Printers are one of the most crucial devices to own if you wish to convert soft copy files into hard copy. The print spooler is essential software that allows the users to manage their print jobs and organize them. Not just that, you can also delete a print job using the printer spooler technology. However, if the print spooler keeps stopping, it can be quite irritating to fix it.

There are various reasons why the print spooler keeps stopping on your PC. For example, if you have an outdated printer driver or haven’t installed the latest Windows 10 update, your printer spooler service can crash frequently. The print spooler service must keep running seamlessly if you wish to avoid encountering any issues in printing.  

23 Solutions To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10

There are a vast number of solutions you can try out if the print spooler keeps stopping. You can follow the solutions (in chronological order) mentioned below.

1. Run the Printer Troubleshooter

Windows 10 PCs have a built-in printer troubleshooter that you can use to gauge the print spooler issue. You need to open the Settings app. Press the Windows key + I to open Settings; enter Troubleshoot in the search box and click on Troubleshoot settings.

Open Troubleshoot settings
Open Troubleshoot settings

Now, navigate to the Printer section and select Run this troubleshooter. Follow the on-screen prompts of the troubleshooter and wait until the process is completed.

Click on Run this troubleshooter to fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping
Click on Run this troubleshooter

Restart the PC after the troubleshooting process and see if the print spooler issues are resolved.

2. Check the Remote Procedure Call Services Status

The Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a protocol that allows a program to request services from another service in another PC in a network without the need for providing any network details. If your print spooler keeps stopping on Windows 10, it could be because the RPC services might not be appropriately set.

To rectify the RPC settings, press Windows key + R to open the Run command window. Enter services.msc in the address bar to open the Services window.

Open the Services window
Open the Services window

Next, locate and right-click on the RPC Locator service. Select Properties from the context menu.

Open RPC properties
Open RPC properties

Then, change the Startup Type to Automatic in the General tab. Click on Apply and OK to save the changes.

Change the Startup type to Automatic  to fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping
Change the Startup type to Automatic

The print spooler should ideally start working after this process.

3. Clear Spooler Files

If the print spooler keeps stopping, it might be due to corrupt and unnecessary files, which further leads it to crash frequently. Clearing the backlog helps in clearing the pending print job.

First, open the Services window using the Run command as we saw in the previous solution. Locate and right-click on the Print Spooler service and choose Stop; minimize the Services window after this stop.

Stop the Print Spooler service
Stop the Print Spooler service

Now, open the Windows File Explorer and navigate to the following locations. Make sure you accept the administrative privileges while opening these folders.

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
C:\Windows\System64\spool\PRINTERS

Delete all the files present in the PRINTERS folder in both paths. Remember, you need to delete only the folder contents, not the entire folder itself.

Delete contents  to fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping
Delete the contents in the PRINTERS folder

Now, open the Services window that you minimized earlier. Right-click on the Print Spooler and start it.

Star the Print Spooler service

Then, disconnect your printer from the PC and reconnect it after a few minutes. Check if the print spooler keeps stopping after executing this method.

4. Restart Print Spooler Service

If the print spooler keeps stopping, you can restart the print spooler service and check if that resolves the issue.

First and foremost, open the Services window using the Run command window, as shown in the previous solutions.

Then, locate and right-click on the Print Spooler service; select Restart from the context menu.

Restart to fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping
Restart the Print Spooler service

Once the service restarts, you can try printing a paper to check if the computer successfully sends the print job to the print spooler.

5. Uninstall Extra Printers

If you have connected multiple printers to your Windows 10 computer,  that might be the reason why the print spooler keeps stopping frequently. Make sure you disconnect all the unnecessary printers and then try sending print jobs to the spooler.

Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings window. Search and click on Printers and Scanners in the search box.

Open Printers and Scanners from Settings
Open Printers and Scanners from Settings

Next, select and click on the printer you wish to disconnect. Click on the Remove now option to finish the process.

Remove the printer device  to fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping
Remove the printer device

Once you have removed all the unnecessary printers, Reboot the PC and check if the spooler works properly.

6. Delete the Duplicate Driver

If you have installed duplicate printer drivers on your PC, uninstall them using the Print Management tool. Go to the Cortana search bar and type Print Management. Click on Print Management from the list.

Once the Print Management window opens, select All Drivers in the left pane.

Now, in the right pane, notice all the duplicate drivers and delete them. Check if the print spooler keeps stopping frequently after this process.

7. Reinstall Printer Drivers

If you are facing a printer spooler error, you can consider uninstalling and reinstalling the printer drivers to fix the issue.

To begin with, press the Win key + X shortcut to open the Device Manager. Then, navigate and expand Printers drivers.

Right-click on a driver and select Uninstall from the context menu. Once they are uninstalled, you can visit the manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers.

