HP Smart see "phantom" printer

[Theoldwizard1]

HP Smart sees a "phantom" printer and it is "offline".  Windows does NOT see this printer.

How do I get HP Smart to forget this printer ?

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Theoldwizard1,

Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

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

I understand your HP Smart app is showing a “phantom” printer that appears offline, while Windows does not see it at all. Let’s go through a few steps to clear this out so HP Smart forgets the printer.

Remove the Printer from HP Smart

Open the HP Smart app.

On the home screen, click the printer tile for the phantom printer.

Select Printer Settings > Remove Printer (or “Forget Printer”).

Confirm removal — this deletes the phantom entry from HP Smart.

Clear HP Smart Cache (Windows 11/10)

Close HP Smart.

Press Win + R, type %localappdata%\Packages, and press Enter.

Find the folder named AD2F1837.HPPrinterControl... (HP Smart).

Delete the LocalCache subfolder.

Restart HP Smart — the phantom printer should no longer appear.

Re‑add the Correct Printer

In HP Smart, click Add Printer.

Make sure your actual printer is powered on and connected to Wi‑Fi or USB.

Select it from the list and complete setup.

Check Windows Printer List

Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.

Confirm only your real printer is listed.

If any ghost entries appear here, remove them as well.

Optional: Reset HP Smart App

If the phantom printer still shows, uninstall HP Smart from Windows.

Reinstall it from the Microsoft Store.

This gives you a clean slate with no remembered printers.

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,

[Theoldwizard1]

"Select Printer Settings > Remove Printer (or “Forget Printer”).

Confirm removal — this deletes the phantom entry from HP Smart"

It did NOT show up in Printer Settings !

Exited Hp Smart.  I deleted the  LocalCache subfolder.  Rebooted.  Phantom still shows up in HP Smart !

[Kuroi_Kenshi · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for the update!
Since the phantom printer does not appear in Printer Settings and still shows up even after clearing the cache, let’s go one step deeper to completely remove any saved device profile from HP Smart.

1. Sign Out of HP Smart

Open HP Smart.

Click your Account icon (top-right).

Select Sign Out.

Close the app.

Signing out clears cloud-synced printer data from your account.

2. Delete Cloud-Saved Printers

Open HP Smart again (still logged out).

If the phantom printer shows, it should now allow you to remove it directly.

If not, proceed to the next step.

3. Remove HP Smart Account Device Link

Go to this website in your browser:
hpconnected.com

Sign in with the same account used in HP Smart.

Click My Printers.

If the phantom printer appears here, select it and choose Remove Printer.

4. Reset App Data Folder (Full Reset)

If it still appears:

Close HP Smart.

Press Win + R, type:

%localappdata%\Packages 

Find AD2F1837.HPPrinterControl…

Delete ALL folders except TempState.

Restart the PC, then reopen HP Smart.

5. Re-login and Add Only Your Real Printer

After restart, open HP Smart.

Log in again.

Click Add Printer and select the correct device.

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,