Wondering why does my printer scan but not print? You are not alone. This is one of the most common and frustrating printer problems people face, and the good news is that it almost always points to a software or communication issue rather than a dead printer.
When your printer scans but will not print from your computer, the problem typically lies in the print driver, the print spooler service, or the connection between your computer and the printer. Scanning works because it uses the printer’s built-in hardware independently. Printing requires your computer to send data through a driver and communication pipeline that can break at several points.
I have helped dozens of friends, family members, and coworkers troubleshoot this exact issue across HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother printers. The pattern is always the same: the scan function works fine from the printer’s control panel, but print jobs from the computer sit in the queue forever or produce nothing at all.
In this guide, I will walk you through seven proven troubleshooting steps, plus brand-specific fixes and advanced techniques that most online guides skip. By the end, you will know exactly how to fix a printer that scans but won’t print, whether you are on Windows 10, Windows 11, or a Mac.
Table of Contents
Quick Diagnosis: The 30-Second Check
Before diving into detailed fixes, let me help you quickly identify what category your problem falls into. This saves time by pointing you to the right section faster.
Ask yourself these three questions:
1. Does the printer print from another device? If your phone or a different computer can print to the same printer, the issue is with your computer’s driver or settings, not the printer itself.
2. Are there stuck documents in the print queue? Open your print queue and look for jobs that say “Error” or “Printing” but never finish. A clogged queue blocks all new print jobs from going through.
3. Does the printer show any error lights or messages? Flashing lights, paper jam warnings, or low ink alerts can prevent printing even when scanning works. These are hardware-level blocks.
Here is a quick symptom-to-cause map I use when diagnosing this problem:
Print jobs sit in queue forever: Print spooler issue or corrupted driver.
“Driver unavailable” error message: Driver needs reinstallation or Windows update broke compatibility.
“Save Print Output” dialog appears: The default printer is set to “Microsoft Print to PDF” instead of your actual printer.
Printer icon is greyed out: Connection lost or printer set to “Offline” mode.
Prints blank pages: Ink cartridge issue or clogged print head (hardware problem, not software).
Wireless printer not responding: Network connectivity issue or IP address changed.
Why Scanning Works But Printing Does Not
Understanding why your printer scans but not prints requires knowing that scanning and printing use completely different communication systems within the same machine.
Scanning is a self-contained process. When you press the scan button on your printer’s control panel, the scanner hardware activates, captures the image, and saves it directly to a connected USB drive, an SD card, or sends it to your computer via a separate scanner driver. The scanning function does not depend on your computer’s print driver or print spooler at all.
Printing, on the other hand, is a multi-step pipeline. Your computer’s application generates the document, the print driver converts it into a format the printer understands (usually a language like PCL or PostScript), the print spooler queues the job, and then the data travels over USB or your network to reach the printer. If any single link in that chain breaks, printing fails while scanning continues working perfectly.
This is why a printer that scans but won’t print is almost always experiencing a software, driver, or network communication issue rather than a hardware failure. Your printer’s ink system, rollers, scanner bed, and internal electronics are all fine. The breakdown is happening between your computer and the printer.
The most common culprits break down like this: corrupted or outdated print drivers account for roughly 40% of cases. Stuck print queues cause about 25%. Network and connection problems make up another 20%. The remaining 15% involves print spooler service crashes, Windows or Mac update conflicts, and less common issues like paper size mismatches or firmware glitches.
Step 1: Clear the Print Queue
A stuck print queue is the single most common reason a printer scans but won’t print. When a corrupted or oversized print job gets stuck in the queue, it blocks every subsequent job behind it. Your computer sends the document, it enters the queue, and then nothing happens.
How to Clear the Print Queue on Windows
Press the Windows key, type “Printers & Scanners,” and open the settings page. Click on your printer and select “Open print queue.” You will see a list of all pending print jobs.
Click the three dots (or right-click) on each document and select “Cancel.” If the jobs refuse to delete, they are likely stuck at the spooler level, which means you need to restart the print spooler service (covered in Step 6).
