The print spooler is a system service in Microsoft Windows operating systems that manages the printing process. It manages the order in which data is sent to printers, and also manages the status of each print job to ensure smooth printing. The print spooler can become corrupt or bogged down with incomplete tasks, resulting in stalled printing jobs or erratic printer behavior. To clear the print spooler, you’ll need to follow the steps outlined below.
1. First, make sure there are no documents left in the queue. To do this, open the printer control panel by pressing the Start button, selecting Devices and Printers, then clicking on the printer icon. Select the Print Test Page button to clear any incomplete jobs.
2. Next, open the Services window. To do this, press the Start button, type “Services” in the search bar, then select the Services app from the results.
3. Scroll down to the print spooler service. Right-click on the service and select Stop from the list that appears.
4. Once the print spooler is stopped, open Windows Explorer and navigate to the following location: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printers.
5. In the Printers folder, delete all files that have a .SPL or .SHD extension. These are the print spooler files.
6. Now, go back to the Services window, right-click on the print spooler service again, and select Start from the list that appears.
7. Finally, restart your computer.
By following these steps, you should be able to successfully clear the print spooler and get your printer working properly again. Remember to always check that all documents have been cleared from the queue before attempting to clear the spooler, as this will prevent errors from occurring due to incomplete jobs.