Windows says the printer driver is unavailable

What causes it

• A Windows feature update removed or blocked an outdated driver
• The installed driver was written for an earlier Windows generation
• Driver files were partially removed by an uninstall or by cleanup software
• Windows Update replaced the vendor driver with a generic one that does not match
• The printer model has been discontinued and no current driver was ever published

How to fix it, in order

Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.

1. Check for updates first

   Open Settings › Windows Update, install everything pending including optional driver updates under Advanced options › Optional updates, then restart. Microsoft distributes many printer drivers this way, and the correct one may simply be waiting to be installed.

2. Remove the printer and its driver package

   Go to Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove. Then open printmanagement.msc, expand Print Servers › your computer › Drivers, right-click the driver and choose Remove driver package. Restart the PC before reinstalling.

3. Install the current driver from the manufacturer

   Download the driver for your exact model from the manufacturer's support site, choosing Windows 11 64-bit. Right-click the installer and choose Run as administrator, and let it add the printer itself. Avoid driver bundles from third-party download sites, which are a common source of broken packages.

4. Fall back to the IPP class driver

   If no current vendor driver exists, use Add device › Add manually › Add a printer using an IP address or hostname, then on the driver page pick Microsoft › Microsoft IPP Class Driver. Most network printers from the last decade print correctly this way even without vendor support.

5. Try the brand's universal driver

   Lexmark, Xerox, Kyocera and Ricoh all publish universal drivers covering wide model ranges, and these are usually maintained long after individual model drivers stop being updated. Installing the universal driver and pointing it at the printer's IP revives many older machines.

6. Restart the Print Spooler

   Press Windows+R, type services.msc, press Enter and restart Print Spooler after any driver change. The spooler caches driver state and will keep reporting the old status until it reloads.

7. Check the driver actually loaded

   Open the printer in Printers & scanners, click Printer properties › Advanced, and confirm a driver name is listed rather than a blank entry. If the field is empty or shows a model you never installed, use New Driver on that page to point it at the correct one.

8. Run System File Checker if the problem persists

   Right-click Start, choose Terminal (Admin) and run sfc /scannow followed by DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then restart. This rules out damage to the Windows printing components themselves.

Frequently asked questions