Are you getting HP Printer Error State problem? Read this Step by Step Guide to fix this problem & get your printer up & running now
HP printers are wonderful printing products manufactured by HP. These printers are used by millions of people worldwide. HP builds printers with modern features and latest technology. Printers range from small home printers to large office printers. Some of Most popular HP printers are HP Deskjet 2131, HP Deskjet 2135, MP Laser Jet M1005 and HP Laser Jet Pro M1136.
Recently, some people were posting about an error with HP printer. This error was HP printer error state. The HP printer was becoming unable to print documents or taking any instructions from the computer. Let us take a look at this issue in detail in the below section.
HP Printer Error State: Problem Overview
HP printer error state is a general message generated by the system for various HP printer related errors. There can be problems with printer, roller, ink cartridges or drivers. Ink levels may be down or cartridges may be needed to be replaced. The printer’s driver can be out of date or damaged. All of these issues can lead to HP printer error state. This blog will help you fix all these issues with your HP printer. Let’s start with basic troubleshooting.
Basic Troubleshooting Steps
HP printer error state can be caused by many reasons. Most of these reasons require following multiple steps on the computer to fix them. You can find all the major steps in this blog. Before we move to that section let us try some simple but effective methods to fix HP printer error state before we go into the details. Try these steps in the order they are given below.
We have seen in some cases that these steps have fixed the HP printer. We hope your HP printer starts to work with these steps. If you are still facing the HP Printer error state try the advanced steps given in this blog.
Advanced Steps to fix HP Printer Error State
- Step-1 : Make Sure Printer is Online
- Step-2 : Ensure printer is not out of paper
- Step-3 : Ensure no Paper Jam in printer
- Step-4 : Proper Ink Cartridges Installation
- Step-5 : Make sure sufficient Ink Levels
- Step-6 : Replace Refilled Ink Cartridges
- Step-7 : Troubleshoot HP Printer
- Step-8 : Update Printer Driver
- Step-9 : Restart Print Spooler Service
- Step-10 : Clear the Print Queue
- Step-11 : Reinstall the HP Printer
- Step-12 : Virus on Your Computer
- Step 1
Make Sure Printer is Online
HP printer error state may occur if the printer is not online. Any instructions given from the computer will not be executed and result in error. The printer may sometimes automatically go to offline status for technical reasons like computer going in sleep or another device taking priority over the HP printer. Follow the steps given below to fix this issue.
- search control panel in the search box.
- Click on Devices and printer.
- Double click on the HP printer.
- In the new Window that opens.
- Under the Printer Tab.
- Uncheck the Use Printer Offline option.
Now your HP printer is online and ready to print the documents. The HP printer error state is now resolved. If your printer was not offline or you are still facing the issue with your printer than something else may be behind the error state. Read the next paragraph for more info.
- Step 2
Ensure Printer is not out of Papers
Running out of papers is a very common issue while printing causing errors. User is unable to locate the paper tray for some HP printers as papers are not visible because of the large printer body and paper tray located at the back side of the printer. When printer is out of paper HP printer error state is obvious.
If you are running out of paper which is causing the HP printer error state than you have to follow these steps to fix the error.
- Turn off the printer.
- Put the papers in the tray.
- Turn on the printer.
- Test print a page.
Now you have fix the HP printer error state and enable the printer to print. If you are still facing the error then try the next method.
- Step 3
Ensure No Paper Jam in Printer
Paper jam is another major reason for HP printer error state problem. The printer uses a roller inside to scroll the documents while printing. A torn paper can get stuck in the roller and cause paper jam. Sometimes, a complete paper can jam also. If this is the case then printer will not be able to print and go in the error state. Follow these steps to fix this issue.
- Turn off the printer.
- Open the front panel.
- Remove ink cartridges.
- Examine the rollers for any piece of paper.
- Pull out paper gently.
- Use pincers for very small pieces.
In some cases of paper jam in HP printer, complete paper sheet gets struck inside. Follow these steps carefully for this situation.
- Pull out the other end of the paper VERY GENTLY
- If it is not accessible from the front panel then
- Remove all papers from paper tray
- Open the rear panel
- Pull out the paper from this side slowly and carefully
Now you have clear the paper jam issue in your HP printer. The HP printer error state should now be resolved. If not then there is some other reason behind this problem. Read the next paragraph to try a different method.
- Step 4
Proper Ink Cartridges Installation
Improperly installed ink cartridges can cause the HP printer error state issue on the computer. Ink cartridges either may not have installed properly or they can get out of place because of the movement. Sometimes, the color cartridge is installed in the place of black cartridge and vice versa. This will prevent HP printer from working and generate an error. Follow these steps given below to fix this problem.
- Turn off the printer
- Remove the front panel
- Take out color and black cartridge
- Reinsert them in their proper place
Now when you will start the HP printer it should print without any errors. In case you are still facing HP printer error state issue, read the next paragraph.
