Are you having trouble printing to your Windows 10 computer? If so, you may need to clear the print spooler. This process can help you troubleshoot printing problems and can be done quickly and easily. In this article, we’ll show you how to clear the print spooler in Windows 10 so you can get your printing back on track. To clear the print spooler in Windows 10, follow these steps: Open the Start menu and type Services in the search box. Find Print Spooler from the list of services. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Stop from the context menu. Delete all the files inside the Spool\Printers folder. Right-click on Print Spooler and select Start from the context menu. Now, the print spooler is cleared and the printer should be working properly. Clearing the Print Spooler in Windows 10 Print spoolers are a key part of any printing setup. They store documents and print jobs until they can be printed. When the print spooler is clogged or sluggish, it can cause delays in printing and other issues. Here’s how to clear the print spooler in Windows 10. The first step is to open the Control Panel and select the “Devices and Printers” option. This will open a window with a list of all the installed printers. Right-click on the printer that is having issues and select the “See What’s Printing” option. Next, select the “Printer” option from the top of the window and then choose the “Cancel All Documents” option. This will delete all of the documents and print jobs that are in the queue. Finally, select the “Delete All” option from the bottom of the window to clear the print spooler. Stopping and Starting the Print Spooler If the above steps do not clear the print spooler completely, you may need to stop and start the print spooler. To do this, open the Run dialog box (Windows key + R) and type in “services.msc”. Once the Services window opens, scroll down and locate the “Print Spooler” service. Right-click on the service and select the “Stop” option from the menu. Once the service has been stopped, it can be restarted by right-clicking on it and selecting the “Start” option. This should be enough to clear out any stuck print jobs and get the print spooler running smoothly again. Deleting Corrupt Files In some cases, the print spooler may be clogged due to corrupt files. To check for corrupt files, open the File Explorer and navigate to the following folder: C:\Windows\System32\spool\printers Once you are in this folder, delete any files that have a .spl or .shd extension. This should clear out any corrupt files and get the print spooler running smoothly again. Checking for Printer Drivers Print spoolers can also be clogged due to missing or outdated printer drivers. To check for printer drivers, open the Control Panel and select the “Hardware and Sound” option. Then select the “Printers” option and make sure that all of your printers have the correct drivers installed. If not, you may need to download and install the correct drivers. Using the Command Prompt Another way to clear the print spooler is to use the Command Prompt. To do this, open the Command Prompt (Windows key + X + A) and type in the following command: net stop spooler This command will stop the print spooler service. Once the service has been stopped, you can start it again by typing in the following command: net start spooler This should clear the print spooler and get it running smoothly again. Using Third-Party Software If all else fails, you can try using a third-party software program to clear the print spooler. There are a number of programs available that can do this, such as Print Spooler Fixer or Print Spooler Repair Tool. These programs can help you diagnose any issues with the print spooler and fix them quickly and easily. Few Frequently Asked Questions What is the Print Spooler? The Print Spooler is a Windows service that manages the printing process. It stores print jobs in a queue and sends them to the printer when the printer is ready. The Print Spooler service also monitors printer status and notifies the user when a print job is completed. Why Would I Need to Clear the Print Spooler? You may need to clear the Print Spooler if you’re having trouble printing or if your printer is not responding. Clearing the Print Spooler can help resolve common printing issues, such as documents not printing or stuck print jobs. How do I Clear the Print Spooler in Windows 10? To clear the Print Spooler in Windows 10, open the Services window by pressing Windows + R, type “services.msc” into the Run box, and press enter. Find the Print Spooler service, right-click it, and select “Stop” from the context menu. Then, open File Explorer, go to the C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS folder, and delete all the files in the folder. Finally, go back to the Services window and right-click the Print Spooler service and select “Start” from the context menu. Do I Need to Restart my Computer After Clearing the Print Spooler? No, you do not need to restart your computer after clearing the Print Spooler. However, it is recommended to restart your computer after any major changes to your system, such as clearing the Print Spooler. Are There Any Risks Involved in Clearing the Print Spooler? No, there are no risks involved in clearing the Print Spooler. However, it is best to make sure that all of your important files are backed up before making any changes to your system. What Should I Do if Clearing the Print Spooler Doesn’t Work? If clearing the Print Spooler doesn’t work, then you should try reinstalling the printer driver. To do this, go to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest version of the driver for your printer model. Then, uninstall the old driver and install the new one. If that doesn’t work, then you may need to contact the manufacturer or your local IT support for further assistance. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily clear the print spooler in Windows 10. Clearing the print spooler ensures that your printer will function reliably, and you will be able to print documents without any issues. It also helps reduce the amount of disk space used by the system, and can help improve overall system performance. With these simple steps, you can quickly and easily clear the print spooler in Windows 10.