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HP Printer Shows "Printer Is in Error State" on Windows? Fix It Here

Last updated: March 2026

The "Printer is in an error state" message on Windows is frustrating because it's so vague. Your HP printer might be turned on and connected, but Windows refuses to print. This error is almost always a Windows software issue, not a problem with your printer itself.

Let's walk through the fixes that work most often, starting with the quickest solutions first.

In This Guide:

  • How to restart the Windows print spooler service
  • How to properly uninstall and reinstall HP printer drivers
  • How to identify and roll back problematic Windows updates
  • How to disable HP startup programs that interfere with printing

Fix #1: Restart the Print Spooler Service

Press Windows key + R, type "services.msc," find "Print Spooler" in the list, right-click it, and select "Restart." The print spooler is a Windows background service that manages print jobs and can cause the "printer is in an error state" message when it gets stuck or corrupted.

Steps:

  1. 1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog
  2. 2. Type services.msc and press Enter
  3. 3. Scroll down and find "Print Spooler" in the list
  4. 4. Right-click "Print Spooler" and select "Restart"
  5. 5. Wait for the service to stop and start again (about 10 seconds)
  6. 6. Try printing again

Why This Works:

The print spooler temporarily stores print jobs before sending them to the printer. If a print job gets corrupted or stuck, the entire spooler can freeze and show error messages. Restarting the spooler clears all pending jobs and resets the communication between Windows and your HP printer.

Fix #2: Set Your HP Printer as the Default Printer

Press Windows key + I, go to "Printers & scanners," find your HP printer, click on it, and select "Set as default." Windows might be trying to send print jobs to a different printer or virtual printer instead of your HP printer.

Steps:

  1. 1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings
  2. 2. Go to "Bluetooth & devices" (Windows 11) or "Devices" (Windows 10)
  3. 3. Click "Printers & scanners"
  4. 4. Find your HP printer in the list and click on it
  5. 5. Click "Set as default" (Windows 10) or toggle off "Let Windows manage my default printer" first if needed (Windows 11)
  6. 6. Try printing a test page

Fix #3: Uninstall and Reinstall HP Printer Drivers

Go to Settings, open "Printers & scanners," remove your HP printer, press Windows key + R, type "printui.exe /s /t2," remove all HP drivers, restart your computer, then download and install fresh drivers from HP's website. Corrupted or outdated printer drivers are a common cause of the "error state" message.

Steps:

  1. 1. Open Settings and go to "Printers & scanners"
  2. 2. Click on your HP printer
  3. 3. Click "Remove device" or "Remove"
  4. 4. Confirm the removal
  5. 5. Press Windows key + R, type printui.exe /s /t2 and press Enter
  6. 6. This opens the Print Server Properties. Click the "Drivers" tab
  7. 7. Find all HP drivers in the list, select them, and click "Remove"
  8. 8. Choose "Remove driver and driver package" when prompted
  9. 9. Restart your computer
  10. 10. Go to HP's support website and download the latest driver for your printer model
  11. 11. Install the driver and follow the setup wizard

Important:

Download drivers directly from HP's website, not from Windows Update. HP's drivers are often more up to date and include additional software that helps the printer communicate better with Windows.

Fix #4: Check for and Roll Back Recent Windows Updates

Press Windows key + I, go to "Windows Update," click "Update history," select "Uninstall updates," find the recent update, and click "Uninstall." Sometimes Windows updates break printer functionality.

Steps to Check Recent Updates:

  1. 1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings
  2. 2. Go to "Windows Update" (Windows 11) or "Update & Security" (Windows 10)
  3. 3. Click "Update history"
  4. 4. Look for updates installed around the time your printer stopped working
  5. 5. Click "Uninstall updates"
  6. 6. Find the recent update and click "Uninstall"
  7. 7. Restart your computer
  8. 8. Test your printer

Alternative:

If you can't roll back the update, check if HP has released a newer driver that's compatible with the latest Windows version. Visit HP's support site and download the most recent driver for your printer model.

Fix #5: Disable HP Startup Programs in Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, click the "Startup" tab, right-click HP programs like "HP JumpStart" or "HP Support Solutions Framework," select "Disable," and restart your computer. HP installs several background programs that can sometimes interfere with Windows printing.

Steps:

  1. 1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager
  2. 2. Click the "Startup" tab (or "Startup apps" in Windows 11)
  3. 3. Look for HP programs like "HP JumpStart," "HP Audio Switch," or "HP Support Solutions Framework"
  4. 4. Right-click each HP program and select "Disable"
  5. 5. Restart your computer
  6. 6. Test printing

Note:

Disabling these startup programs won't prevent your printer from working. They're just utilities for things like checking ink levels or updating firmware. Your printer will still print normally without them running at startup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ✗Don't just restart Windows: You need to specifically restart the print spooler service, not just reboot your computer.
  • ✗Don't use the "Add Printer" wizard right away: Remove all traces of the old driver first using the Print Server Properties method described above.
  • ✗Don't install drivers from driver update software: Only download drivers directly from HP's official support website.
  • ✗Don't pause Windows updates forever: If you uninstall a problematic update, check back in a month to see if Microsoft has fixed the issue in a newer update.

How to Prevent This Problem

  • ✓Keep HP drivers updated: Check HP's website every few months for new driver releases.
  • ✓Pause Windows updates before important printing: If you have a big print job coming up, delay Windows updates until after it's done.
  • ✓Use USB connection if WiFi is unreliable: A wired connection eliminates network-related printer errors.
  • ✓Clear the print queue weekly: Go to "Printers & scanners," open your printer's queue, and cancel any stuck jobs.

Still Seeing "Printer Is in Error State"?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my HP printer show "error state" only on Windows?

The "printer is in an error state" message is a Windows-specific error, not a printer hardware problem. It usually happens because of conflicts between Windows and the HP printer driver, issues with the print spooler service, or problems caused by Windows updates. The same printer often works fine from a Mac or phone because they use different printing systems.

Can a Windows update cause the "printer is in error state" message?

Yes, Windows updates frequently break printer functionality. Microsoft sometimes changes how Windows communicates with printers, which can make existing drivers incompatible. If your printer worked fine before a Windows update and now shows an error state, try rolling back that update or downloading a newer driver from HP that's compatible with the latest Windows version.

Will restarting my computer fix the HP printer error state?

Sometimes, but not always. Restarting your computer does restart the print spooler service, which can fix temporary glitches. However, if the problem is caused by corrupted drivers or a Windows update, you'll need to take additional steps like reinstalling drivers or rolling back updates. It's worth trying a restart first since it's quick, but don't expect it to fix deeper issues.

Should I use HP Smart app or install traditional drivers?

Both can work, but traditional drivers downloaded from HP's website tend to be more stable for printing. The HP Smart app is convenient for scanning and checking ink levels, but some users report it causes more "error state" issues than traditional drivers. If HP Smart is giving you problems, uninstall it and use the standalone driver instead.

How do I know if my HP printer drivers are corrupted?

Signs of corrupted drivers include the "printer is in an error state" message, the printer appearing offline when it's clearly turned on, print jobs getting stuck in the queue, or Windows not recognizing the printer at all. If restarting the print spooler and your computer doesn't help, corrupted drivers are the likely cause and you should reinstall them completely.

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