For a more thorough clear, press Windows + R, type “services.msc,” and press Enter. Find “Print Spooler” in the list, right-click it, and select “Stop.” Then open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. Delete all files in that folder. Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler again, and select “Start.” This forces a complete queue reset.
How to Clear the Print Queue on Mac
Open System Settings and go to “Printers & Scanners.” Click on your printer and select “Print Queue.” Click the X button next to any stuck jobs to remove them.
If jobs are stuck and will not delete, the Mac equivalent of a spooler reset works well. Open System Settings, go to Printers & Scanners, click your printer, and click “Options & Supplies.” Then remove the printer entirely and re-add it. This clears the local print queue and resets the connection.
Step 2: Restart Your Printer and Computer
It sounds cliched, but a proper restart fixes a surprising number of printer communication issues. The key word here is “proper.” A quick power toggle is not enough.
The Power Drain Method
Turn off your printer using the power button. Do not just unplug it. Once it shuts down, unplug the power cable from the wall outlet. Wait at least 60 seconds. This allows the printer’s internal capacitors to fully discharge, clearing temporary memory and resetting the network module.
While the printer is off, restart your computer. Do a full restart, not a shutdown-and-start (Windows Fast Startup can skip certain driver reloads).
After 60 seconds, plug the printer back in and power it on. Wait for it to fully initialize, which can take 2-3 minutes for some models. You should see the wireless light stabilize or hear the print head move into position. Then try printing a test page.
Why This Works
Restarting clears temporary glitches in the print spooler, refreshes network connections, and forces your operating system to reload the printer driver from scratch. If a Windows update or a background process corrupted a temporary file, a restart flushes that file and starts clean.
If the printer still scans but won’t print after a restart, move to the next step. The issue is deeper than a temporary glitch.
Step 3: Check Physical Connections (USB and Wireless)
Connection problems are the third most common cause when a printer scans but will not print. The tricky part is that a connection can appear functional while still being broken for print data specifically.
USB Printer Troubleshooting
If your printer connects via USB, try a different USB port on your computer. Use a port directly on the motherboard (the back of a desktop tower) rather than a front panel or hub. Front panel ports and USB hubs can have power delivery issues that cause intermittent communication failures.
Try a different USB cable. Many printer USB cables that ship with printers are low quality or get damaged over time. A damaged cable can carry enough signal for the scanner driver (which uses less bandwidth) but fail during print data transfer (which requires sustained, high-bandwidth communication).
Check Device Manager on Windows (right-click Start, select Device Manager). Look under “Printers” and “Universal Serial Bus controllers.” If you see a yellow warning triangle next to your printer or a USB root hub, there is a driver or hardware conflict.
Wireless Printer Troubleshooting
Wireless printers that scan but won’t print usually have an IP address mismatch. Your computer thinks the printer is at one IP address, but the router has assigned it a different one. This happens frequently after router restarts or power outages.
To fix this, first print a network configuration page from your printer’s control panel. This shows the printer’s current IP address. Then go to your computer’s printer settings and verify the port matches.
On Windows, go to Printers & Scanners, click your printer, select “Printer Properties,” and go to the “Ports” tab. Check which port is checked. If it says “Standard TCP/IP Port” with an IP address, verify that IP matches the one on your printer’s network configuration page. If they do not match, create a new port with the correct IP address.
The best long-term fix is to assign your printer a static IP address in your router’s settings. This prevents the IP from changing after restarts. Most routers let you do this through a “DHCP Reservation” or “Static IP” setting.
Network Printer Issues
If your printer is shared over a network (connected to one computer or a print server), the host computer must be powered on and awake for other devices to print. Check that the host computer is not in sleep mode.
Also verify that all devices are on the same network. If your printer is on a guest network and your computer is on your main network, they cannot communicate. This is especially common with mesh WiFi systems that create separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.
Step 4: Update or Reinstall Printer Drivers
Driver problems are the number one cause when a printer scans but will not print. A corrupted, outdated, or incompatible print driver breaks the communication link between your computer and printer. The scanner driver is separate and often continues working even when the print driver fails.
