and navigate to: C:\\Windows\\System32\\spool\\PRINTERS
  5. Delete everything inside this folder (these are queued print jobs, not your printer itself)
  6. Go back to Services, right-click "Print Spooler," and select "Start"

Fix 3: Download the Latest Driver from the Manufacturer

The most reliable fix is to get the driver directly from the printer manufacturer's website instead of relying on Windows to find one:

  1. Go to the support/downloads page for your printer brand:
    • HP: support.hp.com
    • Canon: usa.canon.com/support
    • Brother: support.brother.com
    • Epson: epson.com/Support
  2. Search for your exact printer model
  3. Download the full driver package (not just the basic driver) for your version of Windows
  4. Run the installer and follow the prompts

Fix 4: Use Windows Update to Find the Driver

Sometimes the correct driver is available through Windows Update but isn't installed automatically:

  1. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager)
  2. Expand "Print queues"
  3. Right-click your printer and select "Update driver"
  4. Select "Search automatically for drivers"
  5. If that doesn't find anything, click "Search for updated drivers on Windows Update"

Fix 5: Uninstall the Driver Completely and Start Fresh

If remnants of the old driver are interfering:

  1. Open Print Management by pressing Win+R and typing printmanagement.msc
  2. In the left pane, expand "Print Servers" > your computer name > "Drivers"
  3. Right-click the driver for the problem printer and select "Remove Driver Package"
  4. Restart your computer
  5. Install the fresh driver you downloaded from the manufacturer

If these steps don't resolve the issue, or if you'd like professional help, our team is here. Contact TechNet New England for IT support.