How to Clear Printer Queue on Windows & Mac? | CompAndSave
| Dec 18, 2025
You send a document to print, expecting it to take seconds. Instead, nothing comes out. The printer shows activity, the job sits there, and every new file you send just piles up behind it. At this point, printing feels harder than it should be.
This is exactly when knowing “how do I cancel printer queue” saves you time, stress, and a lot of clicking around. Whether you are working from home, running a small office, or printing school documents, a stuck queue can stop everything.
This guide walks you through how to clear printer queue on Windows and Mac, how to cancel frozen print jobs properly, and how to prevent the issue from coming back. So, let’s begin!
What Is a Printer Queue and Why Does It Get Stuck?
Before jumping into fixes, it helps to understand what is actually happening behind the scenes. This makes troubleshooting faster and prevents recurring issues.
A printer queue is a temporary holding area where your computer stores print jobs before sending them to the printer. Each job waits its turn. When one job fails, everything behind it stops.
Common reasons printer queues freeze:
- A document failed to process correctly
- The printer briefly lost connection
- Ink or paper ran out mid-job
- A driver or software glitch interrupted printing
- A corrupted file is blocking the queue
Once this happens, canceling a single job often does not work. That is when you need to know how do you clear a printer queue completely, not just hide the problem.
How to Clear Printer Queue: Step-by-Step Guide
When your print jobs get stuck and won’t cancel, it can bring your work to a halt and waste precious time. Knowing how to clear printer queue the right way helps you quickly fix frozen jobs without restarting your computer or losing progress.
Below are the full step-by-step methods for Windows and Mac so you can fix it the right way the first time.
How to Clear Printer Queue on Windows 10 and Windows 11
Windows provides multiple ways to cancel stuck jobs. Start with the easiest method and move to the advanced fix only if needed.
Method #1: Clear Printer Queue Using Windows Settings
This method works best when the printer responds but jobs refuse to print.
Step 1: Click Start and open Settings
Step 2: Select Bluetooth & devices
Step 3: Click Printers & scanners
Step 4: Choose your printer from the list
Step 5: Select Open print queue
Step 6: Click Printer in the top menu
Step 7: Choose Cancel All Documents
This answers the most common question users ask on how to cancel a printer queue quickly without restarting your PC.
Method #2: Cancel a Print Queue Using Control Panel
If Settings does not clear the queue, Control Panel often will.
Step 1: Open Control Panel
Step 2: Select Devices and Printers
Step 3: Right-click your printer
Step 4: Click See what’s printing
Step 5: Select Printer from the menu
Step 6: Choose Cancel All Documents
This approach works well when you are trying to figure out how do you cancel a printing job that keeps reappearing.
Method #3: Clear Printer Queue Using the Print Spooler (Advanced)
Use this method when print jobs will not delete, no matter what you try.
Step 1: Press Windows + R
Step 2: Type services.msc and press Enter
Step 3: Find Print Spooler
Step 4: Right-click and select Stop
Step 5: Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Step 6: Delete all files in that folder
Step 7: Return to Services
Step 8: Right-click Print Spooler and select Start
This method fully answers the question of how to delete printing queue files manually when nothing else works.
How to Clear Printer Queue on macOS
Now you might wonder, “How do I cancel printer queue on my Mac?” Mac printing issues are usually caused by stalled wireless connections or background processes. Properly clearing the queue prevents the need to reinstall the printer. Here are some methods you can try:
Method #1: Cancel Print Jobs from the Printer Queue
This is the fastest option when the queue is visible.
Step 1: Click the printer icon in the Dock
Step 2: Select the stuck print job
Step 3: Click the X to cancel
If the job disappears and printing resumes, you are done.
Method #2: Clear Printer Queue from System Settings
When jobs refuse to cancel from the Dock, this method is more effective.
