One of the most common issues HP printer users report is the “HP printer won’t print” issue. In this post, we’ll discuss why this error occurs and more importantly how you can resolve it on your own.

So, let’s get started.

Why Does the HP Printer Won’t Print Issue Occur?

This issue can occur due to many reasons, ranging from faulty connections, outdated or missing drivers to incorrect Windows configurations and more.

How to Resolve the HP Printer Won’t Print Issue?

Shared below are 5 solutions to this issue. We recommend you try them in the order they are listed.

Solution One: Check the Status of Your HP Printer

Here’s what you need to do:

• First, check whether the HP printer has paper in the tray. If there’s enough paper, then the next step is to make sure it is not jammed or stuck. In case one or more paper sheets are jammed or stuck in the printer’s paper feed, visit the HP website or speak to an HP representative to find out the most efficient way to remove them. This is important because the last thing you would want is to ruin the printer’s paper feeder or internal motor while removing stuck or jammed paper sheets.
• If there’s no issue with the paper sheets in the paper tray, check whether there’s enough ink.

In case you find that the HP printer needs servicing, we recommend contacting HP customer support.

Solution Two: Cancel All Pending Printer Jobs

Sometimes, a print request doesn’t go through because other print jobs are stuck in the print queue. The solution is to clear the print queue, so that newer jobs can be completed.

Here’s what you must do:

• Press Windows + R keys simultaneously
• In the Run dialogue box, type control panel and press the OK button

• Locate and click “Devices and Printers” in the control panel window

• All the printing devices installed on your computer will appear. Find the HP printer with which you are facing a problem
• Right-click the problematic printer and choose “See what’s printing”

• Click the “Printer” menu and then choose “Open as Administrator”
• Again, click the “Printer” menu and this time choose “Cancel All Documents”

• Click the Yes button in the confirmation dialogue box that appears on your screen
• Now, try to print a job again and check if there’s an issue. If there is, try the solutions listed below

Solution Three: Set the HP Printer as Your Default Printer

It is possible that your HP printer is not printing simply because it is not receiving a print request. This can happen when the printer in question is not set as the default printer.

Here’s how you can check whether the HP printer is set as the default printer, and if it is not, how you can make it the default printer.

• Press Windows + R keys simultaneously
• In the Run dialogue box, type control panel and press the OK button
• Locate and click “Devices and Printers” in the control panel window
• Locate your HP printer, right-click it, and choose “Set as default printer”

• Click Yes if you see a pop-up window asking you to confirm your decision
• Now you will be able to see a green tick mark next to your HP printer, which confirms that it is now your default printer
• Try printing a page now, and if the problem persists, move on to the next solution

Solution Four: Basic Printer Troubleshooting

Make sure your printer is powered on and connected to your Windows PC or laptop. If the lights at the front of the HP printer are not on, this means your printer is not powered on. In that case, unplug the printer and plug it back again. Next, press your printer’s power button to turn it on.

If the printer is powered on but still not printing, ensure it is connected to Windows. If you are using a wired printer, make sure there’s no issue with the printer cable.

Solution Five: Update the Printer Driver

If none of the above methods work, there’s a good chance there’s some problem with the printer driver. Either your printer driver is outdated, missing, or faulty. In all of these cases, installing the latest printer driver will do the trick.

So, the big question is: How can you get the latest HP printer driver?

You can update the HP printer in two ways: manually and automatically. We recommend the latter because not only it is simple and quick, but it also doesn’t require any technical knowledge. Simply use a reliable driver update tool, such as Driver Updater. It will automatically install the latest HP printer driver. All you have to do is click the mouse a few times. Sounds cool, eh?

Automatic driver update tools offer many benefits, the most important ones being:

• You can update device drivers automatically
• The software scans and updates all outdated or missing drivers at one go
• The tool picks the right drivers for your device and operating system, so you won’t have to worry about installing an incorrect driver by mistake
• Automatic driver updates are 100% safe

Driver Updater is one of the best driver update tools out there. Outbyte Driver Updater will give you access to a database of over 1 million drivers. It will regularly scan your PC, suggesting new driver versions to install. Driver Updater contains drivers for a variety of Windows devices. With just one click, you can update drivers in your system.

Step 1
Click here to Install and launch the app

Step 2
Scan all devices

Step 3
Install or update drivers automatically

 

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