Removing a printer in Settings and adding it back often doesn't fix a driver problem, because Windows keeps a copy of the driver package and quietly reuses it. A clean reinstall removes every piece: the printer queue, the manufacturer's software, the stored driver package and leftover ports, then installs a fresh copy from an official source. It's worth doing when settings won't save, printouts are garbled or an ordinary reinstall changed nothing.
What you might be seeing
- A normal remove-and-add made no difference
- Garbled pages or wrong fonts from every app
- Printer properties crash or won't save changes
- Duplicate printers ending in Copy 1 keep appearing
Common causes
- Windows reuses the stored driver
- Driver packages stay in the driver store after a printer is removed, so the same damaged files return.
- Manufacturer software left behind
- Printer utilities can reinstall their own driver components or keep background services running.
- Driver still in use
- Windows won't delete a driver while any printer queue or the spooler is holding it.
- Old ports pointing nowhere
- A leftover port may still point to an old address, so a new queue that reuses it reaches nothing.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order and test a print after each one. Most people are done within the first few steps.
Don't use registry cleaners or driver-download sites for this job. The built-in tools and official sources described here are all you need.
Download the right driver first
Get the replacement ready before removing anything. On the manufacturer's official website, find your exact model and download the driver for your Windows version and processor type, shown in Settings › System › About. If the built-in Windows driver suits your printer, skip the download. For a USB printer, unplug the cable now and leave it out until the installer asks for it.
Uninstall the manufacturer's software
On Windows 11, open Settings › Apps › Installed apps; on Windows 10, Settings › Apps › Apps & features. Find software from your printer's manufacturer, such as a printer assistant, scan tool or driver package, and choose Uninstall for each. Leave unrelated apps alone. Restart if an uninstaller asks, but don't install anything new yet.
Remove every copy of the printer
In Printers & scanners, select your printer and choose Remove. Repeat for any duplicates with the same model name, including entries ending in Copy 1 or Copy 2, and for the fax queue some all-in-one printers create. Each of these keeps the driver in use, so overlooking one will block the later steps.
Restart the spooler to release the driver
Open
services.mscfrom the Start menu search, find Print Spooler, right-click it and choose Restart. Windows keeps driver files open while the service runs, even after the printer is gone. Skipping this is the most common reason the next step fails with a message that the driver is still in use.Delete the driver package
Press Windows key + R, type
printui /sand press Enter. In Print Server Properties, open the Drivers tab and click Change Driver Settings if it's shown. Select each entry for your printer model, click Remove, pick Remove driver and driver package, and confirm through both prompts. This deletes the files from the driver store as well, so Windows can't silently reuse them.TipAdvanced users can list leftover third-party packages with
pnputil /enum-driversin an administrator Command Prompt.Clear leftover ports
Still in Print Server Properties, open the Ports tab and click Change Port Settings if shown. Look for ports created for the removed printer, typically a standard TCP/IP port named after an IP address, or a WSD port, then select it and choose Delete Port. Only delete ports you're sure belonged to that printer, and leave the built-in LPT, COM, FILE and PORTPROMPT entries alone.
Restart, then install fresh
Restart the computer so nothing old remains in memory. Run the installer you downloaded, approve the administrator prompt and connect the USB cable only when asked. If you're using the built-in driver instead, open Printers & scanners, choose Add device on Windows 11 or Add a printer or scanner on Windows 10, and select your printer.
Confirm the new driver is in use
Open the printer in Printers & scanners, choose Printer properties and go to the Advanced tab, where the Driver box names the driver in use. Make sure it's the one you just installed. Then print a test page from the General tab and a real document from your usual app to confirm the original problem has gone.
How to keep it from happening again
- Remove a printer's queue before deleting its driver
- Avoid installing the same printer twice by different methods
- Check for updated drivers after major Windows upgrades
- Uninstall printer software for printers you no longer own
Common questions
Do I lose any settings with a clean reinstall?
You lose custom settings stored with the driver, such as default paper type, two-sided preference or saved presets, so note them first. Your documents aren't affected, and settings stored on the printer itself, like its Wi-Fi connection, stay as they are, since everything here happens on the computer.
Should I remove drivers for my other printers too?
No. Only remove the driver for the printer you're troubleshooting; other printers have their own packages. If two of your printers share one driver, which can happen with models from the same manufacturer, Windows will refuse to delete it while the other printer uses it, and that's your cue to leave it.
What if the driver package won't delete?
Usually a queue is still using it. Check Printers & scanners for hidden copies, including fax entries, remove them, restart the Print Spooler and try again. If it still fails, restart the computer and remove the package before printing anything. On Pro editions, Print Management shows which printers use each driver.
This guide is general information written for common home and office printers. Menus and button names vary between models, so check your printer’s manual where a step differs. Printer Problems Solved is independent and not affiliated with any printer manufacturer. See our disclaimer.