How to Clear the Print Queue in Windows

If your documents are stuck in the print queue and nothing is printing, don’t worry — clearing the print queue usually fixes the issue. Follow the steps below to cancel all pending print jobs and start fresh.

Step-by-Step: Clear the Print Queue

Option 1: Using the Printer Menu

1. Open the Start Menu and search for Printers & Scanners.

2. Click on your printer from the list.

3. Select Open print queue (you might need to right click)

4. In the new window, click Printer in the top menu, then select Cancel All Documents.

5. Confirm the action if prompted.

If this doesn’t work or the queue is stuck, try the manual method below.

Option 2: Manually Restart the Print Spooler

1. Open the Start Menu, search for Services, and open it.

2. Scroll down and find Print Spooler in the list.

3. Right-click it and choose Stop.

4. Open File Explorer and go to:
   C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
   (You may need admin permissions.)

5. Delete all files in this folder — these are the stuck print jobs.

6. Go back to the Services window, right-click Print Spooler again, and choose Start.

That's it.