HP Print and Scan Doctor Download and Setup Guide
Free Windows diagnostic tool that finds and fixes common HP printing faults
Representative photo — rsaxvc CC BY-SA 2.0
Print and Scan Doctor is a portable troubleshooting program that runs a battery of checks against an HP printer and the Windows printing stack. It looks at the print spooler, the driver, the port, the queue, connectivity and the scan components, and it fixes many of the faults it finds automatically. It is the tool HP support agents normally ask you to run first, and its report is useful even when it cannot fix the problem itself. The important limitation is platform: it exists only for Windows.
Version and licence: Free, and Windows only. There is no Mac version and HP has never released one, so Mac users are pointed at the Reset the printing system option in macOS instead. Small download, typically under 15 MB, and it does not need installing.
Download HP Print and Scan Doctor
What it does
- Restarts and repairs the Windows print spooler service
- Checks and repairs the printer port and driver installation
- Clears stuck jobs from the print queue
- Tests network connectivity to a wireless or Ethernet printer
- Runs alignment, cleaning and test print routines on supported models
- Diagnoses scanner components on all-in-one models
- Produces a pass, fail or warning list you can act on manually
How to install it
Step 1
Open the HP Print and Scan Doctor page on the computer that has the printing problem.
Step 2
Download the file, which is named something like HPPSdr.exe, and save it to your Downloads folder.
Step 3
Double-click the file. It runs directly and does not install, so no reboot is needed.
Step 4
Choose Start, then pick your printer from the list. If the printer is missing, choose My product is not listed and follow the connection prompts.
Step 5
Select Fix Printing or Fix Scanning depending on the symptom.
Step 6
Let it run the checks. Items with a wrench icon were repaired automatically, and items with a red X need you to follow the instructions shown.
Step 7
Print a test page when it finishes, and re-run the tool if the fault returns.
Which printers it supports
Works with the great majority of HP inkjet and laser printers connected to Windows, including DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, Smart Tank and LaserJet families, over USB, Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
When HP Print and Scan Doctor will not work
Choose My product is not listed and let the tool search again. Confirm the printer is powered on, and for a network printer check that a Network Configuration page shows a valid IP address. A printer added through a VPN or on a different subnet will not appear.
Remove the printer from Settings, Bluetooth and devices, Printers and scanners, then open Print Server Properties, Drivers tab and remove the driver package as well. Reinstall using HP Smart or HP Easy Start and run the Doctor again.
SmartScreen sometimes flags the file because it is unsigned in the browser's view. Confirm it came from support.hp.com, then use the More info and Run anyway option, or right-click the file, choose Properties and tick Unblock.
There is no Mac version. Instead open System Settings, Printers and Scanners, right-click in the printer list and choose Reset printing system, then add the printer again. HP Easy Start reinstalls the driver afterwards.
A recurring spooler failure usually points at a corrupt driver or a third-party print monitor. Clear the queue folder at C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS with the spooler stopped, remove any unused printer entries, and reinstall only the HP driver you actually need.
Printers that use HP Print and Scan Doctor
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Mac version of Print and Scan Doctor?
No. It has always been Windows only. On macOS, resetting the printing system from Printers and Scanners is the nearest equivalent.
Does it need to be installed?
No. It is a portable executable that runs from wherever you saved it, which makes it convenient on managed computers.
Will it work with a non-HP printer?
Some of the generic Windows repairs it performs, such as restarting the spooler, are not brand specific, but the printer-specific tests only run against HP hardware.
Is it safe to run repeatedly?
Yes. The repairs it performs are the same steps a support agent would walk you through, and it does not delete documents or settings.
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