If Your Printer Is Not Responding Of Any Brands, Read This Easy Step By Step Troubleshooting Guide To Make It Up and running.
The printer is not responding is a problem that has been reported by many printer users of different brands and types. We have been asked so many times about this problem by our readers. Printer users consistently posting on forums and community websites about this issue. So we decided to write a detailed post on how to fix this problem.
We have mentioned all the methods in this post which will certainly resolve your printer is not responding problem.
Table of Contents
Printer is Not Responding: Problem Overview
Printer is not responding is a simple and general problem that can happen with any Make & model of the printer like Canon, Epson, Ricoh, Brother, and other printers. You do not need to worry as this problem can be easily fixed. There are many reasons which can cause the Printer is not responding problems on your computer. It can be a paper jam, issues with ink cartridges, spooler services that may need your attention or your printer may not be set as default. Whatever is the reason we will help you find and fix it on your computer in this blog.
We are writing this blog to help printer users who are facing this problem and covered all the major steps which may be required for any brand of printer. We have also given steps for different types of printers like wireless, network and other kinds of printers in this blog. you will be able to fix any problem related to the Printer is not responding as mentioned below.
what are the possible causes of the printer is not responding?
- printer not responding windows 10
- why is my wireless printer not responding
- printer not responding windows 7
- Wireless printer not responding
- Network printer not responding
- Canon printer not responding
- Brother printer not responding
- Epson printer not responding
First, we will try some basic troubleshooting steps in the next section.
Basic Troubleshooting Steps
If you are facing the printer is not responding Windows 10 problem then you should give a try to these basic methods first. The troubleshooting steps are relatively simpler than the rest of the methods in this blog. However, they can also sometimes, fix the problem. This is because printer not responding problem may be caused by a simple reason.
See if these methods can fix the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue. If they will then you have saved yourself lots of time and effort. You can go ahead with your work. If not then don’t worry. Here is the complete guide to fix the printer is not responding. But before getting into that we will take a look at what is this printer is not responding problem and why is it occurring.
Steps to fix printer is not responding problem
- Step-1 : Reset the Printer
- Step-2 : Check for Paper Jam
- Step-3 : Run the Printer Troubleshooter
- Step-4 : Clean the Print Head
- Step-5 : Clear the Print Queue
- Step-6 : Restart the Print Spooler
- Step-7 : Reinstall Printer Drivers
- Step-8 : Update the Printer Drivers
- Step-9 : Set the Printer as Default
- Step-10 : Reinstall the Printer
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Step 1
Reset the Printer
The printer may be stuck sometimes at the internal software level which may cause the printer is not responding Windows 10 problem. This may happen with different brands of printer. The solution to this problem is to reset the printer. Different printers have different resetting ways. We are mentioning different ways of resetting printers.
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Factory Reset Canon Printer
Follow these steps to perform a factory reset on the Canon printer.
- Access the menu Panel
- Go to the setup menu
- Now go to Device settings
- Press on the OK icon
- Choose the reset settings option
- Press on OK
Let the printer reset itself. The printer will beep after the reset is done.
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Hard Reset Canon Printer
If the factory reset option does not fix the Printer is not responding Windows 10 article then you need to perform a hard reset on your canon printer. Follow these steps to perform a hard reset on your canon printer.
- Turn on your printer
- Remove all papers from the paper tray
- Press the Stop button
- Wait for the beep sound until 19 times
- Release the button
Now you have performed the hard reset on your Canon printer. The printer is not responding issue should be resolved now
Caution: Performing a hard reset on the computer will erase all settings. You will have to connect the printer with the computer and networks after performing a hard reset on the computer.
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Factory Reset Epson Printer
In case you are using the Epson printer then you have to follow a different set of steps to reset the Epson printer. Follow these steps given below to reset the Epson printer.
- Turn off the printer using the power button.
- Press and hold the reset button at the back of the printer
- Power on the printer while the button is pressed
- Keep it pressed for 5 seconds
The Epson printer will start when it is completely reset. Now the printer is not responding Windows 10 problem should be solved.
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Reset Your Brother Printer
You have to perform a different set of steps for resetting the brother printer. Perform these below-given steps to reset the brother printer.
- Turn off Brother Printer
- Press and hold the Go button
- Turn on the printer
- Wait for the three LED lights to blink together
- Release and press the Go button 10 times
Now the factory reset on Brother Printer is completed. Your printer should work fine by now.
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Factory Reset the Ricoh Printer
For people facing the printer is not responding to Windows 10 error with Ricoh printer are supposed to reset their printer in a different way which is way too different than the above printers. Follow these below-given steps to accomplish the factory reset on the Ricoh printer.
- Press and hold down the # and ‘./*’ key simultaneously
- Keep the key pressed for more than 10 seconds
- Let the printer restart
Now the printer will be reset after 10 seconds. This solves the printer is not responding problem on Windows 10. If you are still facing the issue then try a different method given below.
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Step 2
Check for Paper Jam
When you are facing the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue then paper may be jam within the printer. The small pieces of paper in the printer roller can get stuck and cause a jam which leads to the printer is not responding issue. Follow these below-given steps to check whether your printer is facing the paper jam issue or not.
- Turn off the printer
- Remove the back panel
- Check the roller by turning it round
- Remove if you find any pieces of paper
Now when you will turn on the printer, you should see that the printer is not responding Windows 10 error is gone and you can print the documents. If there was no paper jam or you are still facing the issue with printing then try the method given in the next section.
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Step 3
Run the Printer Troubleshooter
When the above method can’t solve your printer is not responding Windows 10 issue then you should try the troubleshooting wizard. A printer troubleshooter wizard is a built-in tool provided by Windows OS which will diagnose any software or hardware related issues in the system. Follow the below-given steps to run the printer troubleshooter.
