In this article, we will provide you with solutions to fix your “HP printer not able to delete print job” problem within minutes.
Table of Contents
My HP Printer Will Not Delete a Print Job [Solutions] – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
If your Hp printer does not delete print jobs, do the following solutions:
1. Reset your HP Printer – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
Resetting your printer in many cases can resolve many errors including the “HP printer error cannot delete print job.”
To reset your HP printer, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Turn off your HP printer.
Step 2: Remove the power cable from your printer.
Step 3: Wait for about 60 seconds.
Step 4: Plug the power cable back into your printer.
Step 5: Turn on your HP printer.
If this doesn’t resolve the problem, move on to the next solution.
Read this article: How to Reset HP Printer [Detailed Guide] to learn other resets that you can perform on your HP printer.
2. Delete the Print Job via the Buttons or Settings of your HP Printer – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
If your HP printer is unable to delete a print job, you can try to delete the print job via the buttons or settings of your HP printer.
If your HP printer is designed with a “Reset,” “Stop,” or “Cancel” button, you can use any of these buttons in combination with another key to delete the print job.
Since there are different HP printer models, we advise that you consult your printer user manual to find out the button combinations that can be used to delete a stuck print job. You should also check the manual for settings that allow you to delete a print job.
If you are unable to delete the print job using the above method, try the next solution.
3. Delete the Print Job Using Windows Settings – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job using Windows settings, do these steps:
Step 1: Click on the Windows/Start icon on the computer’s taskbar.
Step 2: Click on the “Settings” icon.
Step 3: Click on “Devices.”
Step 4: Check the left pane and then click “Printers & Scanners.”
Step 5: Select your HP printer that has stuck print jobs.
Step 6: Click on the button labeled “Open Queue.”
The print queue will open and your print jobs will be listed.
Step 7: Select the print job you intend to delete.
Step 8: Select “Document.”
Step 9: Select “Cancel.”
Another way to delete the print job from “Step 6” is to right-click on the document you intend to delete, and then click on “Cancel.” Finally, click “Yes” to confirm your choice.
Note: You can cancel all the jobs in the print queue, by selecting “Printer,” before clicking “Cancel All Documents.”
If the print job won’t delete with this method, try the next solution.
4. Delete the Print Job via Windows Control Panel – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job via the Windows control panel, do the steps below:
Step 1: Click on the search icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Type this in the search field: control panel
Step 3: From the search results, click on “Control Panel.”
Step 4: Click on “Hardware and Sound.”
Step 5: Click on “Devices and Printers.”
Step 6: Choose your HP printer and then click on “See what’s printing.”
You can also right-click on your HP printer, and then click on “Open in new window.” After that click on “See what’s printing.”
Step 7: Cancel the document that’s printing. This will clear the print queue. Alternatively, you can just delete the document.
If you cannot delete the print job using this method, move on to the next task.
5. Delete the Print Job Using Command Prompt – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job using Command Prompt, do the following steps:
Step 1: Click on the search icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Type “command prompt” in the search field.
Step 3: Click on the “Run as administrator” option under the search result for Command Prompt.
Step 4: When the Command Prompt window opens, type this: net spooler
Step 5: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 6: Open your computer’s “File Explorer.”
Step 7: Click on the File Explorer address bar.
Step 8: Type this: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printer
Step 9: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 10: Highlight all the displayed files.
Step 11: Right-click on the highlighted files.
Step 12: Click “Delete.”
Step 13: Open Command Prompt again.
Step 14: Type this command: net start spooler
Step 15: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
This action will restart your computer’s print spooler.
If the steps above don’t resolve the problem, try the next solution.
6. Delete the Print Job via Windows Services – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job via Windows services, follow these steps:
Step 1: Right-click on the Windows/Start icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Click on “Run.”
This action will open the run command.
Step 3: In the dialog box, type this command: services.msc
Step 4: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard or click “OK.”
Step 5: Scroll down and locate the “Print Spooler” service.
Step 6: Right-click “Print Spooler.”
Step 7: Click “Stop.”
Step 8: Leave the “Services” window open and then navigate to your computer’s Printers directory.
Step 9: Delete all the files in a bid to delete all the queued print jobs including the stubborn print job that has refused to be deleted.
Step 10: Open the Windows “File Explorer.”
Step 11: Click on the File Explorer address bar.
Step 12: Type this: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Printer
Step 13: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 14: Highlight all the displayed files.
Step 15: Right-click on the highlighted files.
Step 16: Click “Delete.”
Step 17: Return the open “Services” window.
