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There are various reasons why printers may malfunction after upgrading to Windows 10, ranging from software and hardware incompatibility to driver issues not compatible with Windows 10. Refer to the article 9 Ways to Fix Printer Issues After Upgrading to Windows 10 below by Mytour to learn how to address these issues.
Fixing Printer Malfunctions After Upgrading to Windows 10
Step 1: Reboot Your Computer
The first and simplest solution to fix computer and hardware errors is to reboot your computer. Try restarting your computer and check if the printer is functioning normally again.
If not available, you can explore some other error-fixing solutions below.
Step 2: Check if the Printer is Compatible with Windows 10
Some printers may not be supported and may not work on Windows 10. So, the next solution is to check if your printer is compatible with Windows 10 to fix printer issues after upgrading to Windows 10.
Follow the steps below to check if the printer is compatible with Windows 10:
- Type control panel in the Search box on the Start Menu.
- From the search results, click on Control Panel.
- Select Hardware and Sound.
- Choose Devices and Printers. Here, you will see a list of devices connected to the printer.
- Check in the Unspecified section to see if your printer is listed here.
Step 3: Check Power and Connections
Ensure the printer is plugged into the power socket and turned on. Check if the USB cable connecting the printer to the computer is plugged in correctly and not loose.
If using a wireless printer, ensure the following criteria:
- Try enabling the wireless connection and ensure the connection is available on the printing device.
- Check the wireless connection on the printer, verify if the computer is connected to the wireless network.
If this method is also unavailable, try the following solutions below.
Step 4: Uninstall and Reinstall Printer
Follow the steps below to uninstall and reinstall the printer, fixing printer issues after upgrading to Windows 10:
- Type control panel in the Search box on the Start menu, then click to open Control Panel from the search results.
- In the Control Panel window, find and click on Hardware and Sound.
- Select Devices and Printers. Here, you will see a list of devices connected to the printer.
- Find and right-click on your printer, choose Remove to uninstall the setup.
Reinstall the printer:
- Type control panel in the Search box on the Start menu, then click to open Control Panel from the search results.
- In the Control Panel window, find and click on Hardware and Sound.
- Select Devices and Printers. Here, you will see a list of devices connected to the printer.
- Click on Add a printer.
- A window will appear on the screen scanning for new devices. If your printer is on, Windows will automatically scan and detect that printer.
- Finally, try printing any document to see if the printer is operational.
To install or add a local printer, connect the printer to your computer, then power it on.
Step 5: Update Printer Driver
Sometimes printers may require additional software for optimal performance. If you've recently upgraded or updated to Windows 10, there's a high chance that the current printer driver is not compatible with the new operating system.
Issues such as virus attacks, computer malfunctions, and more can be reasons for printer driver corruption.
There are three ways to update the printer driver, including:
- Through Windows Update.
- Installing device software.
- Manually downloading and installing the driver.
Update Printer Driver through Windows Update
- Right-click on the Start button located at the bottom left corner.
- Choose Device Manager.
- Click on Printers to open the list of printers.
- Find and right-click on your printer.
- Select Update Driver.
- Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
Install Printer Software from the Manufacturer
Inspect the printer hardware for accompanying disk drives and hardware to install software for your printer.
Manually Download and Install the Driver
- Visit the manufacturer's computer homepage.
- Check for available updates for new drivers.
- Find the appropriate driver version for your printer, download, and install it.
- Follow on-screen instructions to update the driver.
Alternatively, you can double-click on the driver and follow these steps to set up automatic driver installation:
- Right-click on the Start button located at the bottom left corner.
- Choose Device Manager.
- Click on Printers to open the list of printers.
- Find and right-click on your printer.
- Select Update Driver.
- Choose Search automatically for updated driver software.
If the above methods prove less effective, you can uninstall the old driver and reinstall a new one.
- First, disconnect the USB cable connecting the printer to your computer.
- Open Control Panel.
- Click on Hardware and Sound.
- Choose Devices and Printers. Here, you will see a list of devices connected to the printer.
- Find and right-click on your printer, select Remove device to uninstall the setup.
- Next, type Print management in the Search box, and from the search results, click on Print Management.
- Select All Printers.
- Find and right-click on your printer in the list, choose Delete.
- Restart your computer.
- Reconnect the USB cable connecting the printer to the computer.
- Reinstall the printer driver and software.
Step 6: Run Printer Troubleshooter
The next solution to fix printer issues after upgrading to Windows 10 is to use Printer Troubleshooter to diagnose and resolve problems. Download and install Printer Troubleshooter, then follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Run window by pressing Windows + R.
Step 2: Type msdt.exe /id PrinterDiagnostic into it and press Enter to open Printer Troubleshooter.
Step 3: Select the problematic printer from the list of listed devices.
Step 4: Click Next to run Printer Troubleshooter.
If your printer doesn't appear in the list or Windows 10 can't detect it, click on the option Add a printer/scanner and wait for Windows to detect the printer.
If Windows still can't detect the printer, click on The printer that I want isn't listed =>My printer is a little older, help me find it =>Replace the current driver, then restart your computer.
Printer Troubleshooter will check printer issues, including:
- Print Spooler Service error.
- Printer connection issues.
- Printer driver error.
- Printer not shared with HomeGroup.
- Print queue issues.
Step 7: Install Printer Driver in Compatibility Mode
Follow the steps below to install the printer driver in Compatibility Mode:
Step 1: Right-click on the printer driver file, select Properties.
Step 2: Check the box Run this program in compatibility mode for in the Compatibility tab, and select Windows 8 / 8.1.
Step 3: Check the box Run this program as an administrator.
Step 4: Click Apply and then choose OK to save the changes.
Step 5: Double-click on the driver file to install the printer driver and check if the printer is operational.
Step 8: Restore the System to a Previous Version
The next solution to fix the printer not working after upgrading to Windows 10 is to perform a system restore to a previous version.
Step 1: Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Step 2: Navigate to Update & Security =>Recovery =>Advanced startup =>Restart now =>Troubleshoot.
Step 3: Choose the option Go back to the previous build to restore to the previous version of Windows and fix the printer issue after upgrading to Windows 10.
Step 9: Contact the Manufacturer for Support
The final solution to fix the printer not working after upgrading to Windows 10 is to contact the manufacturer for support.
This article by Mytour has just introduced you to 9 ways to fix the printer not working after upgrading to Windows 10. If you're facing a different or more complex printer issue, you can refer to the article on printer errors and troubleshooting methods. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below the article, and Mytour will respond to your inquiries as soon as possible.