Next, expand the Printer Queues section; right-click on each print queue and select Update. After you have executed all these steps, reboot the PC and check if the problem exists.

8. Install The Device Drivers In Compatibility Mode

You can install the printer drivers in Compatibility Mode to stop the spooler not working issue. If your current drivers are outdated or incompatible with the Windows operating system, running in the Compatibility Mode can help them run seamlessly.

First and foremost, open the folder in which you have downloaded the printer driver. Now, right-click on it and select Properties.

Next, check the option ‘Run this program in Compatibility mode for’ present under the Compatibility tab.

Now, you can select any operating system from the given options in the drop-down menu. Click on Apply and OK to save the settings. Install the drivers and reboot the PC before checking if the issue has been resolved.

9. Delete Unnecessary Registry Keys

If the print spooler keeps stopping on Windows 10 computers, you can make appropriate modifications in the registry by rectifying the spooler registry keys. However, you must backup your registry settings before you make any changes; if anything goes wrong, you can retrieve the backup settings.

Press the Windows key + R to open the Run command; enter regedit in the address bar and press the Enter key.

Enter regedit and click on OK
Enter regedit and click on OK

When the Windows registry opens, go to the following paths. Make sure you follow the path as per your system configuration.

For 32 Bit Windows version:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ControlPrint\Environments\Windows NT x86\Print Processors

For 64 Bit Windows version:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows NT x64\Print Processors

Now, you have to eliminate all the files except winprint. Now, right-click on the file and select Delete from the context menu.

You can also delete the non-default providers in the Windows registry editor. Just go to the given path.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers

Now, delete all the sub-keys except LanMan Print Services and Internet Print Provider.

Close the registry editor after executing these steps and restart the PC. See if this method resolves the print spooler issues.

10. Install the Latest Windows Updates

If your Windows 10 print spooler keeps stopping intermittently, you need to check the system updates for your computer. If you haven’t installed the latest updates, all the necessary drivers and files are outdated.

To begin with, open the Settings window and choose Update & Security from the given list of options.

Click on Update & Security
Click on Update & Security

Next, click on Check for updates.

Check for updates
Check for updates

If any new update is available, it will be downloaded and installed automatically. Reboot the computer and check if this solution has resolved your issue.

11. Scan with Antivirus Tools

Malware can cause tremendous trouble in a computer, including printing services. It can corrupt system files or may change any values in the registry. So, make sure you install a malware removal tool such as Malwarebytes or other anti-malware applications to wipe out the threats blocking the print spooler.

12. Update Printer Drivers

Updating drivers is an essential process to implement if the print spooler is stopping frequently in Windows 10. Driver updates improve security and focus on eliminating various bugs types that might slow down or cause any other hurdles to your computer. Installing the wrong version of a driver can affect the performance of a PC. You can check the guide to update drivers in Windows 10.

13. Run Chkdsk Utility

If there are disk errors on your computer, they may often cause print spooler issues. You can execute the Chkdsk utility to gauge the problems and eradicate the errors.

To begin with, type cmd in the Cortana search box and select Run as administrator.

Open Command Prompt

Now, enter the given command.

chkdsk C: /f
Run Chkdsk Utility

You can change the letter ‘C’ as per the name of the hard disk you wish to run the test on. Also, users can insert /r to rectify any physical issues on the computer. Check if the print spooler issues are resolved following these steps.

14. Run SFC Scan

The System File Checker (SFC) scan is used to scan the corrupt system files and replace them with new versions. If your print spooler is stopping frequently, you can execute the SFC scan to check if any damaged system files are causing any hurdles in the smooth functioning of the print spooler. You can follow the guide on how to perform the SFC scan with the Command Prompt on your Windows laptop.

15. Perform System Restore

The System Restore is used to restore old settings of a Windows 10 computer at a previous point in time. You can do a system restore, especially when you change multiple settings and don’t understand which changes are causing issues in the PC. If your Windows 10 print spooler is not working, you can perform the system restore to identify the root cause of the problem and take necessary action regarding the same.

16. Change Spooler Recovery Options

The Windows 10 print spooler can start malfunctioning if you haven’t set a proper recovery option. These print spooler recovery settings change automatically due to various reasons.

First, press the Windows + R key to open the Run command; type services.msc in the address bar and click on OK.

Once the Services window opens, locate and right-click on the Print Spooler service and select Properties.

Now, choose the Recovery tab and set the first three options to Restart the Service. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Change the Recovery options To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Change the Recovery options

Check if the print spooler keeps stopping after executing this method.

17. Alter the Print Spooler Service

You can try to alter the print spooler service if it is not working well. The process is simple to understand and execute.

