Print Spooler Errors — Service Crashes, Queue Stuck & Driver Conflicts
About Print Spooler Errors
Fix Windows Print Spooler errors including spooler service crashing, print queue stuck, 'Spooler SubSystem App has stopped working', and driver isolation failures. This guide covers everything you need to know about this topic, including common causes, step-by-step solutions, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Here are the key things to understand: The Print Spooler service (spoolsv.exe) manages the print queue and driver communication. A corrupted print job in the queue can crash the entire spooler service. Third-party printer drivers are the most common cause of spooler crashes. Driver isolation (running drivers in separate processes) can prevent spooler-wide crashes. Spooler logs in Event Viewer: Application log and System log under PrintService source. Understanding these fundamentals will help you diagnose and resolve this issue more effectively.
The most common reasons this occurs include: Corrupted print job in the queue crashing the spooler. Buggy or incompatible third-party printer driver. Corrupted spooler files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\. Multiple printer drivers conflicting with each other. Print processor DLL corrupted or missing. Identifying the root cause is the first step toward finding the right solution.
To resolve this, follow these recommended steps: Stop spooler: net stop spooler from elevated Command Prompt. Clear the queue: delete all files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS\. Restart spooler: net start spooler. If spooler keeps crashing: enable driver isolation in Print Management > printer Properties > Sharing > Use shared process. For persistent crashes: check Event Viewer for the faulting module name, then update or remove that printer driver. If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider consulting additional resources or a qualified professional.
This article is part of our Printer Error Codes collection on Error Codes Wiki. We provide comprehensive, up-to-date information to help you find solutions quickly.
Quick Answer
Why does clearing the queue fix the problem?
A corrupted print job can crash the spooler every time it tries to process it. Removing all pending jobs lets the spooler start clean.
Overview
Fix Windows Print Spooler errors including spooler service crashing, print queue stuck, 'Spooler SubSystem App has stopped working', and driver isolation failures.
Key Details
- The Print Spooler service (spoolsv.exe) manages the print queue and driver communication
- A corrupted print job in the queue can crash the entire spooler service
- Third-party printer drivers are the most common cause of spooler crashes
- Driver isolation (running drivers in separate processes) can prevent spooler-wide crashes
- Spooler logs in Event Viewer: Application log and System log under PrintService source
Common Causes
- Corrupted print job in the queue crashing the spooler
- Buggy or incompatible third-party printer driver
- Corrupted spooler files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\
- Multiple printer drivers conflicting with each other
- Print processor DLL corrupted or missing
Steps
- 1Stop spooler: net stop spooler from elevated Command Prompt
- 2Clear the queue: delete all files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS\
- 3Restart spooler: net start spooler
- 4If spooler keeps crashing: enable driver isolation in Print Management > printer Properties > Sharing > Use shared process
- 5For persistent crashes: check Event Viewer for the faulting module name, then update or remove that printer driver