Computer Cannot Recognize or Connect to a Printer

Connecting a printer to your computer should be a fairly easy and straightforward task but, unfortunately, there are many variables that may prevent this from happening – a misconfigured Windows installation, missing drivers, outdated printer, or other issues. If your computer cannot recognize or connect to a printer, then you should try our troubleshooting guides to try to solve the issue:

Use Windows' 'Add printers & Scanners'

Typically, Windows will automatically identify your device and start up the configuration wizard. However, if this does not happen, you may need to start the process manually – this solution applies to WiFi, LAN, and USB-connected printers.

Open the Start Menu, and then find and open the 'Printers & Scanners' menu. Once there, press 'Add a printer or scanner' and see if Windows manages to discover your device.

Check for Connection Issues

There is a chance that the LAN cable or USB cable you are using is damaged, and it is preventing the connection between the computer and printer. We recommend trying a different cable to check if the problem persists.

If you are trying to connect through WiFi, then make sure that your printer is trying to connect to your home network and not to a different one.

Try Adding the Printer Manually

Going to the Start Menu -> Printers and Scanners, you will see an option called 'Find a printer by other options.' This will open a new wizard, which allows you to look for printers manually. There are five options to proceed:

• My printer is a little older. Help me find it. – if you select this, Windows will do another, more thorough search for connected printers.
• Select a printer by name – if you have saved the exact name of your printer, then you can enter it there to help Windows try to connect to it. You can discover the name by connecting another device to the printer.
• Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname – this is a more advanced feature. If you wish to try it, you should be able to find your printer's details by commanding it to print a 'status report.'
• Add a Bluetooth, wireless or network discoverable printer – this option commands Windows to do a more thorough search for available devices by using all available connection protocols.
• Add a local printer or network with manual settings – this is a very advanced feature, which involves using a multi-stage configuration wizard. It is certainly not recommended for inexperienced users, as it requires entering lots of technical and configuration data that is difficult to find.

Make sure the 'Print Spooler' Service is Running

Go to Start Menu -> Services. This displays a full list of installed Windows services. Scroll down until you reach the 'Print Spooler' service and see if its status is 'Running.' If it is not, right-click the service, go to 'Properties,' and press Start.

Update Printer Drivers

Finally, try to update your printer drivers. You can do this by using the CD/DVD that arrived with your printer or by downloading the latest version from the printer vendor's website. Alternatively, you can complete the task automatically by running a reputable driver updater.