Printer in an Error State? 7 Ways to Fix it on Windows & Mac
An unexpected error with your printer can prevent you from printing urgent documents. All you can see is that your printer has encountered an error but it doesn’t explain much. So, it’s time to learn how to fix the error and resume the print job.
Printer Repair Dubai pros have suggested some easy yet effective solutions to restore your printer’s functionality. Regardless of the printer’s model, you can apply the methods for both Windows and Mac computers. Let’s follow through.
How to Solve ‘Printer is in an Error State’?
Error state notifications are quite common, as verified by printer repair Dubai experts. Typically, improper connections, low ink, corrupted printer driver, and so on can contribute to error-state problems among different printer brands, such as:
- HP
- Brother
- Epson
- Canon
- Xerox and more
Fortunately, you can resolve such error states on Windows and Mac computers with some general fixes. A printer repair in Dubai recommends the following solutions to proceed with and solve the corresponding error state:
1. Strengthen Your Printer’s Connection to the Computer
Be it a USB or wireless, the printer must connect to a compatible computer or any other mobile device. If you neglect the connection between your printer and PC, the functionality of your printer can be compromised. Consequently, it can enter an error state.
If it’s a USB or wired printer, ensure you have plugged the connecting cable securely into both your printer and computer. Additionally, experts from a printer repair near me mentioned that the cable must be in top-notch condition. So, check the cable for damage and replace the existing one if required.
On the other hand, a wireless printer should connect to the Wi-Fi network that your computer has already joined. Inspect if the wireless network has active internet connectivity. If you have changed the password of the network recently, make sure you update that on your connected devices as well.
Now, check if your computer, be it Windows or Mac, has successfully detected your printer and the error state has disappeared.
2. Be Sure the Printer is Online
A ‘printer is in error state’ warning is pretty common if the respective device is labelled as offline. Hence, you have to make sure that the printer appears online on your connected computer. Here’s how you can check if the printer is online or offline on a Windows PC, as confirmed by printer repair services Dubai:
- Press the Windows + S keyboard shortcut to launch the Search panel. Now, type ‘control panel’ in the search bar and launch the first result.
- Afterwards, click on the ‘View by’ option and set it to Large icons. Select the option that says, ‘Devices and Printers’.
- Click on the problematic printer and see if it’s flagged as online or offline. The status will appear as Ready if your printer is online.
- Otherwise, right-click on your printer and check the ‘Use Printer Online’ option from the context menu.
However, the process is a bit different for a Mac computer. As reported by a printer repair service near me, here’s what you can follow:
- Click the Apple menu from the top-left corner of the Mac screen.
- Now, click the System Preferences or System Settings option from the menu.
- Next, opt for Printers & Scanners from the sidebar. You might have to scroll down to reach the Printers & Scanners option.
- Click on the erroneous printer from the list of Printers.
- After that, hit the Printer Queue button followed by Window. You can check out the list of Completed Jobs to verify if the printer uses the Dock to proceed with all the assigned tasks.
If your printer still shows an error state, move on with the following solutions.
3. Restart Your Printer
Perhaps, the error state is a temporary glitch and nothing can be better than a quick reboot to fix it. Indeed, printer repair services in Dubai agree that restarting your printer can get you rid of the infuriating error state.
How can you restart your printer? Well, you can refer to your printer’s instruction manual to find out the dedicated steps for a restart. Otherwise, you can simply press your printer’s Power button. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute. Then, press the printer’s Power button again.
By now, your printer should be up and running. Test if your printer is error-free.
4. Confirm the Ink Level and Paper Requirements
A printer can remain in an error state if it doesn’t have sufficient ink levels or sheets in the input paper tray, as suspected by printer repair Dubai specialists. Since it’s a printer issue, you have to pay attention to the respective device’s ink and paper requirements.
You can go to your printer’s control panel and investigate the ink levels. Your printer should be turned on when you test the ink levels. Otherwise, you should bring out the cartridge and look for leaks and other damage. You must replace the cartridge if the printer requires ink or the cartridge is broken.
On a related note, a lack of sufficient sheets in your printer input tray can kick the device out of its track. Inspect your printer’s input tray and make sure enough sheets are loaded. Or else, lod enough sheets into the tray. In addition, you can check the printer for stuck paper or paper jams to eradicate the error state.
5. Clear Print Spooler Files
The Print Spooler is a specific service that allows a printer to communicate with the connected mobile device and continue the print job. Now, too many print jobs accumulated in the Print Spooler can make your gadget malfunctioning and your printer stays in an error state.
According to a printer repair in Dubai, here’s how you can clear the Print Spooler on a Mac:
- Navigate to the Apple icon and click on it.
- Next, click on System Settings or System Preferences.
- Select Printers & Scanners and click the active printer.
- Now, click on Open Print Queue.
- Finally, select every print job and cancel them.
On a Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, you have to go through the following instructions to clean the print spooler files:
- Open File Explorer on your Windows computer with the Windows + E keyboard shortcut.
- Next, input the following path on the address bar: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printers.
- The folder will show all the files or documents in the print spooler folder. Select all of them and delete them.
- Now, you need to navigate to another file path: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Drivers\w32X86.
- Open the folder named ‘w32X86’ and delete all the content from it.
- Launch the Services window and restart the Print Spooler service. For opening up Services, bring up a Run utility and enter ‘services.msc’.
See if your printer is still in an error state.
6. Update Printer’s Driver
Corrupted printer drivers can cause the device to stay in an error state. That’s why a printer repair service near me recommends updating your printer’s driver. On a Mac, you won’t find a dedicated way to update your printer’s software.
Instead, you can visit the printer manufacturer’s website and check if a firmware update is available. However, you can update your printer’s driver manually on your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device. Here’s what you need to follow to update printer driver on a Windows PC:
- Press the Windows and X keys simultaneously to bring up a context menu.
- Next, click Device Manager from the context menu.
- Now, click the Print Queues option to expand the option.
- Right-click the erroneous printer and select ‘Update driver’.
- Afterwards, opt for the automatic search and go through the on-screen instructions.
Check if the error state still exists.
7. Reinstall Your Printer
Do you still suffer from the ‘a printer is in error state’ warning on your PC? Uninstall the printer and reinstall it again to get rid of the error state. According to the printer repair services Dubai team, here’s the tutorial on how you can reinstall a printer on a Windows PC:
- Open the Device Manager utility using the Windows Search bar.
- Now, locate your printer and right-click on it. Select the option that says, ‘Uninstall device’.
- After that, restart the PC and connect the printer to your computer as if it’s a brand-new device.
The computer will reinstall your printing device automatically. Similarly, you can erase a printer from the list of available printers and re-add to the device with the steps below:
- Enter System Preferences or System Settings under the Apple menu.
- Click on Printers & Scanners and choose the printer you want to uninstall.
- Next, hit the remove or minus icon.
- Now, refer to your printer’s instruction manual to see how you can install the printer from scratch.
What if Nothing Works?
Moreover, Printer repair services near me suggest updating the computer’s operating system. This will make your computer compatible with the latest utilities of the printer. Otherwise, you can contact a repair professional if the ‘printer is in an error state’ problem persists.
