How to Troubleshoot a Printer Spooler Missing Error

Check your print spooler settings.

The print spooler plays a vital role by servicing print jobs and keeping track of the printers installed on your computer. If you are suddenly unable to print, or if you cannot access any of your printers, chances are the print spooler service is not running properly. Any time you experience problems with your printer, it is a good idea to check the status of the print spooler.

Instructions

1. Click the "Start" button and choose "Control Panel" from the list. Double-click the "Administrative Tools" icon. If that icon is not visible, click the "Classic View" option to display the full list of control panel icons.

2. Double-click the "Administrative Tools" icon, then double-click the "Services" icon. Scroll down to the "Print Spooler" service, and double-click it.

3. Use the drop-down box next to "Startup Type" to change the startup option to Automatic. Changing the service to automatic ensures that it will start each time the computer is restarted, and will remain running until it is manually stopped.

4. Right-click the "Print Spooler" service and choose "Start" to start the service manually. You can also simply reboot your computer and allow the service to start up automatically.

5. Send a print job to the printer and wait for it to print. If the job does not print, or if you get an error message, go back to the print spooler service and make sure it is running.

References

• Microsoft Support: Print Spooler Error: Let Me Fix It Myself