It's frustrating when something as simple as setting up your default printer in Windows results in an error. Luckily, resolving the "Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000709)" error isn't too difficult. Here's what you can do to resolve the error and get back to printing.
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If multiple printers are connected, Windows may sometimes display an "Operation could not be completed" error when trying to change the default printer. To avoid any interference, disconnect all other printers except the one you want to set as default. Then you won't encounter any errors.
Running the built-in Windows printer troubleshooter is an effective way to fix all kinds of printer-related errors, including this one. This tool will scan your system for all common problems and attempt to fix issues that may be causing the "Operation could not be completed" error.
To run the printer troubleshooter, follow the steps below:
Wait for the troubleshooter to run and then try changing the default printer again.
By default, Windows manages your default printer for you. While this feature is useful, especially if you frequently connect to different printers, it can sometimes cause problems. Therefore, it is best to turn this feature off.
To prevent Windows from managing the default printer, follow these steps:
Error message 0x00000709 recommends that you name your printer correctly. In this next step, you will change the name manually in Registry Editor.
Warning : Although the tweak below is known to fix the problem, you need to be careful and follow the steps correctly. Making incorrect changes to registry files can cause serious problems.
Before proceeding, make sure you create a backup of the relevant registry files. Once done, follow these steps:
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Make sure you restart your computer after completing the steps above. If renaming the registry key doesn't make a difference, apply the remaining fixes.
After you have changed the printer name, make sure that the printer is connected to the network. If the printer is connected but you are still getting the error, try modifying the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) connection settings in the Group Policy Editor. This policy manages the protocol settings for RPC connections to the remote print spooler.
Note : The local Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows Professional, Education, and Enterprise editions. If you're using the Home edition, this fix won't apply to you.
To enable and change policy settings, follow these steps:
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If the error persists even after doing this, repeat the steps above and select RPC over TCP from the Protocol to use for outgoing RPC connections drop-down menu . If that doesn't work either, you can enable or disable authentication from the Use authentication for outgoing RPC connections drop-down menu - try switching this option to whatever isn't selected.
Are you getting error 0x00000709 right after installing a Windows update? If so, the update might be causing the problem. In this case, uninstalling the problematic update should resolve the error and restore normalcy.
There are a few ways to uninstall a Windows update, but the easiest is through the Settings app. Here's how to do it:
After removing the update, you should be able to change the default printer without any problems.
Not being able to set a default printer is really annoying. However, unless there is a problem with the printer, one of the steps listed above can help resolve the "Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000709)" error on Windows and get you printing right away.
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