Step 18: Right-click “Print Spooler.”
Step 19: Click “Start.”
Check if the problem is solved.
If the problem persists, do the next task.
7. Delete the Print Job by Resetting the Print Spooler – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job by resetting the print spooler, do the following:
Step 1: Right-click on the Windows/Start icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Click on “Run.”
This action will open the run command.
Step 3: In the dialog box, type this command: services.msc
Step 4: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard or click “OK.”
Step 5: Scroll down and locate the “Print Spooler” service.
Step 6: Right-click “Print Spooler.”
Step 7: Click “Stop.”
Step 8: Right-click on “Print Spooler.”
Step 9: Click “Restart.”
If this solution doesn’t work, try the next one.
8. Uninstall and then Reinstall your HP Printer Driver – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To uninstall and then reinstall your HP printer driver, do the steps below:
Step 1: Remove the cables connected to your HP printer if any.
Step 2: Navigate to “Control Panel.”
Step 3: Click on “Hardware and Sound.”
Step 4: Click “Devices and Printers.”
Step 5: Right-click on the icon of your HP printer.
Step 6: Click “Remove Device.”
This action will uninstall your HP printer driver.
Step 7: Once the uninstallation is complete, open a browser on your computer and go to this site.
Step 8: Enter the name of your HP printer.
Step 9: Click on the “Submit” button.
Step 10: Follow the on-screen instructions to download and then install the printer driver.
Step 11: After the reinstallation is complete, restart your computer.
Step 12: Once your computer restarts, try to delete the print job if it still appears.
If you can delete the print job, then the problem is fixed.
However, if you still can’t delete the print job, do the next solution.
9. Delete the Print Job by Manually Clearing and Restarting the Print Spooler – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To delete the print job by manually cleaning and restarting the print spooler, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Right-click on the Windows/Start icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Click on “Run.”
This action will open the run command.
Step 3: In the dialog box, type this command: services.msc
Step 4: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard or click “OK.”
Step 5: Scroll down and locate the “Print Spooler” service.
Step 6: Double-click “Print Spooler.”
Step 7: Click on the tab labeled “General” when the Printer Spooler Properties window opens.
Step 8: Click on the button labeled “Stop.”
Step 9: Open the Windows “File Explorer.”
Step 10: Click the address bar, and type this: %windir%\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Step 11: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
Step 12: Delete every file in the open folder.
Step 13: Return to the window for “Services.”
Step 14: Click on the button labeled “Start.”
This action will restart your computer’s print spooler.
Step 15: Click on the “OK” button.
This action will close the window.
If the above method doesn’t work, there are some others things you can still try.
HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job [Other Things you can Try]
1. Confirm if your HP printer is paused or offline – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
If the printer is paused, then you need to uncheck the option for “Pause Printing.” You can do this from the print queue.
Also, if the printer is offline, you need to bring it back online. We recommend that you read this article: HP Printer Offline [Issues & Solutions] to learn how to bring your HP printer online.
2. Temporarily disable the firewall software – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
In some cases, your system’s firewall might prevent you from deleting the print job. Therefore, you need to temporarily disable the firewall and then try to delete the print job.
If the print job doesn’t delete, then your firewall is not preventing you from deleting the print job. On the other hand, if the job deletes, then you need to modify the settings of your firewall to grant your print spooler access to the system.
3. Use another user account to sign in – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
If you cannot delete the print job with your current account, you need to restart your computer and then sign in with another user account. Try to delete the print job using this account.
If the print job deletes when using this account, then the previous account might be corrupted or lack the necessary printing permission. Therefore, you can use the above account to delete the print job or you can change the print permissions on the other account.
4. Use System File Checker to scan your computer – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
To scan your computer via System File Checker, do the following steps:
Step 1: Click on the “Search” icon on the taskbar.
Step 2: Type this in the search box: command prompt
Step 3: Under “Command Prompt” in the search results, click on “Run as Administrator.”
Step 4: Type this when the Command Prompt window opens: SFC /scannow
Step 5: Press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.
The scan will begin and will last for some minutes.
5. Check the Windows port settings IP Address and confirm that it matches the IP Address of your HP Printer – HP Printer Not Able to Delete Print Job
You need to check the Windows port settings and confirm if the IP address listed there is the same as the IP address of your HP printer.
You can use your printer’s control panel menu to find your printer’s IP address or you can print a report that lists your IP address.
If the IP addresses match, check if the print job will delete again.
If it doesn’t, then you need to contact HP Customer Support for further assistance.