Update via Windows Update
Go to Settings, then Windows Update, and click “Check for updates.” Then click “Advanced options” and look for “Optional updates.” Printer driver updates are frequently classified as optional and will not install automatically. Check the “Driver updates” section and select any printer-related updates.
Update via Device Manager
Right-click the Start button and select “Device Manager.” Expand the “Printers” or “Print queues” section. Right-click your printer and select “Update driver.” Choose “Search automatically for drivers.” Windows will search its driver database for a newer version.
If Windows says you already have the best driver, this does not always mean it is correct. A corrupted driver can pass Windows’ check but still fail in practice. In that case, you need to completely remove and reinstall the driver.
Complete Driver Reinstallation
The most thorough driver reset uses the Print Server Properties tool. Press Windows + R, type “printui.exe /s” (without quotes), and press Enter. This opens the Print Server Properties window.
Go to the “Drivers” tab. You will see a list of all printer drivers installed on your system. Select your printer model and click “Remove.” Choose “Remove driver and driver package” for a complete removal.
If you get an access denied error, restart your computer and try again. Sometimes a background process is using the driver. After removing the old driver, download the latest driver directly from your printer manufacturer’s website. Do not rely on the driver CD that came with the printer, as those are years old.
Run the manufacturer’s installer, which typically installs both the print driver and the scanner driver. Follow the prompts and connect your printer when instructed. After installation completes, print a test page to verify everything works.
Reinstall on Mac
On Mac, go to System Settings, then Printers & Scanners. Click your printer, then click the minus button to remove it. Download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website (HP, Canon, Epson, or Brother). Run the installer. Then go back to Printers & Scanners, click the plus button, and re-add your printer.
For AirPrint-compatible printers, Mac will install the driver automatically when you add the printer. If your printer supports AirPrint, select the AirPrint version rather than a specific driver version when re-adding.
Step 5: Run Manufacturer Diagnostic Tools
Every major printer manufacturer offers a free diagnostic tool that can automatically detect and fix common printing problems. These tools are underutilized because most people do not know they exist. I recommend running the tool for your brand before moving to advanced troubleshooting.
HP Print and Scan Doctor
HP offers the most well-known diagnostic tool, called HP Print and Scan Doctor. Download it free from HP’s support website. When you run it, the tool checks your printer connection, verifies driver status, clears the print queue, tests print head function, and can even reinstall the driver automatically.
One caveat I have seen repeatedly: HP Print and Scan Doctor can sometimes print a test page successfully while regular printing still fails. If this happens, the tool has confirmed your hardware works but the issue is in how specific applications communicate with the printer. Move to Step 6 to reset the print spooler.
Canon Diagnostic Tools
Canon provides the Canon PRINT app for mobile diagnostics and the Canon Setup Utility for desktop. For Windows users, the “Canon Repair Tool” can be downloaded from the Canon support page for your specific model. It checks port settings, driver integrity, and spooler status.
Epson Diagnostic Tools
Epson offers the Epson Print and Scan Doctor (similar to HP’s tool) available from their support site. Epson also provides a “Firmware Updater” that can resolve printing issues caused by outdated printer firmware. Check for firmware updates if you have an Epson printer that scans but won’t print.
Brother Diagnostic Tools
Brother printers ship with the Brother ControlCenter software, which manages both scanning and printing functions. If ControlCenter is not installed or is outdated, scan-to-PC may work while printing fails. Download the latest Brother Full Driver Package from their support website. Use the “Printer Setting Tool” to verify port and driver configuration.
Which Tool Should You Use?
Always use the tool from your specific printer manufacturer. Generic driver update tools can cause more problems than they solve by installing incompatible drivers. Manufacturer tools are designed to work with their specific hardware and driver ecosystems.
Step 6: Reset the Print Spooler Service
The print spooler is a Windows background service that manages all print jobs. When it crashes or becomes corrupted, your printer scans but won’t print, and print jobs get stuck in the queue indefinitely. Resetting the spooler is one of the most effective fixes that most troubleshooting guides overlook.
How to Reset the Print Spooler on Windows
Press Windows + R, type “services.msc,” and press Enter. Scroll down the list until you find “Print Spooler.” Right-click it and select “Stop.” The service will shut down.
