HP Smart App says "Printer cannot print" even though test pages print normally

[jasumski]

HP LaserJet M140we. Printer just blinks the ! light constantly. The HP Smart app says Printer cannot print. Diagnostic tool finds "printer queue problem not fixed" and then asks me if i want to print a test page anyway - it does not work. 

I've tried resetting the HP Smart App, factory resetting the printer, uninstalling the app and resetting the printer, rebooting everything and starting from scratch, still same problem. The app acts as though it's new, but it still auto logs me in and when I "add my first device" it immediately says it's online but then changes to "Printer cannot print."  I have a new HP toner installed and the printer settings (in the app) sees that it's full. 

When I try to login to the hpsmart website, it doesn't see that I have any printer installed. I don't see any reason that this shouldn't print, except that HP wants me to buy ANOTHER service or printer because corporate greed. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @jasumski,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding your printer!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Try these steps:

1. Clear Print Queue Issues

• Clear Print Jobs:
  • On your computer, go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.
  • Select your HP LaserJet M140we, click on "Open queue," and remove all pending jobs.

2. Check Printer Status

• Ensure Printer is Online and Connected: Make sure the printer is turned on and connected to the same network as your computer.
• Ensure Paper and Toner Levels are Adequate: Verify that the printer has enough paper and toner.

3. Restart Printer Services

• Restart Print Spooler Service:
  • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  • Locate "Print Spooler" in the list, right-click on it, and select "Restart."

4. Update or Reinstall Printer Driver

Update Printer Driver:

• Visit HP Support Website and download the latest drivers for your HP LaserJet M140we.
• Install the updated drivers on your computer.

Reinstall Printer Driver:

• Uninstall the current printer driver:
  • Go to Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.
  • Select your printer and click "Remove device."
• Download and reinstall the latest drivers from the HP website.

5. Factory Reset the Printer

Refer to the steps on this link to restore factory defaults.

6. Check for Firmware Updates

Kindly refer to this link to update your printer firmware.

7. Use HP Print and Scan Doctor

• HP Print and Scan Doctor:
  • Download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor.
  • Follow on-screen instructions to detect and fix any issues automatically.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[jasumski]

Thanks. I had already done all of that (multiple times) except for the print and scan doctor and your link to that is dead. I ran a couple of troubleshooters (in the Smart App) and they didn't find anything. I do IT support for a living and this definitely looks like something the software is doing to keep me from printing. When I can send a print job to the printer, it leaves the queue, the printer spins up as though its going to print - and then stops with a generic "couldn't print" message, there's little left to think is responsible. Especially after several factory resets and uninstalling and reinstalling the app. . 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @jasumski,

Thank you for the response.

Try these fixes:

Log Out of HP Smart App and HP Website

Go to https://hpsmart.com

Log out of any sessions

In HP Smart App on PC: Log out of your account completely

Remove the Printer From Your HP Account (if it's listed)

Go to https://myaccount.hp.com

Go to Devices and remove the printer if it appears there

This can reset cloud bindings and let you re-register properly

Re-add Printer to HP Smart, But Skip HP+ Activation

If possible during setup, do not enroll in HP+

If it forces you, let’s just finish the setup and remove it afterward

Uninstall and Reinstall HP Smart, with Clean Slate

Uninstall HP Smart

Go to: C:\ProgramData\HP and C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\HP → Delete HP folders

Restart your PC

Download fresh copy from HP Smart Download

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[jasumski]

I'm not sure what "Clean Slate" means and why its capitalized, but assuming it's not an actual product or method, I've done all of that and the printer immediately came back up and said "this printer is unable to print" just like it did before. The Print and Scan doctor has been "Searching for products..." for over an hour. The bar is full but it's not doing anything. 

Oddly, I have two printers listed now when I try to setup a new printer. There's the 140 that asks if I want to set it up and then a generic NDB#### that says it's online already (with a 192.168 IP address, local to my network). Choosing that one gives the "unable to print" message. Choosing the 140 acts like it's a new printer and tells me to press the blinking wifi button. I do that and then its never able to get the printer online. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @jasumski,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

We're here to help you tackle that malfunction! Don't worry, we've got your back! 

To get you the best assistance, we need to take this conversation to a private chat. We're inviting you to a private message to protect your privacy and ensure that any sensitive information remains confidential. 

To access your private message, just click the little blue envelope icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile, next to your profile name. Alternatively, you can click on this link. 

You can use this link as well: 

Private Messages - HP Support Community

We're looking forward to helping you resolve this issue! 

Stay tuned, and thanks for your patience! 

Best regards,