How to Clear a Printer Queue on Windows

A stuck printer queue stops every new document behind it. Start with the Windows 11 print queue, then reset the Print Spooler if the job refuses to disappear.

Cancel stuck print jobs, clear the spool folder, and handle work or school printer queues with the current Microsoft-supported paths.

1. Cancel the stuck job from Windows Settings

Use the Windows 11 Settings queue first. It is the main path for removing one stuck document.

1. 1.Open Start.
2. 2.Select Settings.
3. 3.Choose Bluetooth & devices.
4. 4.Select Printers & scanners.
5. 5.Choose the printer with the stuck job.
6. 6.Select Open print queue.
7. 7.Right-click the print job.
8. 8.Select Cancel.

Wait for the job to disappear before sending the document again.

2. Clear every waiting job at once

1. 1.Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. 2.Select your printer.
3. 3.Choose Open print queue.
4. 4.Select the ... menu.
5. 5.Choose Cancel all.

If several documents are lined up and none of them need to print, this removes the pending jobs for that printer queue in one move.

3. Jump in through the taskbar printer icon

When Windows shows a printer icon in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar, it gives you a faster route to active jobs.

1. 1.Right-click the Printer icon on the taskbar.
2. 2.Select Open All Active Printers.
3. 3.Choose the printer.
4. 4.Select the print job.
5. 5.Open Document.
6. 6.Select Cancel.
7. 7.Select Yes.

If the Printer icon is not visible, select the arrow on the taskbar to show hidden icons. If you still do not see it, Microsoft says the job has already been sent to the printer and it is too late to stop printing in Windows. Use the printer's own controls, or the Print Spooler steps below, to clear what is left.

4. Stop the print request inside the app

The cleanest cancel happens before the job reaches the Windows queue.

In Excel, select Cancel in the Printing dialog right after choosing Print. In Microsoft Edge, select Cancel while the Edge print dialog is still open.

Once that dialog closes, use the Windows queue steps above.

5. Restart the Print Spooler service

Use this when the job changes to canceling and stays there. Restarting Print Spooler refreshes the Windows service that handles print jobs.

1. 1.Press Windows key + R.
2. 2.Type services.msc.
3. 3.Press Enter.
4. 4.Find Print Spooler.
5. 5.Right-click Print Spooler.
6. 6.Select Restart.

If Windows blocks the restart, sign in with an administrator account and repeat the steps.

6. Delete the stuck spool files

Use this when the normal queue and spooler restart fail.

Stop Print Spooler, clear C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then start Print Spooler again. Use an administrator account for this method.

1. 1.Press Windows key + R.
2. 2.Type services.msc.
3. 3.Press Enter.
4. 4.Right-click Print Spooler.
5. 5.Select Stop.
6. 6.Open File Explorer.
7. 7.Go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
8. 8.Delete all files in that folder.
9. 9.Return to Services.
10. 10.Right-click Print Spooler.
11. 11.Select Start.

Open the print queue again before printing. It should be empty.

7. Power cycle the printer and PC

After clearing the Windows side, restart the hardware so old job data stops feeding back into the queue.

1. 1.Turn off the printer.
2. 2.Wait at least 60 seconds.
3. 3.Turn the printer back on.
4. 4.On the PC, open Start.
5. 5.Select Power.
6. 6.Select Restart.

On supported Canon PIXMA models, press Stop to cancel printing. On supported Brother models, press and hold Go for about two seconds to cancel the current job, or six seconds to cancel multiple jobs. On Epson models with that documented control, press Cancel; the verified Epson guide says holding Cancel for more than three seconds deletes all jobs from product memory.

8. Remove and add the printer again

1. 1.Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. 2.Select the printer.
3. 3.Choose Remove.
4. 4.Select Yes.
5. 5.Return to Printers & scanners.
6. 6.Select Add device.
7. 7.Follow the prompts.

Use this after the queue clears but the same printer keeps failing.

For Windows 11, use the Settings path above. Older Control Panel printer queue paths are not the current Windows 11 guidance.

9. Cancel managed printer jobs in the right portal

Work and school printers can route jobs through Universal Print or a printer web portal.

For Universal Print secure release, scan the printer's QR code, open the Universal Print portal link, sign in with your work account, confirm the printer, select the pending job, and choose Cancel before releasing it.

For Universal Print admins, open Azure Portal > Universal Print > Printers, select the printer, open Jobs, select one or more jobs, and choose Cancel in the command bar. Completed, canceled, and aborted jobs cannot be canceled again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to clear a stuck printer queue on Windows 11?

Open Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, open the print queue, then cancel the stuck job.

How do I clear all print jobs at once?

Open the printer queue from Windows 11 Settings, select the ellipsis menu, and choose Cancel all.

Why does my print job stay on canceling?

The Print Spooler service is stuck. Restart Print Spooler from Services, then check the print queue again.

Does turning off the printer clear the Windows queue?

Power cycling helps after queue cleanup, but Windows jobs remain until you cancel them from the queue or reset the Print Spooler.

Can I cancel a Universal Print job from my phone?

Yes. If your organization uses Universal Print secure release, scan the printer QR code, sign in, select the held job, and choose Cancel before release.