Windows 11 Printer Not Responding After Update – Complete Fix Guide (Print Spooler Restart)
After recent Windows 11 security and cumulative updates, a rapidly increasing number of users have reported a serious printing problem. Printers that were working perfectly fine suddenly stop responding without warning.
Typical symptoms include:
- The printer status showing “Not Responding”
- Print jobs piling up endlessly in the print queue
- Documents stuck in “Error – Printing” or “Printing” status
- No actual output despite repeated print attempts
Many users try reinstalling printer drivers, reconnecting USB cables, or restarting their PCs — yet the issue persists. This leads to unnecessary frustration and wasted time.
In most cases, however, the printer hardware itself is not the problem. The real cause is usually a conflict or corruption within the Windows Print Spooler service.
In this guide, you will learn the most reliable and fastest method to fix this issue at home — without calling a technician and without reinstalling Windows. The entire process takes less than one minute in most cases.
What Is the Print Spooler and Why It Breaks After Windows 11 Updates
The Print Spooler is a core Windows service responsible for managing all print jobs. It temporarily stores print files and sends them to the printer in the correct order.
After major Windows 11 updates, this service may:
- Fail to release completed print jobs
- Become stuck due to corrupted spool files
- Stop responding to new print commands
When this happens, printing stops entirely — even though the printer itself is fully functional.
Step 1. Restart the Print Spooler Service (Fastest Fix)
This is the most basic yet highly effective solution. Restarting the Print Spooler forces Windows to reset all printing-related processes.
How to Restart Print Spooler
- Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog
- Type
services.mscand press Enter - In the Services window, press the P key to jump to Print Spooler
- Right-click Print Spooler
- Select Restart
(or click Stop, then Start)
In many cases, this step alone resolves the issue immediately. If printing still does not resume and documents remain stuck in the queue, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2. Force Delete Stuck Print Queue Files (Most Reliable Solution)
Even if the Print Spooler service is running, corrupted print files inside the Windows system folder can completely block all future print jobs.
Think of it as a traffic jam inside Windows — until the blockage is removed, nothing can move forward.
Print Queue Folder Location
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
How to Force Delete Print Queue Files
- Open
services.mscagain - Stop the Print Spooler service (File deletion will fail if it is running)
- Open File Explorer and navigate to:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS - Delete all files inside the folder (.SPL, .SHD, etc.)
- Return to Services and Start Print Spooler
- Turn your printer off, then back on
- Try printing again
These files are temporary and safe to delete. In over 99% of cases, printing resumes normally after this step.
② How to Permanently Remove Chrome Bottom-Right Pop-up Ads (Not Malware)
Have you ever been browsing the internet or watching YouTube, only to suddenly see adult ads, gambling ads, or terrifying messages like “Your system is infected” appear in the bottom-right corner of your screen?
Many users immediately assume their PC is infected with a virus or hacked and start running antivirus software.
In reality, this issue is usually NOT malware. It is caused by abused Chrome notification permissions.
The Trap: “Click Allow to Confirm You’re Not a Robot”
On many download or news websites, users are tricked by messages such as:
“Click Allow to confirm you are not a robot.”
The moment you click Allow, that website gains permission to send notifications directly to your desktop — which are then abused to deliver aggressive ads.
Antivirus programs cannot block this, because Chrome itself is doing exactly what it was told to do.
Permanent Fix: Remove Chrome Notification Permissions
The fastest and most accurate solution is cleaning Chrome’s notification permission list.
- Open Google Chrome
- Click the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner
- Go to Settings
- Select Privacy and security
- Click Site Settings
- Scroll down and click Notifications
Under “Allowed to send notifications”, carefully review the list. If you see unfamiliar or suspicious websites, they are the source of the ads.
Click the three-dot menu next to each suspicious site and select Remove or Block. The pop-up ads will stop immediately.
Bonus Tip: Hancom Office Users
If Chrome notifications are disabled but ads still appear, the cause may be Hancom Office Update Tray.
This is a common issue on Korean PCs, where a banner-style advertisement appears at Windows startup.
How to Disable Hancom Update Ads
- Click the Windows Start button
- Open the Hancom Office folder
- Launch Hancom Settings
- Go to the Other tab
- Uncheck Automatic Update Notifications
Final Thoughts
By fixing Print Spooler issues and cleaning Chrome notification permissions, you can restore a stable, distraction-free Windows environment in minutes.
If this guide helped you, consider sharing it with friends or coworkers who are struggling with printer or pop-up ad issues.
Disclaimer
This guide is based on standard Windows 11 and Chrome environments. Menu locations and steps may vary depending on system configuration and version. The user is responsible for any system changes made. Always back up important data before modifying system files.



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