- Step 5
Make sure sufficient Ink Levels
Low ink levels can generate the HP printer error state message for some HP printers. Ink levels can drastically reduce if you are printing pictures. Some images consume more ink than the normal printing process. If you are doing heavy printing work then you should check ink cartridges for ink levels even if you have recently got them refilled. Perform these steps on your computer to check ink level.
- Click on the Start menu
- Go to Settings > Devices
- Devices and Printers
- Double click on the HP Printer
- See the ink level on the status area
If ink levels are low then you should replace ink cartridge without any further delay. In case ink levels are fine, there might be another issue with cartridges. Read the next paragraph for more information.
- Step 6
Replace Refilled Ink Cartridges
A number of people refill their ink cartridges with ink. This can lead to HP printer error state. Printers have an array of 4 to 10 cartridge serial numbers. Once you have reused the cartridge more than this limit than the printer will not allow that cartridge more than a limit. If this is the case then we suggest you replace your ink cartridge with a new one.
- Step 7
Troubleshoot HP Printer
Sometimes there can be a software conflict with HP printer installation and any other third-party software. There can also be internal technical issues with the printer causing HP printer error state. Such problems can only be handled by the troubleshooting Wizard in Windows 10. Follow these steps to troubleshoot your HP printer.
- search control panel in the search box.
- Select the Devices and Printers option.
- Right click and choose troubleshoot.
Let the troubleshoot wizard run. It will catch any conflict or other issues with your system and fix them right away. If HP printer error state is not solved then you need to try another method. Read the next paragraph.
- Step 8
Update Printer Driver
If your printer driver is out of date or damaged or corrupt then this can be the reason behind the HP printer error state problem. You need to update the drivers on your computer to fix error state issue. Follow these steps on your computer to update HP printer drivers.
- press the windows key + X simultaneously.
- Select the Device Manager from the options.
- click on printers and expend it.
- Right click on the HP printer.
- Choose the Update driver option.
- Now select the box which says Update Drivers Automatically from the internet.
- Step 9
Restart Print Spooler Service
Print spooler services are important for printers to run properly. This service provides technical assistance for printing. Print Spooler can be overloaded sometimes due to excess use. Spooler service can function improperly in this case and may lead to HP printer error state. Print Spooler requires a restart to fix this issue. Follow these instructions to restart the print spooler.
- Press the windows key + R simultaneously.
- Type services.msc in the search box and press Enter.
- Scroll down and look for print spooler service.
- Right click on the Print spooler.
- Now choose the Restart option.
This will take some time and restart spooler service. Now the HP printer error state problem should be resolved.

If restarting spooler service does not fixes the printer on your computer then try another method given in the next paragraph.
- Step 10
Clear the Print Queue
Sometimes a print job can get stuck in the printing queue. There are technical reasons for a print job getting stuck. The file may be too big, the page contents may be too much or there can be overload of printing job. Follow these instructions to clear the print queue.
- Click the Start menu
- Type cmd and right click on Command Prompt
- Choose the run as administrator option
- Type ‘net stop spooler’ on the keyboard
- Open computer and paste the below given address
- C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printers
- Press ‘Ctrl’ and a keys together
- Delete all files
- Return of the command prompt console
- Type ‘net start spooler’
Now you have clear the print queue from all jobs. The HP printer error state should be fixed. In case there is no print job stuck in the queue you will need to try a different method. Read the next paragraph.
- Step 11
Reinstall the HP Printer
HP printer error state problem can happen due to technical reasons. Drivers can be damaged, installation files can be missing or corrupt or other printers can interfere with the functionality of HP printer. This is an extreme case where you need a fresh installation for your HP printer. Follow these steps below to reinstall the HP printer.
- Remove all printer cords from the computer
- Go to Start menu > Settings.
- Click the System option.
- Scroll down to locate the HP printer.
- Click on Uninstall.
- Restart the computer
- Restart the HP printer
- Again connect the computer from the printer
- Follow instructions given on the screen
Let the system freshly install the HP printer on your computer. The fresh installation should be trouble-free and the problem should be fixed. Still, if you are facing the error state issue then read the next paragraph.
- Step 12
Virus on Your Computer
One of the major reasons behind the HP printer error state is virus infection on the computer. If you have recently used a pen drive from another person or downloaded files from the internet then your system can be virus infected. Follow these steps to free your computer from viruses.
- Launch the antivirus program
- Click on the Scan menu
- Choose Full Scan option
- Click on Scan now button
The scan may take few hours but it will delete any virus from the computer. The problem should be fixed by now.
Tips to Avoid HP Printer Error State
Congratulations on successfully fixing the HP printer error state. However, this problem can again occur in the future. You can avoid this if you follow our advice. Take care of these small things with your HP printer.
Follow our advice from above and minimize the chances of facing HP printer error state.
Contact Official HP Support
This blog has all the major steps required to fix the HP printer error state problem. All these methods are tested and it fixes this issue. Still, if you can’t fix this problem then you should contact official HP Printer support as there can be some internal hardware issue.
Final Words: Conclusion
We have worked very hard to prepare this blog. All the methods are tested and work 100 percent. Comment in the below section to tell us your feedback about this blog. If you have any queries related to this issue, you can ask.