How to restart Print Spooler service on Windows

The Print Spooler service is an essential element for printing documents on any Windows operating system. It is responsible for managing print jobs sent from the computer to the printer and can become dysfunctional due to errors or corrupted files.

Restarting the Print Spooler service using specific methods can help resolve those issues and get your printer working properly again. This guide will explain how to restart the Print Spooler service on Windows.

How to restart Print Spooler service using Windows Services

Restarting the Print Spooler service is a quick and easy way to fix common printing problems on Windows. To restart the Print Spooler service using Windows Services, follow these steps:

1. Press Win + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box .

2. Type services.msc in the text box and click OK. This will take you to the Services window where you can see all the services running on your system.

3. Next, scroll down and find the Print Spooler service.

4. Once you find the service, right-click on it and select Restart.

If the service is running, first stop the service from the context menu and then start it again.

How to restart Print Spooler service using Command Prompt

You can also open Command Prompt with admin rights and run the command to restart the Print Spooler service. Here's how:

1. Press Win + X on your keyboard, then select Run from the menu list.

2. In the Run dialog box , type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard.

3. If a UAC prompt appears on the screen, click Yes to grant the privilege.

4. Once you are in the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter. This will stop the Print Spooler service.

net stop spooler

5. Next, type the command below and press Enter to restart it.

net start spooler

And that's it! The Print Spooler Service will now be restarted.

How to restart Print Spooler service via Task Manager

Alternatively, you can restart the Print Spooler using Task Manager. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc  to open Task Manager . If that doesn't work, right-click on the Taskbar and select Task Manager from the context menu.

2. Next, look for the Services tab in the left pane of the Task Manager window. Click on it to open the Services list.

3. Scroll down until you find the Spooler service. Right-click on it and select Restart.

So there you have it, 3 different ways to restart the Print Spooler service on your Windows 11 PC. Whether you choose to use the services window, Command Prompt, or Task Manager, the steps are simple and straightforward.