To print anything, the printer must constantly be in the Ready state. On the other hand, if the printer experiences an error, a message titled “Printer in an error state” will appear on your computer screen.
The problem typically occurs when your printer and computer are unable to communicate. For instance, you can see the error message if you attempt to print while the printer is in sleep mode or without installing the appropriate drivers. Similarly to this, port mismatch problems are also to blame if your computer is connected to several printers.
The printer’s connection to the computer must first be confirmed. So check that it is initially linked to the power source properly.
Check the printer’s USB connection after that. To test whether it resolves the issue, re-plug the USB cord from the printer into your computer. You can also try switching USB ports or cables.
If you’re using a wireless printer, do the same and verify the connection status. Reduce the distance between the printer and router by connecting your PC and printer to the same Wi-Fi.
Additionally, if your printer has a display panel, check to see if any problem messages are displayed and whether the printer has not gone into sleep mode.
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2.)Troubleshoot the Printer
I advise you to use the built-in printer troubleshooter in Windows to identify and resolve printer problems after checking the connections. It will identify the problem and make the required corrections to restore the printer to working order.
- Go to Control Panel and open View devices and printers.
- Right-click the printer you are facing issues with and click Troubleshoot.
- Wait for a while till the wizard troubleshoots the device.
- You will get such a message once the error is resolved.
- You will now see the printer is ready to print again with a 0 document(s) in queue status.
3.) Restart Spooler
When it comes to fixing issues with your printer, restarting the spooler service works like a charm. Additionally, it will assist in quickly transitioning your printer from an error condition to a ready state. Let me demonstrate how to quickly transition the printer from the error status to the ready condition.
- Open Control Panel > View devices and printers.
- Here s my printer in an Error state.
- Now open Command Prompt and run it as administrator.
- Type the following command and press enter after each command:
- net stop spooler
- net start spooler
- exit
- Now see the Status of your printer in the control panel. The error is gone. You can start printing right away. If you still face the issue, move to the fixes below.
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4.) Assign Correct Port to the Printer
When you assign the printer the wrong port, the printer may also enter an error condition. When you have several printers attached to the computer, this typically occurs. You should always designate a USB port for a wired printer and a WSD port for a wireless printer in order to fix the problem.
- Go to Control Panel and open View devices and printers.
- Right-click and select Remove device for other printers that are not in use.
- Then right-click the problematic printer and choose Printer properties.
- Go to the Ports tab. Check the port assigned to your printer. As mentioned earlier, it must be USB for wired printers and WSD for wireless printers.
- If it s not, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & Scanners.
- Click Add device > Add manually.
- Choose the last option and click Next.
- Choose USB or WSD accordingly and click Next.
- Choose your printer driver and click Next.
- Check Replace the current driver option and follow the on-screen prompts. It will solve the port mismatch issues of your printer.
5.)Install official Drivers
Although installing the entire driver package is not usually necessary for your printer to begin printing, it can occasionally cause issues and display messages like “Driver is unavailable” when you attempt to print. Therefore, to prevent such problems, it is always advised to install original drivers from your printer’s manufacturer.
Check for other Issues
When printer consumables, such as ink or toner, are running low, you may also get the notice “Printer is in an error state” on some printer types.
They could also encounter issues if the printer is jammed with paper.
