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Windows 11 Freezes When Printing: 7 Quick Ways to Fix it
Make sure the OS and drivers are up-to-date
6 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Windows is known to be a user-friendly OS, offering a wide array of customizations and abilities with minimal crashes. And it becomes all the more important for users running the OS for critical tasks. But many found that Windows 11 freezes when printing.
While printing issues have troubled users for long, even on the previous iterations, problems with Windows 11 are a tad more complex since the iteration is relatively new and not yet polished. But when in the situation, you can easily troubleshoot things!
Why does Windows 11 constantly freeze when printing?
Here are a few reasons your computer freezes when trying to print in Windows 11:
What can I do if Windows 11 freezes when printing?
Before we move to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick ones:
If none work, head to the fixes listed next.
1. Change the default printer
Many users reported that changing the default printer fixed things if Windows 11 freezes when printing. Just make sure to set the preferred printer as the default device, and things should be good to go!
2. Restart the Print Spooler service
If you can’t access thePrintersfolder,take full folder accessand then delete the files. Once done clearing the cache and restarting thePrint Spoolerservice, you shouldn’t face Windows 11 freezes when printing.
3. Update the printer driver
Often, it’s the outdated drivers triggering computer freezes when printing; in this case, it’s best toupdate the printer drivers.
If Windows can’t find one, head to the manufacturer’s website, locate the latest version andmanually install the driver. This should also fix things if programs crash when trying to print in Windows 10.
However, if this process takes too much time or it seems too technical, you can use an automatic driver alternative to install any drivers on your PC. So, the software application will quickly scan the system for outdated drivers and give you the full list from which you can update them accordingly.
➡️Get Outbyte Driver Updater
4. Select a different port
A user reported that changing the ports fromUSB001toUSB003did the trick. Though it won’t be the exact same change for you, choosing the correct port should work if Windows 11 freezes when printing.
5. Repair the corrupt system files
When it’s the corrupt system files to blame for freezes in Windows 11 while printing,running the DISM tooland SFC scan should do the trick. The two help identify corrupt system files and replace them with their cached copy.
6. Uninstall conflicting applications
Oftentimes, a third-party program may cause Windows 11 to freeze when printing or crash other programs, including Edge, Word, and Chrome. Here, it’s best that you uninstall the conflicting application.
These could be printer management software, a security program, or one that can modify the connections.
7. Perform an in-place upgrade
When nothing else works, the last option is to perform an in-place upgrade. An in-place upgrade is basically like reinstalling Windows over the existing setup. And there’s no downside to it! You wouldn’t lose any stored files or apps.
By now, you should have fixed things if Windows 11 freezes when printing and the two should work perfectly fine.
Before you leave, find out how tospeed up printing in Windows.
For any queries or to share which fix worked for you, drop a comment below.
More about the topics:Printer Errors,Windows 11
Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim has always been fond of technology, be it scrolling through the settings on his iPhone, Android device, or Windows PC. He’s specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
Long-time Windows user, Kazim is ready to provide a solution for your every software & hardware error on Windows 11, Windows 10 and any previous iteration. He’s also one of our experts in Networking & Security.
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Kazim Ali Alvi
Windows Hardware Expert
Kazim is specialized in hardware devices, always ready to remove a screw or two to find out the real cause of a problem.
