All my HP printers disappeared

[Rachara42]

All of my HP printers have disappeared from the HP Smart (stupid) app.  I use multiple offices for work, and I have (had) many printers installed, and they have all disappeared.  This would commonly be 8610, 8710, and I think I also have a 7710 but can't remember, it's the newest one.

When I go into the app, they are all gone.  The only printer showing up is some laserjet that I think I added once to print something at a library.  Everything else is gone.  When I try to add a new printer, it doesn't find anything on the network, even though they are on, and connected.  Have I tried resetting the printers yet to see if they appear?  No, and I won't.

The solution is probably going to be, delete the HP app, reinstall, probably go into some setting somewhere to delete the printer from the system, clear some cache/data somewhere, and re-install again.

What I'm actually going to do, is delete the app, and go buy a new printer for the house.  I don't believe this to be an issue with my computer, because I have another brand printer at another office, and it is working great.  The only other office that I really use now that still has an HP, I won't be traveling to as much in the future, and I just won't print anything while I'm there.  I've already tried diagnosing issues with that printer with HP tech support on the phone for HOURS, that went unresolved.  Any time I print more than one page, it prints a black line down one side of the page, however it won't do this if I print in low quality/draft mode, I tested this with Word and Adobe with consistent results.  Tech support had me print out about a reams worth of diagnostic pages, and it was never resolved. 

I have used probably 1-2 dozen HP printers over our various office through the years, and EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. has caused issues, either with not printing, not connecting, not being found, unable to install, or printing weird black lines down a page on normal quality prints. I've had this discussion with the leaders at work, and we are using a different brand at any of the new offices that I'm in the process of opening.  So far, they work fine, every time.

[Anand_Andy]

Hi @Rachara42,

Welcome to the HP Support Community. 

I'd like to help!

Try the below suggestions:

1)Uninstall HP Smart 

2)Install all the available Windows updates

If it is been a while since you updated your Windows, that is the main reason why Windows says your HP printer driver is unavailable. Here are the steps how to do a Windows Update to install all accessible operating system updates.

If you are accessing Windows 10, then these steps are for you.

1. Hit the Start menu and write an update. After that, click on the “Check for updates” option.
2. Tap on the “Check for updates” option.
3. After clicking on that option, Windows will install the updates automatically.
4. When Windows completes all its updates, start your computer again and attempt to print a file to check if your printer works.

3) try updating the printer's firmware - HP Printers - Updating or Upgrading Printer Firmware 

4)Reinstall HP Smart

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Yes" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping

[Rachara42 · Accepted solution]

1)Uninstall HP Smart 

     -Check

2)Install all the available Windows updates

     -It stays up-to-date already

If you are accessing Windows 10, then these steps are for you.

     -Using Windows 11, and it is up-to-date

3) try updating the printer's firmware - HP Printers - Updating or Upgrading Printer Firmware 

     -I had 6-10 printers installed in HP smart, and the only firmware I'm updating is going to be on my new Epson

4)Reinstall HP Smart

     -You got balls kid, I'll give you that.

On a side note, I recently installed Linux on a machine, and without doing anything, opened a text editor, typed a test page, and was able to print it from my printer at home by pressing "Ctrl+P" and selecting the printer.  It seems the "HP Smart" app is entirely unnecessary.

Anyways, I'm out.