To fix stuck prints on Windows, you must restart the Windows Print Spooler service, which is the built-in system application that manages all your print jobs. When a document gets jammed, it freezes the entire queue and stops everything else from printing.
You can resolve this issue using the standard Windows Services menu, a quick Command Prompt shortcut, or by completely clearing out jammed files. Method 1: Using Windows Services (Easiest) Open Run: Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard.
Launch Services: Type services.msc into the box and press Enter.
Locate Spooler: Scroll down the alphabetical list to find Print Spooler. Restart: Right-click Print Spooler and select Restart.
(Note: If the service isn’t running at all, right-click it and choose Start instead). Method 2: Using Command Prompt (Fastest)
Open CMD: Press the Windows Key, type cmd, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator. Stop the Service: Type net stop spooler and press Enter. Start the Service: Type net start spooler and press Enter. Method 3: Clear Stuck Cache (For Persistent Jams)
If simply restarting the service does not clear the document, the broken print file is physically stuck in the Windows cache folder and needs to be deleted manually.
Stop Spooler: Open Command Prompt as an administrator and run net stop spooler.
Open Cache Folder: Press Windows Key + R, paste C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, and click OK.
Purge Files: Select all files inside this folder (usually ending in .spl or .shd) and delete them. Keep the folder itself intact.
Restart Spooler: Go back to your Command Prompt, type net start spooler, and press Enter.
Print Spooler Not Working? Fix Errors and Start Printing Again
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