microsoft word will not print

If Word says no printer installed, but printing used to work, the most likely causes are a stopped Print Spooler service, a printer selection issue in Word, a printer driver problem, or damaged Office files.

Try these steps in order:

1. Check whether the printer works outside Word
   • Try printing from Notepad or Paint.
   • If those apps also fail, the problem is likely Windows, the printer, or the driver rather than Word.
2. Make sure the correct printer is selected in Word
   • In Word, go to File > Print.
   • Confirm the intended printer is selected.
   • Make sure the printer status shows Ready.
   • Also confirm Print to PDF or Print to file is not selected.
3. Print a Windows test page
   • On Windows 11: Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > select the printer > Printer properties > Print Test Page.
   • If the test page does not print, fix the printer or driver first.
4. Restart the Print Spooler service
   • Press Windows key + R.
   • Type services.msc and press Enter.
   • Find Print Spooler.
   • Right-click it and select Restart.
5. Update or reinstall the printer driver
   • Open Start > Device Manager.
   • Expand Printers.
   • Right-click the printer and select Update driver.
   • If no update is available, select Uninstall device.
   • Restart the PC so Windows can try to reinstall the printer driver automatically.
6. Repair Microsoft 365 / Office
   • Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
   • Select Microsoft 365.
   • Select Advanced options.
   • Run Quick Repair first.
   • If Word still cannot print, run Online Repair.
7. Restart Word and the PC
   • Close Word completely.
   • Restart the PC.
   • Open Word and test printing again.
8. If Word alone is causing the issue after all steps above
   • A reinstall of Word or Office can resolve it. A Microsoft Q&A case with the same symptom reported that uninstalling and reinstalling Word resolved the problem after other troubleshooting did not help.

If the printer is missing entirely in Settings > Printers & scanners, add it again from there before testing Word.

• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps
• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps
• Fix printing problems in Word, Excel, or other apps
• Troubleshoot printing problems in Microsoft 365 apps
• Fix printer connection and printing problems in Windows
• On 1 pc Word shuts down the print spooler every time its opened - Microsoft Q&A I have office 365 installed on a desktop & 2 laptops. On the desktop every time I open word it shuts down the print spooler in windows services. If I try to print it says 'no printers installed'. I've tried dozens of things using co pilot, but none of them worked. The work-around that I have come up with is to open word then immediately go into windows services and start the print spooler. Then I do my work and am able to print normally when I need to. If I then shut down word and then later need to use it again I have to do this process again. This happens every time I open word. And only on the desktop. This does not happen in Excel. Is my only option left to uninstall then re-install word?\nThank you\nCliff K\n[PII removed]@comcast.net\n##Moderator Recommended Answers:\nHi Kai-H, after troubleshooting for almost a week I finally went ahead and did the uninstall/reinstall fix. I tried the one online at microsoft but it ran into problems and suggested I use the windows uninstall feature - which I did. Early indications are that it worked. Word will print unhindered now. If I had to do it all over again I would have done that as the FIRST step! Hope this helps somebody else with the same problem. thanks for responding to my question.....Cliff K