What a print queue is and why it gets stuck
Your print queue is a list of documents waiting to print, stored on your computer or printer. When you send something to print, it sits in this queue until the printer finishes the job before it. Most of the time this works invisibly — a document prints and disappears from the queue. But sometimes a job gets stuck: the printer jams, loses power, or encounters an error, and that stuck job blocks everything behind it.
A stuck print job doesn't clear on its own. The printer keeps trying to process it, which means new documents you send never reach the printer. You end up with a queue full of jobs that won't print, and the printer appears broken even though it's working fine.
Key Takeaways
- A stuck print job blocks the entire queue, so clearing it is usually the fastest fix when nothing will print.
- On Windows, you clear the queue through Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, then select your printer and open the queue.
- On Mac, System Settings > Printers & Scanners lets you right-click your printer and select "Open Print Queue" to delete stuck jobs.
- If the software method doesn't work, restarting the print spooler service (Windows) or printer itself usually clears the queue.
- Clearing the queue removes only pending jobs — it does not affect documents already printed or your printer settings.
How to clear the queue on Windows
Open Settings and go to Devices, then Printers & Scanners. Find your printer in the list and click it. You'll see an "Open queue" button — click that to see all pending jobs. Select the stuck job and click the X or Delete button to remove it. If you have multiple stuck jobs, you can delete them one at a time or select all and delete them together.
If the queue window won't open or the delete button doesn't work, you need to restart the print spooler, which is the Windows service that manages printing. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Find "Print Spooler" in the list, right-click it, and select "Restart". This stops and restarts the service, which clears stuck jobs from memory. After the restart, try printing again.
If Print Spooler doesn't appear in the services list or won't restart, your printer driver may need updating. Go to Device Manager (right-click the Start button and select it), find your printer under "Printers", right-click it, and select "Update driver". Choose "Search automatically for updated driver software" and let Windows find and install the latest version.
How to clear the queue on Mac
Open System Settings and go to Printers & Scanners. Find your printer in the list on the left. Right-click it and select "Open Print Queue". A window shows all pending jobs. Click the X next to any stuck job to remove it. Unlike Windows, Mac doesn't require restarting a service in most cases — removing the job from the queue usually works immediately.
If the print queue window won't open or the X button doesn't respond, restart the printer itself. Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. This clears the queue on the printer's side. After the printer restarts, go back to Printers & Scanners and check whether the queue is empty.
Clearing the queue directly from your printer
Many printers have a menu on the printer itself where you can view and delete pending jobs. Look for a "Menu" or "Settings" button on the printer's control panel. Navigate to "Jobs", "Queue", or "Pending Documents" — the exact name varies by brand. Select the stuck job and press Delete or Cancel. This removes it from the printer's memory without touching your computer.
If your printer has a touchscreen display, the process is usually simpler: tap the job and look for a trash icon or "Delete" option. Check your printer's manual if you're unsure where the queue menu is — most manufacturers post them online by model number.
When the queue still won't clear
If restarting the spooler and deleting jobs didn't work, the printer driver itself may be corrupted. Uninstall the driver completely, restart your computer, and reinstall it. On Windows, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, right-click your printer, and select "Remove device". Restart the computer. Then go to your printer manufacturer's website, download the latest driver for your model, and run the installer.
On Mac, the process is simpler: go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, right-click your printer, and select "Remove". Restart the computer. Then download the latest driver from the manufacturer's website and install it. The printer will reappear in Printers & Scanners once the driver is installed.
If the queue still won't clear after reinstalling the driver, the issue may be with the printer's firmware or a hardware problem. Check whether your printer has a firmware update available on the manufacturer's website. If it does, download and install it following the instructions provided. If the queue remains stuck after a firmware update, contact the printer manufacturer's support — a hardware issue may require repair.
How to prevent stuck jobs in the future
Most stuck jobs happen because the printer lost power, encountered a paper jam, or ran out of paper mid-job. Check your printer before sending large jobs: make sure it has paper, toner or ink, and a clear paper path. If the printer shows an error light, clear the error before printing.
If you need to cancel a print job before it finishes, don't just unplug the printer. Instead, open the print queue on your computer, find the job, and delete it there. Then you can safely turn off the printer. This prevents the printer from getting confused about what it was supposed to do.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will clearing the queue delete documents I've already printed?
No. The queue only holds jobs waiting to print. Once a document finishes printing, it's removed from the queue automatically. Clearing the queue removes only pending jobs that haven't printed yet.
Does clearing the queue affect my printer settings or saved documents?
No. The queue is temporary storage for jobs in progress. Your printer settings, saved documents on your computer, and any files in cloud storage remain unchanged. Clearing the queue affects only the list of jobs waiting to print.
What if I clear the queue by accident and needed one of those jobs?
You'll need to send the document to print again. The original file on your computer is still there — only the print job was removed from the queue. Open the document and print it again.
Can I clear the queue on a network printer at work?
Network printers usually have their own web interface. Open a web browser, type the printer's IP address in the address bar (check the printer's settings menu or ask your IT department for the address), and log in. Look for a "Jobs" or "Queue" section where you can delete stuck jobs. Some network printers also let you clear the queue from the control panel on the printer itself.
Why does my printer queue keep getting stuck even after I clear it?
Repeated stuck jobs usually mean the printer driver is outdated, the printer firmware needs updating, or there's a hardware issue like a failing print head. Try updating both the driver and firmware first. If jobs keep getting stuck after that, the printer may need service.