First and foremost, open the Run command using the Windows logo key + R and type services.msc in the address bar. Click OK to open the Services window.

Now, locate the Print Spooler service, right-click on it, and select Properties.

Open Properties
Open Properties

Select the Log On tab on the Properties window and uncheck the ‘Allow system to interact with desktop’ checkbox. Then, click Apply and OK to save the changes.

 Uncheck the checkbox To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Uncheck the checkbox

Try running the print spooler service after these steps and check if it works.

18. Reset Internet Options

Internet Options settings can often interfere with the smooth operation of the print spooler. Hence, you need to make a few changes to the Internet Options.

To begin with, enter Internet Options in the Cortana search bar and press the Enter key.

Once the Internet Options dialog box appears, select the Advanced tab and select the Reset option.

Reset the Internet Options To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Reset the Internet Options

The Print Spooler issue should ideally be resolved after this method.

19. Getting Full Control on Spool Folder

Sometimes, security permissions of the spool folder can block the print spooler from working properly. You can gain ownership of this folder and see if the spool folder works or not.

Navigate to the following path.

C:\Windows\System32

Right-click on the spool folder and select Properties from the given list of options.

 Open Properties
Open Properties

Now, select the Security tab and click on Edit.

Then, click on the Add button to add an entity.

Click on Add
Click on Add

Under the ‘Enter the object names to select’ section, enter your username and click on the Check Names option. After the username is verified, select OK.

Click on Check Names
Click on Check Names

Now, select your username under the ‘Group or User Names’ heading. Then, select the Allow checkbox for all the options under the ‘Permissions For’ section.

Select all checkboxes and click OK To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Select all checkboxes and click OK

Click Apply and OK to save the changes. Check if the spooler starts working after this method.

20. Altering the value of Depend on Service

If your print spooler keeps stopping on Windows 10, you can tweak the print spooler dependency value to fix this issue.

To begin with, press the Windows key + R and type regedit in the address bar. Click on OK to run the command.

Once the registry editor opens, navigate to the given place –

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Spooler

Now, click on DependOnServices in the right pane and double-tap on it.

Double-click on DependOnService

Change the data value to ‘RPCSS’ and press OK to save the changes.

Change Depend On Service value To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Change Depend On Service value

Now, reboot the Windows 10 computer and check if the spooler issue exists.

21. Replace the Spool Folder with another Spool File

This is one of the best workarounds to go with if the print spooler services aren’t functioning properly. All you need to do is copy the spool folder from another Windows 10 PC and paste it into your PC. However, make sure the PC version of both the computers used in this process should be the same.

To begin with, copy the spool folder from the other PC and paste it into your computer. You also need to export the registry key from another PC and import it into your PC.

You need to copy the registry key in the given path.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Current Control Set\Control\Print

After you have imported the registry key, the spool printer should ideally start working.

22. Own the Spoolslv.exe File

If the print spooler service isn’t working properly, you can change the owner of the spool file and see if that solves the problem.

To start with, go to the following path.

C:\Windows\System32

Now, locate spoolsv.exe, right-click on it, and select Properties.

Open Properties
Open Properties

In the Properties window, select the Security tab and select your account under the Group or user names section. Click on Advanced.

Click on Advanced
Click on Advanced

Then, select Change in the next window.

Select Change
Select Change

In the Select User or Group window, click on the Advanced tab.

Click on the Advanced tab
Click on the Advanced tab

Next, click on the Find Now tab, select Administrators in the search result, and click on OK.

Click on Administrators and select OK
Click on Administrators and select OK

Select OK in the next window.

Select OK
Select OK

Then, click on Apply and select OK.

Select Apply and OK
Select Apply and OK

Now, you will be taken back to the Properties box and select your user account. Then, click on the Edit button.

Select a user account and click on the Edit button To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Select a user account and click on the Edit button

Now, allow the Full control permission. Click on Apply and OK.

Allow Full Control To Fix Print Spooler Keeps Stopping In Windows 10
Allow Full Control

Now, reboot the print spooler service from the Services tab. Reboot the PC after doing this step and check if the print spooler service starts working as expected.

23. Replace the Printer

If none of the solutions help you in repairing the print spooler issue, you can replace the printer and eradicate the printer spooler service issue. You also need to uninstall the previous printers’ drivers and install new drivers as per the requirements.

Conclusion

If the printer crashes down at any moment, the print spooler might possibly be stuck at a certain point. It is essential for the printer spooler service to run properly to ensure the smooth functioning of a printer. The absence of a printer means you cannot convert your soft copy into a hard copy.

If you ever encounter times when the print spooler keeps stopping frequently, you can try the solutions mentioned above in chronological order. If the spooler issue exists even after you have tried out all the solutions, make sure you contact your printer manufacturer or any known computer expert regarding the matter.