Step 1: Click the Apple menu
Step 2: Open System Settings
Step 3: Select Printers & Scanners
Step 4: Click your printer
Step 5: Choose Open Print Queue
Step 6: Select Cancel All Jobs
Method #2: Reset the Printing System on macOS (Last Option)
This step is useful when printer queues repeatedly freeze.
Step 1: Open System Settings
Step 2: Go to Printers & Scanners
Step 3: Right-click inside the printer list
Step 4: Select Reset Printing System
Step 5: Confirm the reset
Step 6: Re-add your printer
This completely clears the printer queue and resolves deeper system issues.
Why Printer Jobs Sometimes Refuse to Cancel
If you’ve clicked cancel multiple times with no success, there’s usually a deeper reason behind it.
Common causes include:
- The file is corrupted, preventing the printer from processing it properly.
- The printer started processing the job internally, so canceling from your computer no longer affects it.
- Another job is blocking the queue, meaning everything behind it is stalled until it’s resolved.
- The spooler service froze, causing the entire printing system to hang.
Understanding these causes helps you realize that simply canceling a single document isn’t enough. That’s why learning how do you clear a printer queue fully is key, which lets you reset the whole process and get your printer working again without frustration or wasted time.
How to Prevent Printer Queue Problems Going Forward
Once your printer is working again, adopting a few smart habits can help you avoid having to clear printer queue repeatedly. Taking these simple steps not only reduces the chances of stuck print jobs but also improves your printer’s overall performance and reliability.
Helpful prevention tips include:
- Keep your printer drivers updated to ensure compatibility and fix bugs that can cause queue errors.
- Avoid sending large files repeatedly all at once, which can overload the queue and cause freezes.
- Print one job at a time when possible to prevent bottlenecks and make troubleshooting easier.
- Use a stable Wi-Fi connection if you’re printing wirelessly, since interruptions often lead to stuck queues.
- Restart your printer occasionally to clear temporary glitches and keep the spooler running smoothly.
By following these habits, you’ll spend less time fixing issues and more time getting your printing done without interruption.
Ready to Clear Your Printer Queue and Get Back to Printing?
“How do I cancel printer queue easily?” Now you have the answer! A stuck printer queue can slow everything down, but it is rarely a serious problem once you know how to clear printer queue correctly. With the steps above, you can cancel frozen jobs, restore printing, and avoid repeating the same frustration later.
And to keep your printer running smoothly and avoid future issues, use reliable ink and toner cartridges from CompAndSave. Quality supplies help keep your printing hassle-free. Happy printing!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clear a print queue when it won’t delete?
If you’ve tried canceling print jobs but they keep showing up, it usually means the print spooler is stuck. To fix this, you’ll need to stop the spooler service, manually delete the queued files, then restart the spooler. This resets everything and clears your printer queue, so you can start fresh without restarting your computer.
Why does my printer queue keep freezing, and how do I clear it?
Your printer queue can freeze if a print job gets corrupted, if there’s a communication problem between your computer and printer, or if your spooler service crashes. To clear it, first try canceling all jobs in the queue. If that doesn’t work, restarting the print spooler or resetting your printing system (on Mac) usually solves the problem quickly.
Can I clear the printer queue without restarting my computer?
Yes, you can clear your printer queue without rebooting your entire system. By canceling all jobs from the print queue or restarting just the print spooler service on Windows, you can fix stuck print jobs fast. On a Mac, resetting the printing system clears the queue without needing a full restart.
How to cancel a print queue on Windows 11?
To clear your printer queue on Windows 11, open Settings, go to Printers & scanners, select your printer, then open the print queue. From there, cancel all documents. If the queue is stuck, restarting the print spooler service often frees up the backlog so you can print again without delays.
How do I delete printing queue on a Mac when print jobs won’t cancel?
On your Mac, open System Settings, then Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and open the print queue. Cancel all jobs here to clear the queue. If jobs won’t cancel or keep coming back, try resetting the entire printing system. This removes all printers and jobs, clearing out any stuck processes so you can start clean.
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