Sometimes technology can be a bit strange. My thermostat can be controlled with my voice. However, printers still feel as unreliable and confusing as they did 10 years ago. Here's how you can fix your printer if printer is not printing
Examine the Error Lights on Your Printer
Printers can sometimes be frustrating, but they will often tell you what the problem means so that you don't have to try and figure it out yourself. You may see a series flashing colored lights and cryptic messages on your printer's screen.
Sometimes it is not clear what lights mean, so you might need to refer to the manual to understand what your printer is telling you. You can download a PDF copy of the manual from the manufacturer's support site for your printer if you lose it.
Once you have identified the problem (e.g. printer jam or ink not flowing), go to the appropriate section of this guide. If your printer doesn't show an error, continue reading.
Clear the Printer Queue
Sometimes, your computer's print queue can get jammed up with old documents that failed to print for one reason or another, holding up the document you need right now.
To see the list of items currently in queue, right-click on Windows' printer icon. You can view the queue in macOS from System preferences > Printers and Scanners > View Print Queue. To get things moving again, right-click on any items you don't need.
Alternativly, Windows allows you to restart the print queue. This will attempt to print the documents as though they were added to the queue.
There are a few ways to do this, but the easiest is probably from the Command Prompt. Open the Start menu, search for "Command Prompt," right-click the option that appears, and choose Run As Administrator . Then paste in the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:
stop spoolerdel %systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\* /Q /F /Snet start pooler
This will hopefully bring your printer back to life, and you'll be able to get the document that you have been waiting for.
Solidify the connection
This may sound silly, but if I had a nickel for every hour I've wasted troubleshooting something that wasn't plugged in, I'd be halfway to buying a Snickers bar. Ensure the USB cable is plugged in snugly at both ends, and that the power cable is plugged into the wall. You never know when someone unplugged it to charge their phone without telling you.
Try connecting your computer via USB if you are trying to print over Wi-Fi . If this happens, then you have identified the problem with your Wi-Fi connection. You can now focus your efforts there.
Are you getting enough signal to your printer? Check to see if your printer is listed in the router network list. If it doesn't, move the printer closer to the router and check if it's still within range. My father-in law's printer won't work if all the upstairs doors are opened. They block the weak Wi-Fi signal.
Test the Printer's Self Testing
It may be worth running a few diagnostic tests if you are still unable to figure out what is wrong. Your printer and computer both can print test pages to help narrow down the issue.
You can run the self-test of your printer by pressing a few buttons when it boots up. These buttons are outlined in your printer manual. You can print Windows' test pages by going to Settings>> Devices> Printers & Scanners. Click Manage > Print a Test page.
If the printer prints its own test page fine, but Windows gives an error, then you know you have a problem with your software. If your printer cannot print its test page, you should focus on fixing the printer and not the driver or software. You may be able to get a test page from your printer with an error code, or other information that you can decipher.
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