Print Spooler service is not running

• Estimated time: 2 min
• Easy
• Low risk

Distinguish service, queue and printer status.

1. Find Services from Start and locate Print Spooler. Record Running or Stopped, any startup message and the time. Do not change startup type or dependencies.

2. If running with only one stuck job, use the related queue guide. If running but the printer is Offline, use that path. If stopped, choose first occurrence, repeated stopping or a managed environment.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk
• Administrator required

1. With administrative authorization and after notifying other printing users, choose Start if stopped. Use Restart only when running but unresponsive and that state is established. Leave other configuration unchanged.

2. If it stays running, inspect queues before sending more documents. If clear and no trigger is known, try a small nonsensitive document. Success makes a temporary state plausible and you can stop. If it stops again, record whether that happened before or after printing and follow the matching branch.

• Estimated time: 10 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. If it stops immediately without a new job, do not assume there are no pending documents: an old queue may resume. Record the error and time and whether it began after printer software or driver installation.

2. In Event Viewer review matching Application and System events or ask support to do so. A named module can guide which package to investigate; it does not establish that every old driver must be removed. If the service cannot remain active, stop retrying and give that information to support.

• Estimated time: 10 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. If a crashing job is already identified, do not resend it. Keep its original, source application and destination. If the service is stable and you have permission, cancel only that job in that printer’s queue; do not cancel other people’s documents.

2. Only after removing the problematic job and with the service stable, compare a different small document on the same printer. If it works, focus on the document/application rather than reinstalling every printer. If any document to that destination fails but another printer works, review its queue, driver and port with the manufacturer.

3. If the comparison stops the service again, stop and keep the result. If all printers are affected, move to the shared-environment branch; do not keep generating tests that interrupt service.

• Estimated time: 5 min
• Easy
• Low risk

1. If every printer fails, identify whether they share a server and whether other users are affected. A shared failure directs review toward the service or environment, not necessarily each physical printer. Also report the last software/driver installed.

2. Ask IT to correlate events, the triggering queue and the implicated package. If the service was disabled by policy, do not re-enable it to bypass that policy. On personal PCs, manufacturer support can verify the exact package and a targeted repair when tests point to it.