How do I Troubleshoot a Printer?

Question

• How do I troubleshoot a printer that is experiencing issues?
• On my PC, how do I check the spooler and/or remove and re-add the printer?
• On my Mac, how do I remove and re-add the printer?

Answer

All faculty, staff and students have the ability to troubleshoot a printer problem.

Basic printer troubleshooting steps:
 

1. Make sure the printer is plugged into the wall and the computer.
    
2. Turn printer off and on again.
    
3. If the printer is connected through a USB cable, try plugging the printer into a different USB port.
    
4. If you are still experiencing issues, unplug the printer from the wall for 15 seconds and plug back in.
    
5. Check for driver updates. The company's website should supply the driver that matches the printer's model number.

Additional Troubleshooting for PCs:

Try Checking the Spooler
 

1. Open "Computer Management."
    
2. In the console tree, click "Services and Applications."
    
3. Click "Services."
    
4. In the details pane, double-click "Print Spooler."
    
5. Depending on your task, please click either  "Start" to start the service or "Stop" to stop the service.

Try Removing and Re-adding the Printer
 

1. Go to the "Devices & Printers" page on the Start Menu.
   
   
2. Right click and "Remove" the device, and then add it back.

Additional Troubleshooting for Macs:
 

Try Removing and Re-adding the Printer
 

1. Go to "System Preferences" and proceed to the "Printers and Scanners" page.
   
   
2. Remove the device by using the "-" at the bottom.
   
   
3. Add the printer back by clicking the "+."

If you need further assistance, please submit a service request or CHAT with TAC