Solutions: Windows 11 Cannot Connect to The Printer

After confirming that the printer has been turned on and its cable has been well connected, your Windows 11 still cannot connect to the printer. Please follow the solutions introduced in in this article on how to fix Windows cannot connect to the printer.

Before going ahead, you should know the reasons well why your Windows 11 /10 cannot connect to the printer. Generally speaking, these five major facts should be taken into consideration:

1. The comparability issues caused by your antivirus program;
2. The printer is recognized as unspecified device;
3. Improper printer settings;
4. Outdated system version;
5. Print Spooler Service not working;

Solution 1: Turn Off Antivirus Software Temporarily on Windows 11/10

If you’re running a third-party antivirus security software, you can right click the system tray to exit its running process, or you can right click on Start Menu and choose Task Manager to end the process of the antivirus software.

If you’re running Windows Security, please follow the steps below to disable Windows Security on Windows 11.

Step 1: Search Windows Security from the search box and click the Windows Security App;

Step 2: In the Security at a glance interface, click Virus & threat protection;

Step 3: Click Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings;

Step 4: Under the Virus & threat protection settings options, please switch the button to turn off the Real-time protection, and Cloud-delivered protection & Automatic sample submission if you will.

Solution 2: Update Printer Driver if The Printer is an Unspecified Device

If you’re not sure whether your printer is recognized as an unspecified device, please follow the steps to confirm:

Step 1: Search for Control Panel in the search box on Taskbar;

Step 2: After entering Control Panel, click on View device and printers under Hardware and Sound;

Step 3: There is a Unspecified category, please check whether your printer is under this category or not.

If your printer is under the section, then what you need to do is to update the drivers with a third-party driver updater to update the outdated drivers, such as Driver Booster, DriverEasy.

Or you can update the printer drivers with the system settings:

Step 1: Right click on the Start Menu and choose Device Manager;

Step 2: Scroll down to find the Print queues and right click on the printer, then choose Update driver;

Step 3: Choose Search automatically for drivers in the next interface;

Step 4: Windows 11/ 10 will help you finding out the new driver and install it automatically.

Once the driver gets installed, you need to restart your device and connect to your printer again.

Solution 3: Check The Default Printer Settings

Step 1: Enter System Settings and choose Bluetooth & devices;

Step 2: Turn on the option Let Windows manage my default printer;

Solution 4: Update Windows System to The Latest Version

The outdated Windows system would also be possible to cause the Windows cannot connect to the Printer. Therefore it is necessary to check and perform an system update.

Step 1: Click Start menu and choose Settings;

Step 2: Choose Windows Update on the left;

Step 3: Click the Check for updates button in blue on the right;

Step 4: Windows 11 will be updated automatically if there is an update released.

Follow Windows instruction to restart your computer and try to connect the printer to your system again.

Solution 5: Clear Spooler Files & Restart Spooler Service

Step1: Search for Service in the search box, and click on the app to enter the setting interface;

Step 2: Scroll down your mouse to find Printer Spooler and double click on it;

Step 3: In the Print Spooler Properties popup windows, please click Stop and OK to stop the service to run;

All the above 5 solutions about Windows cannot connect to the printer have been tested by us as efficient methods. Hope this article will help you to fix your problems about the Windows and printer connecting issues.