How to Update, Remove or Reinstall a Printer Driver

1What this lesson covers

This lesson shows you how to update printer driver software from official sources, and how to remove and reinstall a driver when printing goes wrong: jobs that fail, garbled pages, “Driver is unavailable” messages or missing settings. Updating fixes many problems on its own. A clean reinstall, removing the printer and its driver before adding it again, fixes most of the rest.

2Before you start

Updates and reinstalls are safe when the software comes from the right place: the printer manufacturer’s website, Windows Update, or Apple’s Software Update. You don’t need any other tool.

Save open work first, because a restart may be needed. On a shared or work computer, you may need an administrator to approve driver changes.

Signs that the driver is the likely cause include: pages printing as strange symbols, the print dialog missing options it used to have, a “Driver is unavailable” status in Windows, or problems that began right after a system upgrade. If the printer shows a message on its own screen, such as a paper or ink alert, the driver is probably not the cause.

3Update the driver

1. Run your system updates. On Windows, open Settings, Windows Update and select Check for updates. On a Mac, choose the Apple menu, System Settings, General, Software Update. You should see: available updates, which may include printer software.
2. Check optional driver updates on Windows. In Windows 11, go to Windows Update, Advanced options, Optional updates, and expand driver updates. Tick an update that names your printer and install it. Windows 10 has a similar View optional updates link in Windows Update.
3. Check the manufacturer’s site. Open the support page for your exact model and compare the latest driver version with yours. Many manufacturer apps also have a “check for updates” option.
4. Install any newer version using the steps in how to find and install the right printer driver.
5. Restart if asked, then print a test page.

4Remove and reinstall on Windows

1. Cancel waiting jobs. Open the print queue from Printers & scanners and cancel all documents.
2. Remove the printer. In Settings, open Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove (Windows 10: select it, then Remove device). You should see: it disappear from the list.
3. Remove the driver package. On the same settings page, open Print server properties (under related settings). Go to the Drivers tab, select your printer’s driver, choose Remove, then Remove driver and driver package, and confirm. If Windows says the driver is in use, restart the computer and try again.
4. Uninstall manufacturer software, if any. Open Settings, Apps, Installed apps (Windows 10: Apps & features), find the printer software from the manufacturer and choose Uninstall.
5. Restart the computer.
6. Add the printer again using add a printer to Windows, or run the manufacturer’s current installer.

5Remove and reinstall on a Mac

1. Open Printers & Scanners in System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
2. Remove the printer. Select it and click Remove Printer or the minus (-) button.
3. Remove manufacturer software, if installed. Many manufacturers provide an uninstaller in their software folder or on their support site; use it as instructed. Don’t delete system folders by hand.
4. Reset the printing system only if problems persist. In Printers & Scanners, Control-click the printer list and choose Reset printing system. This removes all printers from your Mac, so you’ll add each one again afterward.
5. Install updates, then add the printer again with the add button, choosing AirPrint or the manufacturer driver.

6Check that it worked

Print a test page and then a real document. You should see: clean output with the right paper size and color options available in the print dialog. If the original problem was an error message, check that it no longer appears.

7Troubleshooting

• The driver won’t remove because it’s in use. Cancel all print jobs, restart the computer and try again before adding the printer back.
• Windows reinstalls the same driver automatically. That’s normal when Windows Update has a matching driver. If it works, keep it.
• The printer is missing options after reinstalling. You may now be using a basic driver. Install the manufacturer’s full package for extra features.
• Printing still fails. The cause may not be the driver. Work through printer not printing.

8When to get more help

If no driver works for your printer on your operating system, or reinstalling doesn’t clear an error, contact the manufacturer’s support for your model. For Windows or macOS errors outside the printer, use Microsoft’s or Apple’s support pages. On work computers, ask your IT team before removing drivers.

9FAQ

How often should I update my printer driver?

There’s no fixed schedule. Keep your operating system updated, and check the manufacturer’s site when you notice a problem, change operating system or want a new feature.

Will reinstalling the driver delete my documents?

No. Removing a printer driver doesn’t touch your files. Jobs waiting in the print queue are canceled, so you may need to print them again.

What does “Driver is unavailable” mean?

Windows has the printer listed but can’t use its driver. Updating or reinstalling the driver, as described above, usually fixes it.

Is Device Manager the right place to update a printer driver?

It can be used, as Microsoft’s help page explains, but for printers the Printers & scanners settings, Windows Update and the manufacturer’s package are usually simpler.