If you are getting an error that Windows cannot connect to the printer while using the printer, this post will help you resolve the issue. While it can happen due to anything, many users have reported that Windows Update is one of the reasons why the problem occurs. This post will help fix the problem in Windows 11/10.

What is causing this problem?

There can be several reasons why printers might have issues on a Windows PC. This may be due to a firewall, a corrupted driver, or a disabled printer.

Basic checks before working with a number of solutions

Before we start troubleshooting, be sure to check a few basic things to know that this is not a major error or glitch.

1] Have you turned on the printer?

The last used printer is set by default if you are using Windows. To connect your PC to the printer in real time, click Start. Go to “Settings”: select devices, printers and scanners. Make sure “Let Windows manage my default printer”is checked.

2] Have you connected your PC to the printer? Check wires

Sometimes the PC and the printer do not stay connected to the same network. You need to check if the printer is available in shared mode from the main PC.

Go to Start. Select settings, then devices. Then select Printers and Scanners. Select the printer you want to connect to and click Manage. Open the “Printer Properties and Sharing”tab and enable the “Share this printer”feature.

3] Have you restarted your computer?

Try rebooting your system as this might just fix the problem. When the computer restarts, it closes everything and restarts everything again. Many temporary problems can be solved.

If none of this works, follow the detailed guide to fix the problem.

Fix: Windows was unable to connect to the printer

Here are seven methods by which you can fix the problem that Windows was unable to connect to the printer in Windows 11/10.

Run the printer troubleshooter
Update the printer driver if it is listed as an undefined device in Device Manager.
Reinstall the printer
Check Windows Firewall Blocks
Restart the print spooler service.
Windows Update
Registry changes

Some of them will need administrator permission to complete the steps.

1] Run the printer troubleshooter.

Sometimes, just running the Printer troubleshooter can fix a specific issue on a Windows 11 PC. This can be done in the following steps:

Right-click the Start button and select Run. The Run command window will open.
Type ms-settings: troubleshooting in the search bar and click OK. This will bring up the troubleshooting settings window.
Then, under Options on the right side, select other troubleshooters.
You will find the most frequently encountered section on the right side. Under it, select “Printer”and then “Run”. The troubleshooter will run and if there is any problem, it will be fixed automatically.

Later, close the troubleshooter and see if the printer can be connected to the system.

2] Update the printer driver if it is listed as an undefined device in Device Manager.

If the printer driver is broken and doesn’t work, it’s best to uninstall it. You can do this by following the steps listed below:

Press the Win + R hotkeys to open the Run command window.
A search bar will appear. You need to enter devmgmt.msc and then click OK to open the Device Manager window.
Next, go to Print Queues and click on it to expand the section.
Right-click the printer and select Uninstall device.
Select “Delete”again to confirm the same.
After uninstallation is complete, go to the manufacturer’s website and download the updated printer driver after installing it manually. The new version will fix the problem.

3] Reinstall the printer

Go to Settings (Win + I) and select Devices. Then select Printers & Scanners.
Now select the printer you want to remove.
Click “Remove device”and select “Yes”.

These steps will remove the driver from your system. If you have additional devices connected to your computer, repeat the process to remove them individually.

To reinstall the printer, connect it to the system and download the OEM driver for installation.

4] Check Windows Firewall blocks and disable them.

Often, printer problems occur due to the inclusion of the Windows Defender Firewall in the system, which prevents any external device from connecting to the PC. The firewall must be disabled in order to solve the problem in such situations.

Press Win+R to open the Run command window.
In the search bar, type firewall.cpl and press Enter. The Windows Defender Firewall window in the Control Panel will open.

Click “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off”on the left.
Then, in the Customize Settings window, navigate to the private network settings for each network and select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option. Click OK to save changes and close.
Repeat the process for the public network settings.
Now try to connect the printer to the system.

If this works, you will need to check if the printer ports or printer services are not restricted anywhere in the firewall list.

5] Restart the Print Spooler Service.

This is a printer related service offered by Windows systems without which printers cannot work. You can try restarting the assigned service by following a few steps:

Open a Run prompt with Win + R, type services.msc and press the Enter key.
Then go to the print spooler. Right-click the option and select Reload.

This will restart the print spooler service and if anything is stuck this should clean it up.

6] Windows Update

Windows Update might be another alternative. Microsoft releases general fixes through Windows Updates that can help fix issues.

Press the Win + R keys to launch the Run command.
When the search bar appears, type ms-settings:windowsupdate and press Enter. The Windows Update page opens in the Settings panel. Go to the right side and select Check for Updates. If any update is available, it will download successfully.
Once the download is complete, an “Install Now”button will appear. Click.
Finally, you will be prompted to restart your computer with immediate effect, or the time and data can be selected according to your convenience to start the action.

This should fix the problem that Windows cannot connect to the printer.

7] Use Registry Editor

Before making any changes to the settings, it is necessary to have a backup copy of the registry data to avoid data loss. After that, follow these steps:

Press Win + R to open the Run command.
Type regedit in the search bar. Press Enter to launch the Registry Editor panel.

Перейдите в раздел HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print.

Move to the right side of the window and right-click on an empty area.
Then select “New”and then select “DWORD Value (32-bit)”.
Then rename the DWORD value to RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled. Double-click the newly created value to open the “Edit DWORD Value (32-bit)”section.
Then go to the “Value”field and enter 0. Select “Hexadecimal”in base. Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
Exit the Registry Editor window and reboot your system.

Check if the issue is resolved.

Conclusion

I hope the post was easy to follow and you were able to fix the “Windows could not connect to the printer”error on your Windows PC.

What are the most common printer problems?

There are several common printer problems that you may encounter. These include paper jams, ink cartridge problems, and connection problems. Paper jams are perhaps the most common problem you may encounter. They can be caused by a variety of things, such as torn or wrinkled paper, debris in the paper tray, or even a problem with the printer itself.

Ink cartridge problems are another common problem. This may be caused by an empty cartridge, a clogged cartridge, or a defect. Connection problems can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as a bad connection between the printer and the computer, a problem with the printer drivers, or even a problem with the printer itself.

What can cause the printer to not print?

There are several possible reasons why the printer cannot print. One of the common problems is that the printer is not properly connected to the computer. Another possibility is that the printer is turned off or not receiving power. Also, the printer may run out of ink or toner. Finally, there may be a problem with the printer driver or the document being printed.