The computing industry is full of obscure technical terms like printer spooling. Spooling happens automatically in the background, and you’ll never notice the feature as long as it’s working properly. But since you are reading this article, probably something has gone wrong with printing on your machine, and you need to fix this mysterious spooler problem.
What does printer spooling mean?
Printer spooling has been around for decades and is somewhat like thread spooling or cable spooling. If you have more than you can easily handle at once, you wind it on a spool and take out only what is needed for the job.
Since most printers can only receive one document at a time, your computer’s operating system uses a print spooler to organize documents into a queue. Printers have a limited amount of memory, so a long document may require spooling. In that case, it will be split into two or more documents in the printer queue.
Both Windows and macOS include printer spooling features designed to prevent printer problems. The term originated when computers stored and retrieved information from magnetic tape drives. The tape is physically wound around the spool and unwound when the drive reads and writes data.
Printer Spooling vs Printer Queuing
Printer spooling may sound very similar to printer queuing, and the two are related. The difference is that the print spooler is a service or system app that runs in the background and handles any print jobs you send. The printer queue is a list of print jobs, and there is a list for each printer or print service you have installed on your computer.
It’s easy to clear the print queue on Windows and Mac when a document gets stuck. Clearing the queue is a quick solution to many printer problems, but it doesn’t always work.
Sometimes the print spooler may be damaged. It may stop running due to system instability, or the printer drivers may be outdated or corrupted. These problems cause printer spooler errors that interrupt printing.
How to Fix Printer Spooling on Windows
To fix printer spooling on Windows, you need to restart the system service that handles that task. This is easy to do from Task Manager.
First, use Windows + S Use a keyboard shortcut or select the search box in the taskbar to open the search window, then start typing “Task Manager” and select the app when it appears in the search results. Task Manager shows a list of all the processes running on your computer. You can find the Spooler service here, but it’s better to go to the Services tab.
Next, select three horizontal lines at the top left to open the sidebar, then select Services Tab. You will see a long list of services.
You can narrow the list by typing “spooler”. right-click spooler service and select restart To stop and restart it. This should resolve any printer spooling errors on Windows.
How to Fix Printer Spooling on Mac
To fix printer spooling on Mac, you can reset the macOS printing system to give it a fresh start. This is easy to do, but keep in mind that macOS removes your printer, so you’ll need to add your printer again.
First, open the Apple menu at the top left of the screen and select system arrangementThen type or find “Printer” in the search box Printers and Scanners In the left sidebar.
Next, in Printers and Scanners On the tab, right-click the printer list, then select reset printing system From the pop-up menu, and confirm by selecting reset From the pop-up window. Note that this will remove all printers you have added.
Then add your printer by selecting Add printer, scanner, or fax button at the bottom, then select your device from the printer list and select Add button.
If you need more help resetting a printer, check out our complete guide to adding a printer to your Mac.
Other Printer Problems
Printer spooling problems aren’t the only problem that can stop printing. If the solutions mentioned above don’t help, our guide to solving the most common printer problems can restore your productivity.
If you accidentally selected an old printer that you no longer use, you can set a new default printer so that this problem does not occur again.
better printing
With printer spooling issues resolved, you will be able to continue printing your document without any hassle. If you want to be able to print faster or with higher quality, you may want to look at the best printers available on the market to help you find a better solution.
If you need a printer that can also scan and make copies, you’ll want to review our list of the best all-in-one printers to find something that fits your budget while still meeting your needs. Needed