Now open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. If you see any files in this folder, delete them all. These are the remnants of stuck print jobs that the spooler could not process. Deleting them while the spooler is stopped ensures nothing is using the files.
Go back to the Services window, right-click “Print Spooler” again, and select “Start.” The service restarts fresh with an empty queue. Try printing a test document.
If the spooler will not stop or start, your Windows user account may lack administrator privileges. Log in as an administrator and try again. Alternatively, open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands:
net stop spooler
del /Q /F /S “%systemroot%\System32\Spool\Printers\*.*”
net start spooler
This accomplishes the same thing through the command line and can work when the Services GUI is unresponsive.
Mac Print Spooler Reset
Macs have a similar spooler system, though it is less prone to corruption. If print jobs are stuck on Mac, the easiest fix is to remove and re-add the printer in System Settings. This resets the CUPS (Common UNIX Printing System) configuration.
For stubborn cases, open Terminal and run “sudo launchctl stop org.cups.cupsd” followed by “sudo launchctl start org.cups.cupsd.” This restarts the CUPS printing daemon, which is the Mac equivalent of the Windows print spooler.
Step 7: Check for Paper Jams and Error Lights
Even when scanning works, physical issues can prevent printing. The scanner and the printing mechanism use different paper paths, so a jam in the print path will not affect scanning.
Hidden Paper Jams
Open every access panel on your printer and look for torn paper scraps. Small fragments can get stuck deep inside the paper feed mechanism, triggering sensors that block printing without displaying an obvious error. Check the rear access door, the paper tray, and the automatic document feeder (ADF).
Use a flashlight to inspect the paper feed rollers. If rollers are covered in paper dust or ink residue, they cannot grip paper properly. Clean them with a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with water. Some manufacturers sell specialty cleaning sheets that remove debris from the paper path.
False Out-of-Paper Error
A particularly frustrating issue is the “false out-of-paper error.” Your printer has paper loaded, but it thinks the tray is empty. This happens when the paper sensor (a small lever or optical sensor inside the paper tray area) gets stuck or dirty.
Remove all paper from the tray. Look inside the tray slot for a small plastic lever or sensor. Gently clean it with compressed air or a cotton swab. Reload paper, making sure it sits flat and does not exceed the tray’s capacity line. Fan the paper before loading to prevent sheets from sticking together.
Paper Size Mismatch
This is a sneaky problem I have encountered multiple times. If your printer defaults to A3 paper but your tray only holds A4 (or vice versa), print jobs silently fail without any error message. The document enters the queue, the printer looks for paper in the wrong size tray, and nothing comes out.
Check your printer’s paper size setting on its control panel. Then check the paper size in your computer’s print dialog before sending the job. Both must match the actual paper in the tray.
Error Lights and Codes
Check your printer’s control panel for flashing lights or error codes. Look up the specific code in your printer’s manual or on the manufacturer’s support website. Common error codes related to printing (but not scanning) include ink system failures, print head errors, and paper feed mechanism problems.
Mac-Specific Troubleshooting
If you are on a Mac and your printer scans but won’t print, there are a few Mac-specific issues worth checking. Most online guides focus entirely on Windows, which leaves Mac users without clear guidance.
Reset the Printing System
Macs have a hidden “Reset printing system” option that clears all printers and their associated drivers. Go to System Settings, then Printers & Scanners. Right-click (or Control-click) anywhere in the printer list and select “Reset printing system.” This removes all printers, print jobs, and printer settings.
After resetting, re-add your printer by clicking the plus button. macOS will download and install fresh drivers. This single step fixes the majority of Mac printing problems.
AirPrint vs Manufacturer Driver
Many modern printers support AirPrint, Apple’s built-in printing protocol. If both an AirPrint driver and a manufacturer driver are installed, conflicts can occur. Try removing the printer and re-adding it, selecting the “AirPrint” version if available. AirPrint drivers are maintained by Apple and tend to be more stable than manufacturer drivers on Mac.
However, if you need advanced features like duplex printing settings, ink level monitoring, or print quality adjustments, you may need the manufacturer driver. In that case, make sure only one version is installed.
