My HP printers no longer print (error mode) after Windows update July 6 2026

[arch95]

Since the latest Windows update (July 6 2026) both of my HP printers are stuck in error mode. I have attempted various fixes (restarting the Print Spooler, power reset both printers, removing and adding printer - unable to add printer back, restarting HP Smart, restarting computer multiple times, running Windows Printer Troubleshooter - unable to fix). 

My printers are HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn and HP OfficeJet Pro 9730. I was able to print to the Color LaserJet from another laptop so the printer is fine. I uninstalled that printer and have been unable to reinstall it since. 

Thank you for any help finding a solution! I run a small business and have spent several hours now trying to resolve this issue.

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @arch95 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I understand your printer has taken several hours of your time, especially when you rely on these printers for your business. I also appreciate the detailed troubleshooting you've already completed. 

The fact that both printers entered an error state on the same computer around the same time, while the HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn still prints from another laptop, is a very helpful detail and points us toward the Windows printing environment rather than the printer hardware itself.

Before moving into additional troubleshooting, I would like to gather a few details so we can focus on the correct solution:

What version of Windows are you using?

• Windows 10 or Windows 11?
• Please share the OS Build number if available (Settings > System > About).

How are the printers connected to this computer?

• Network (Ethernet/Wi‑Fi)
• USB
• Both printers connected the same way or differently?

When you attempt to add the HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn again:

• Does Windows find the printer but fail during installation?
• Or does the printer not appear at all?

In Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners:

• Do either of the printers still appear?
• If they appear, what exact status is shown (Error, Driver unavailable, Offline, etc.)?

For the HP OfficeJet Pro 9730:

• Can you access its Embedded Web Server by entering the printer's IP address into a web browser?
• If yes, does the printer show Ready on its home page?

Have you already removed the printer software from:

• Settings > Apps > Installed Apps
• HP App

Based on the information you've provided so far, I would first want to determine whether:

• The Windows update affected the print driver installation,
• The Windows print spooler is unable to create printer ports correctly,
• Or Windows is no longer communicating with the printers despite them being reachable on the network.

You can also run the built-in diagnostic tool in the HP App and let me know the results it reports, particularly if it mentions driver, port, or spooler issues: 

Use Diagnose & Fix in the HP app to repair common printing issues (Windows, macOS)

Once you provide the details above, I can help narrow this down and suggest the most appropriate next steps.

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye

[arch95]

Hi Hawks-Eye,

I spent 90 min with an HP tech and they were unable to fix the issue, in the end they said I needed to contact Microsoft. Ugh. Below is the information you asked about:

Windows 11

OS build 26200.8737

both printers connected by USB (OfficeJet is also connected by wi-fi which seems to work)

printers are visible but have "error" messages; I uninstalled the LaserJet Pro M452 and now it is not visible by the computer to reinstall. I have also been unable to successfully download the HP installation.

exact status is "Error"

OfficeJet seems to be connected by wifi and I am able to print that way (shows Ready)

I have not removed the HP App - worried if I do that I may not be able to print at all.

I stopped the Print Spooler service and cleared the spool folder (two files could not be deleted, stated they were being used by the Print Spooler). Restarted Print Spooler and rebooted computer.

If you have any suggestions that would be great. My next step is contacting Microsoft.

Thanks!

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @arch95

Thank you for the detailed update, and I appreciate all the time you've already invested, including working with HP Support and performing the spooler cleanup.

Based on the information you've shared, a few details stand out:

• Both printers entered an Error state after a Windows update.
• The HP OfficeJet Pro 9730 prints successfully over Wi‑Fi, which indicates the printer itself is functioning correctly.
• The HP Color LaserJet Pro M452dn prints from another laptop, confirming the printer hardware is not the source of the issue.
• Both affected connections are USB-based on the Windows 11 system.
• Windows 11 Build 26200.8737 is involved.
• The M452dn can no longer be discovered or reinstalled through Windows.

Taken together, this points more toward a Windows USB printing driver/print subsystem issue than a printer failure.

Before contacting Microsoft, I would suggest checking the following:

1. Verify whether Windows still detects the printers as USB devices

Disconnect the printer USB cable from the computer.

Open Device Manager and expand:

• Universal Serial Bus controllers
• Printers
• Print queues
• Other devices

Reconnect the printer and watch for any new device appearing, disappearing, or showing a warning symbol.

If the printer is not being detected at the USB level, Windows will not be able to reinstall the print driver.

 

2. Completely remove the affected printer drivers from Windows Print Server Properties

Sometimes a Windows update leaves an older driver package in the print subsystem, preventing reinstallation.

1. Press Windows + R
2. Type:

printui.exe /s /t2

1. Select the HP printer drivers listed.
2. Choose Remove.
3. Select Remove driver and driver package.

Restart the PC afterward.

 

3. Check for stalled Print Spooler dependencies

You mentioned that two files could not be deleted because they were in use. Normally, when the Print Spooler service is fully stopped, files in the spool folder should be removable.

Open Services and confirm:

• Print Spooler = Running
• RPC Endpoint Mapper = Running
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC) = Running

If the spooler repeatedly recreates jobs or becomes stuck, there may still be a corrupted print queue item.

 

4. Try adding the printer manually by TCP/IP (for the M452dn)

Since the OfficeJet functions over Wi‑Fi and the LaserJet works from another computer, it may be worth temporarily bypassing USB.

If the M452dn is connected to the network:

1. Obtain the printer IP address.
2. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
3. Select Add device.
4. Choose Add manually.
5. Select Add a printer using TCP/IP address or hostname.

This helps determine whether the problem is USB-specific or affects all Windows printing channels.

 

5. Review Windows Event Viewer

If Windows is rejecting the driver installation, the reason is often logged.

Navigate to:

Event Viewer

→ Applications and Services Logs

→ Microsoft

→ Windows

→ PrintService

→ Operational

Look for recent errors occurring when:

• Adding the printer
• Installing the driver
• Sending a print job

The Event ID and error text can be very revealing.

At this point, I do not believe the evidence points to a failure of either HP printer. Since:

• One printer works over Wi‑Fi,
• The other works from a different laptop,
• Both failed on the same PC following a Windows update,

the most likely causes are:

• Corrupted Windows print drivers,
• USB print port issues,
• A damaged Windows print spooler configuration,
• Or an issue introduced by the recent Windows build affecting USB printer communication.

Regards,

Hawks_Eye