Cancel a print job on Windows
On Windows, the fastest way to stop a print job is through the Devices and Printers menu. Open the Start menu, type "Devices and Printers" into the search box, and press Enter. Find your printer in the list, right-click it, and select "See what's printing." A window will open showing all jobs waiting to print.
Click the job you want to stop, then click the "Document" menu at the top of that window. Select "Cancel" from the dropdown. The job will disappear from the queue within a few seconds. If you have multiple jobs stacked up, you can cancel them one at a time or select all of them at once by pressing Ctrl+A, then cancel the entire batch.
If the Devices and Printers menu does not open or your printer does not appear there, try the Command Prompt instead. Press the Windows key and R together, type "cmd" and press Enter. Type this command exactly: net stop spooler and press Enter. Wait a few seconds, then type net start spooler and press Enter again. This stops and restarts the print system, which clears stuck jobs. Your printer will be ready to use again immediately.
Cancel a print job on Mac
On a Mac, go to System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions), then click "Printers & Scanners." Find your printer in the list on the left and click it. A button labeled "Open Print Queue" will appear on the right side of the window. Click that button to see all waiting jobs.
Find the job you want to stop and click the minus sign (−) button next to it. The job will be removed from the queue immediately. If the minus button is grayed out, the job is already printing and cannot be cancelled from this menu — in that case, you may need to press the Cancel or Stop button on the printer itself.
If the Print Queue window does not open or you cannot see your printer listed, restart the print system. Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight), then type launchctl stop org.cups.cupsd and press Enter. Wait a few seconds, then type launchctl start org.cups.cupsd and press Enter. This clears any stuck jobs and restarts printing.
Key Takeaways
- On Windows, open Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, select "See what's printing," then click the job and choose Cancel from the Document menu.
- On Mac, go to System Preferences, click Printers & Scanners, select your printer, click Open Print Queue, and click the minus button next to the job.
- If a job is already printing and will not cancel from the software, press the Cancel or Stop button on the printer itself to stop it immediately.
- If jobs are stuck and will not cancel, restarting the print system (spooler on Windows, cupsd on Mac) clears the queue and usually solves the problem.
Cancel a job that is already printing
If the job has already started printing and cancelling it through the computer does not work, use the printer's physical controls. Most printers have a Cancel, Stop, or X button on the front panel. Press and hold it for two to three seconds. The printer will stop the current job and return to its ready state.
On some printers, especially older models, you may need to open the printer's menu using the buttons on the front panel, navigate to "Job Queue" or "Current Job," and select Cancel from there. Check your printer's manual if the buttons are not clearly labeled — the manual is often available as a PDF on the manufacturer's website if you no longer have the physical copy.
Clear a stuck print queue
Sometimes a job gets stuck in the queue and will not cancel through normal means. The print system thinks the job is still there, but the printer has already finished or given up. On Windows, the Command Prompt method described above (stopping and restarting the spooler) almost always fixes this. On Mac, the Terminal method does the same thing.
If restarting the print system does not work, restart your computer entirely. This clears the queue completely and gives the printer a fresh start. After the restart, check Devices and Printers (Windows) or Printers & Scanners (Mac) to confirm the queue is empty before printing again.
Prevent jobs from piling up in the first place
The easiest way to avoid a stuck queue is to wait for one print job to finish before sending another. If you send five jobs at once and the first one fails, the others will sit in the queue waiting. Send one job, confirm it printed, then send the next one.
If you are printing from multiple programs at the same time, close the ones you are not actively using. Some programs hold onto print jobs even after you think you have cancelled them, and closing the program forces it to release the job. Also check that your printer is turned on and connected to your computer or network before you print — a disconnected printer will cause jobs to stack up and fail.
What to do if the printer itself is broken
If you cancel a job but the printer still tries to print it, or if the printer is making unusual noises or showing an error message, the hardware itself may have a problem. Check the printer's display screen for error codes — these usually tell you what is wrong (paper jam, low toner, offline, and so on). Clear any paper jams, refill toner or ink, and make sure the printer is plugged in and turned on.
If the error persists after you have checked these basics, try unplugging the printer for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. This resets the printer's internal systems and often clears errors that are not caused by physical problems. If the printer still will not work after a restart, consult the manufacturer's support website or contact their support line — they can walk you through more advanced troubleshooting specific to your model.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a print job after it has already started printing?
Yes, but you need to use the printer's physical buttons rather than the computer. Press and hold the Cancel or Stop button on the front of the printer for two to three seconds. The printer will stop immediately and return to ready mode. Cancelling through the computer menu does not work once printing has begun.
Why does my print job keep coming back after I cancel it?
The job is stuck in the print queue because the printer did not acknowledge that it was cancelled. Restart the print system: on Windows, use the Command Prompt method (net stop spooler, then net start spooler); on Mac, use Terminal (launchctl stop org.cups.cupsd, then launchctl start org.cups.cupsd). If that does not work, restart your computer entirely.
What if I cancel a job but the printer is offline?
The job will stay in the queue until the printer comes back online, then it will try to print again. Cancel the job through your computer's print menu before turning the printer back on. If the printer is already offline, restart the print system to clear the queue, then turn the printer on and reconnect it.
Does cancelling a print job waste ink or paper?
No. Cancelling before the job reaches the printer uses no ink or paper at all. If the job has already started printing, cancelling it stops the printer immediately and wastes only the paper and ink that were already used before you pressed Cancel.
Can I cancel someone else's print job on a shared office printer?
On a shared network printer, you can usually see all jobs in the queue, but you can only cancel your own. If you need to cancel someone else's job, ask them to cancel it from their computer, or contact your IT department or network administrator. They have the permissions to remove any job from the queue.