- Search Control panel in the search box.
- Now click on Devices and printers.
- Right-click on your printer and select the Troubleshoot option.
The troubleshooting wizard will open itself and diagnose your computer for any printer related issue. It will take some time but will see if anything is wrong with the printer. If your issue is not solved or the troubleshooting wizard is not able to detect anything wrong with your printer then try the next method in the next section.
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Step 4
Clean the Print Head
The print head is one of the core components of a printer. As time passes, the print head accumulates dust, carbon and spilled ink. You must clean the print head of your printer often as an unclean print head can cause the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue. The print head can be cleaned with a clean cloth dipped in alcohol. Follow these below-given steps to clean the print head of your printer
- Disconnect the printer from the computer
- Turn off the printer
- Remove the power cord
- Open the back panel
- Rub the print head with alcohol dipped cloth
Now when you will restart the printer it should print smoothly and the printer is not responding Windows 10 error should be fixed. In case your problem is still not solved then read the next segment of this blog.
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Step 5
Clear the Print Queue
If you are printing papers in large volume then this can overwhelm your printer. Because of this reason, you may face the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue on your computer. This happens because the print queue is overwhelmed because of too many printing instructions. Follow these steps given below to clear the print queue on your computer.
- Search cmd in the search box.
- Right-click on the Command prompt icon and select run as administrator.
- Type the ‘net stop spooler’ command on your keyboard.
- Open the file explorer.
- Type ‘C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printers’ in the address bar.
- Select all the files in this Window.
- Press the delete button.
- Return to the command prompt.
- Now type ‘net start spooler’ and press Enter.
Now you have successfully cleared the print queue. The printer is not responding Windows 10 issue should be fixed and you should be able to print documents with your printer. Read more in this blog in case you are still facing the printer is not responding issue.
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Step 6
Restart the Print Spooler
Print spooler is another important service that plays an important role when it comes to printing documents. This service may get stuck in a non-terminating loop while executing multiple instructions at a time. We need to restart the print spooler before fixing the printer is not responding problem. Follow the instruction set given here.
- Press the Windows key + R.
- Type services.msc in the run box.
- Search the services Window for Print Spooler.
- Right-click on the spooler and select the Stop option.
- Wait for a few minutes
- Again right-click on the Spooler option and select the Start spooler service.
Performing the above-given steps on your computer will restart the spooler service. Any loops will end after restarting this service. The printer is not responding Windows 10 problem should go away after trying this method. If not, then try the method given in the next segment.
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Step 7
Reinstall Printer Drivers
Any printer works with a set of preinstalled drivers on the Windows computer. Drivers provide a way for the printer’s hardware to communicate with the hardware of the system. However, drivers can become corrupt or damaged due to several technical factors. You need to reinstall printer drivers in such a scenario. Follow the below-given steps.
- Press the Windows logo key + R button.
- Type ‘devmgmt.msc’ in the run box.
- In the Device Manager, click on printers and expand it.
- Right-click on your printer and select the Uninstall the Driver option.
- Wait for the system to uninstall the drivers.
- Restart the computer
The printer drivers will automatically install on the computer when you restart the PC. The printer is not responding Windows 10 issue should be solved. If reinstalling the drivers cannot solve your issue then try this method in the below-given segment.
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Step 8
Update the Printer Drivers
If your printer is not responding Windows 10 problem is not solved by reinstalling the driver then the printer driver itself may be out of date. Such drivers will become incompatible with the rest of the hardware. Follow the steps given down below to update drivers on your computer.
- Type in ‘Device Manager’ in the search box.
- Click on the device manager from the search result.
- Expand the Printers option.
- Right-click on your printer and select the Update Drivers option.
Now that you have selected the update driver option, let the system look online for available drivers. Make sure that your computer is connected to the internet. When the drivers will update you may need to restart the computer.
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Step 9
Set the Printer as Default
Printer is not responding Windows 10 problem can also be caused if the current printer that you are using is not set as default. Even if this is the only printer connected to the computer, you will need to set it as default to fix the issue. Follow the steps given below.
- Click on the Start menu and go to the settings.
- Now Click on Devices.
- click on Printers and Scanners from the left menu options.
- click on your Printer and click on the manage button.
- Select the set as default option.
Now you have set your current printer as default one. Now you should be able to print as the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue is resolved. If the problem persists even after performing this step then try the below given method.
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Step 10
Reinstall the Printer
When none of the above methods can fix the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue then you should try the reinstalling the printer on your computer. A fresh installation is going to be trouble free. But first, you have to uninstall the printer. Let’s begin the process.
- Turn off your printer
- Disconnect the printer from the start menu
- Click on the Start menu and go to the settings.
- Click on Apps and features.
- Select the printer and click on uninstall.
- Restart the computer or laptop.
- Turn on the printer
- Reconnect the printer from computer
- Follow the on screen instructions to install the printer.
Tips to Avoid Printer is Not Responding Issue
The printer is not responding Windows 10 is a common and simple problem. This may haunt your computer in the future also. But you can also save yourself from facing this problem again in the future by following our set of tips as we have mentioned here.
If you follow our advice and take care of these small things then you should see that you will not face the printer is not responding Windows 10 issue on your computer.
Get Help from Official Support
We have written this blog for every brand of printer whether it’s Canon, Epson, Brother or Ricoh. All the steps are given in this blog apply to all printers. However, if you are still facing the problem then there can be some problem with the Printer’s hardware. It may need some technical assistance. You can visit the official website of your Printer manufacturer like brother printer support, Epson printer support, etc. for such help.
Final Words: Conclusion
This blog is written with hard work and dedication. We have researched well before writing this blog. All the steps are given here and the methods mentioned are to help our readers solve the printer is not responding issue. We would love to hear your thoughts about this blog.
