Print Queue Stuck? How to Clear It on Windows and Mac

01Overview

When your print queue is stuck, one job sits at the top with a status like “Error” or “Printing” and nothing comes out, while new jobs pile up behind it. The printer may be fine; the computer’s print system is waiting on a job it can’t finish. This guide clears the queue on Windows and Mac, then helps you find out why it got stuck so it doesn’t keep happening.

Microsoft and Apple sometimes rename menus between releases. If a name here doesn’t match, the official pages linked at the end describe the current steps.

02Before you start

• Check the printer. Make sure it is on, showing ready, with paper loaded, doors closed and no error message. A printer waiting for paper or toner can hold the queue.
• Check the connection. If the printer shows offline, start with laser printer offline.
• Note which job is stuck. Very large files, complex PDFs and jobs sent while the printer was off are common culprits.
• Save open work before restarting services or the computer.

03Key terms

• Print queue: the list of jobs waiting on your computer for a particular printer.
• Print Spooler: the Windows service that stores and sends print jobs. If it stops or gets stuck, jobs can’t print.
• Paused queue: a queue that holds jobs on purpose until you resume it.
• Corrupted job: a print job with damaged data that the printer or computer can’t process.

04Clear the stuck queue

Start with the gentlest step and move on only if the job refuses to go. Cancelling a job doesn’t delete the document on your computer, so you can print it again once the queue is clear. If several people print to the same printer, let them know their waiting jobs may need to be sent again.

On Windows 11

1. Cancel the jobs. Open Settings, Bluetooth & devices, Printers & scanners, select the printer and open the print queue. Right-click the stuck job and cancel it, or use the option to cancel all documents. Did the queue empty and printing resume? If yes, print your document again. If the job won’t delete, continue.
2. Restart the Print Spooler service. Open the Services app (search for “Services” from Start), find Print Spooler, and choose Restart. If the job is still there, Microsoft’s support page explains how to stop the spooler, clear its stored jobs and start it again. Follow those steps exactly.
3. Restart the computer. A full restart clears most stubborn jobs.
4. Check the printer entry. Make sure Use Printer Offline and Pause Printing aren’t ticked in the queue window’s Printer menu.

On a Mac

1. Open the queue. Open System Settings, Printers & Scanners, select the printer and open its print queue.
2. Delete the stuck job. Select the job and delete it. If the printer is paused, choose Resume.
3. Restart the Mac if jobs reappear or won’t delete.
4. Reset the printer list only as a last resort. macOS can reset the printing system, which removes all printers and their queues; you then add printers again. Apple’s support pages describe this. Is printing working now? If yes, re-add only the printers you use.

05Find out why it got stuck

1. Try printing a simple page. If a plain text page prints but one document doesn’t, the document may be the issue. Try saving it as a new PDF and printing that, or print fewer pages at a time.
2. Check for a driver problem. If every job gets stuck from one computer, remove the printer and add it again, or reinstall the driver from an official source. See laser printer not detected for driver error steps.
3. Look for duplicate printer entries. Jobs sent to an old entry for the same printer can sit forever. Remove entries you don’t use.
4. Check the network. Jobs that stall partway through on a Wi-Fi printer can point to a weak connection.

06Prevent stuck jobs

• Send large jobs in smaller batches. Very long or image-heavy documents take more memory and time to process.
• Wait for the printer to be ready before printing after switching it on, and don’t switch it off while a job is printing.
• Keep one entry per printer on each computer, and remove printers you no longer have.
• Keep your operating system up to date, since updates can include print system and driver fixes.
• Print a test page after any driver change to confirm the new driver works before you rely on it.

07Check that it worked

1. The print queue is empty.
2. A test page prints straight away.
3. Your original document prints completely, with the right number of pages. If pages come out blank, see blank pages.
4. New jobs don’t get stuck over the next few days.

08When to contact the manufacturer

Contact the manufacturer through its official support site if:

• Jobs stall at the printer itself with an error on its display.
• The printer’s own configuration report won’t print.
• The official driver repeatedly causes stuck jobs after reinstalling.

For persistent Windows or macOS print system errors, use Microsoft or Apple support.

09FAQ

Why won’t a print job delete from the queue?

The print system may be stuck processing it. Restart the Print Spooler on Windows, or restart your Mac, and try deleting again.

Is it safe to restart the Print Spooler?

Yes, it is a standard troubleshooting step. Jobs in the queue may be lost, so you may need to print them again.

Why does my print queue keep getting stuck?

Common reasons include a damaged driver, duplicate printer entries, very large or complex documents and an unreliable network connection. Work through the cause checks above.

Will clearing the queue delete my documents?

No. It removes only the waiting print jobs, not the files on your computer. Print the documents again afterwards.

What does “Error - Printing” mean in the queue?

It means the computer couldn’t complete the job. Check the printer for messages, cancel the job and print again.