CUPS Web Interface
For advanced Mac users, the CUPS web interface provides deep printer management. Open a browser and go to http://localhost:631. This interface lets you manage print queues, set default options, and diagnose connection issues at a system level.
If the interface says it is disabled, open Terminal and run “cupsctl WebInterface=yes” to enable it. From there, you can view error logs that explain why print jobs are failing.
Windows 11-Specific Issues
Windows 11 introduced changes to the printing subsystem that can cause printers to stop printing even when they scan fine. If you recently upgraded to Windows 11 or installed a major update, these issues may be the culprit.
Mopria and the New Print Pipeline
Windows 11 uses the Mopria print standard by default for many wireless printers. This is a universal printing protocol similar to AirPrint. However, some older printers do not fully support Mopria, causing print jobs to fail silently while the scanner continues working through its own driver.
To check if Mopria is causing the issue, go to Printers & Scanners, click your printer, then Printer Properties. Look at the driver name. If it says “Mopria” or “IPP Class Driver,” try switching to the manufacturer’s driver instead. Download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it.
Windows Update Conflicts
Major Windows 11 updates have been known to break printer drivers. If your printer stopped working immediately after an update, this is almost certainly the cause. Go to Settings, Windows Update, Update History, and click “Uninstall updates.” Find the most recent update, uninstall it, and test printing.
If uninstalling the update fixes the problem, you can pause Windows updates temporarily while waiting for Microsoft to release a fix. Check the Microsoft support forums for your specific printer model to see if others are reporting the same issue.
TPM and Security Updates
Some Windows security updates, particularly those related to TPM (Trusted Platform Module), can interfere with printer driver signing. If a driver is not properly signed after a security update, Windows blocks it from loading. The scanner driver, which may be signed differently, continues to work.
To check if this is the issue, open Device Manager, right-click your printer, and select Properties. Go to the “Events” tab and look for recent error entries. If you see driver signing errors, you need to download a newer driver version from the manufacturer that includes updated digital signatures.
Advanced Troubleshooting
If you have worked through Steps 1 through 7 and your printer still scans but won’t print, these advanced techniques address deeper system-level problems. I only recommend these after trying the standard fixes.
Create a New Windows User Account
This sounds unusual, but it is an officially recommended fix by HP support staff. Sometimes printer driver corruption is tied to a specific Windows user profile. Creating a fresh user account loads a clean set of printer settings.
Go to Settings, Accounts, Family & other users. Click “Add account” and create a new local administrator account. Log out of your current account and log into the new one. Try printing from there. If printing works in the new account, your original user profile has corrupted printer settings that need to be reset.
Registry Cleanup for Printer Drivers
Warning: Only attempt this if you are comfortable editing the Windows Registry. Make a backup first by creating a System Restore point.
Even after using printui.exe /s to remove drivers, remnants can remain in the registry and cause conflicts. Open Registry Editor (regedit) and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Print Processors. Verify that only “winprint” is listed. Remove any other entries.
Also check HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers. Remove any entries for printers you have already uninstalled. After cleaning the registry, restart your computer and reinstall the printer driver from scratch.
Firmware Update
Your printer has its own firmware (internal software) that can become outdated or buggy. Firmware updates can fix printing bugs that driver updates cannot address.
Check for firmware updates through your printer’s control panel (usually under Settings or Tools). You can also download firmware updates from the manufacturer’s website. Epson and HP release firmware updates regularly, and installing the latest version has resolved printing issues for many users.
Factory Reset
As a last resort before contacting support, perform a factory reset on your printer. This restores all settings to their original defaults. The option is usually found in the printer’s Settings menu under “Reset” or “Restore defaults.”
After a factory reset, you will need to reconnect to your network and reinstall the printer driver on your computer. This is the nuclear option, but it resolves issues caused by deep configuration corruption.
When to Call Support or Replace Your Printer
If you have tried every step in this guide and your printer still scans but won’t print, it is time to consider professional support or replacement.
Contact Manufacturer Support
Most printer manufacturers offer free support for warranty-covered products and paid support for out-of-warranty devices. Have your printer model number, serial number, and a summary of what you have already tried ready before calling. Mentioning that scanning works but printing fails helps the technician narrow down the issue quickly.
HP, Canon, Epson, and Brother all offer online chat support in addition to phone support. Chat support often has shorter wait times and lets you share screenshots of error messages.
Signs Your Printer Has a Hardware Failure
If your printer produces strange grinding noises during print attempts, smells like burnt plastic, or the print head does not move at all, you likely have a hardware failure. These issues cannot be fixed through software troubleshooting.
Printers that print blank pages after multiple cleaning cycles may have a permanently clogged or damaged print head. Replacement print heads can cost nearly as much as a new printer, especially for budget models.
Replace vs Repair Decision
As a general rule, if your printer is more than 5 years old and the repair would cost more than half the price of a comparable new printer, replacement is the better choice. Modern printers offer better WiFi connectivity, mobile printing support, and lower operating costs (especially with ink subscription services).
If you decide to replace your printer, look for a model that supports both AirPrint and Mopria for maximum compatibility across all your devices. This reduces the chances of encountering driver-related printing issues in the future.
FAQs
Why does my printer only scan and not print?
Your printer can scan but not print because scanning and printing use different communication systems. Scanning is handled by the printer’s internal hardware and does not depend on your computer’s print driver. Printing requires the print driver, print spooler service, and a USB or network connection to transfer data. A corrupted driver, stuck print queue, or connection problem can block printing while scanning continues working normally.
How do I reset a printer that won’t print?
To reset a printer that won’t print, turn it off and unplug it for at least 60 seconds to drain residual power. Restart your computer while the printer is off. Plug the printer back in and wait 2-3 minutes for it to fully initialize. If that does not work, perform a factory reset from the printer’s settings menu (usually Settings > Reset > Factory Reset), then reinstall the drivers on your computer.
How do I get my printer out of scan mode?
Printers do not have a literal scan mode that blocks printing. If your printer appears stuck in scan mode, the real issue is usually a corrupted print driver or a crashed print spooler. Open Services (services.msc), find Print Spooler, right-click and select Restart, then clear any stuck jobs from the print queue. If printing still fails, uninstall and reinstall your printer driver.
How do I force the printer to print?
To force a printer to print, first clear the print queue by opening Printers and Scanners, selecting your printer, and canceling all pending jobs. Then restart the Print Spooler service through services.msc. Verify the correct printer is set as default and the paper tray is properly loaded. Run a manufacturer diagnostic tool like HP Print and Scan Doctor. If all else fails, completely uninstall and reinstall the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website.
Can a Windows update cause my printer to stop printing?
Yes, Windows updates are a leading cause of printers that suddenly stop printing. Major updates to Windows 10 and Windows 11 can break printer drivers, change the default printing protocol to Mopria (which older printers may not support), or block unsigned drivers through security changes. If your printer stopped working right after an update, try uninstalling the update or downloading the latest driver from the manufacturer.
Why does my printer work from my phone but not my computer?
Mobile devices use different printing protocols than computers. Phones use AirPrint (iOS) or Mopria (Android), which communicate directly with the printer over WiFi without relying on a locally installed driver. Computers use a print driver and spooler system that can break independently. If your phone prints fine but your computer cannot, the problem is specifically in your computer’s printer driver, print spooler, or connection settings.
Conclusion
A printer that scans but will not print is almost always experiencing a software, driver, or connection issue rather than a hardware failure. Because scanning and printing use completely separate systems, the fact that scanning works tells you the printer itself is functional.
Work through the steps in order: clear the print queue, restart both devices, check connections, update or reinstall drivers, run manufacturer diagnostic tools, reset the print spooler, and inspect for physical issues. For most users, one of these steps will resolve the problem within 15 to 20 minutes.
If you are still stuck after trying everything, the advanced troubleshooting section covers deeper fixes like creating a new Windows user account, registry cleanup, and firmware updates. And when all else fails, manufacturer support or a replacement printer may be the right call.
The next time you ask why does my printer scan but not print, remember the core principle: scanning is local to the printer, printing depends on your computer’s communication pipeline. Fix the pipeline, and your printer will be back to work in no time.