Why do I have to uninstall/reinstall my printer after windows update?

[Brent43]

• Why do I have to uninstall/reinstall my printer after nearly

[Dragon-Fur]

@Brent43 

Welcome to the HP Community --

"Why" questions can be easy or difficult to answer to the satisfaction of the person asking the question.

Dragon Opinion

Logical

If you have to uninstall / reinstall your printer software after a Windows Update, the underlying cause for the disruption to your routine might be as simple as the Update is changing one or more of the instructions in the Windows File System used by the installed printer software.

The change might be on the network level -- that is, the software is OK but the ability of the software to communicate with the printer is changed in some obscure way.

  It only takes a change or break to one critical piece of the code or a connection to make the target program unusable. 

What?

Installed software is vulnerable to changes that break links, move files, edit or remove libraries on which that software depends.

Printer software starts out installing what it needs to operate. 

As the software is accessed by other programs or applications, dependencies and changes are made that normally make the software easier to use.  For example, Changes to the Printing Preferences and changes to Printer Properties.

Personally, I don't see the result you describe.   

True, on occasion, I've had to reinstall the printer software for our printers

True in our Windows 11 systems (two HP and several hand built) -- having to reload the printer software is unusual.

Possible candidates might include one or more of the following:

(Note:  This is not an all inclusive list)

• Windows is in need of being reloaded.
• Windows Updates are not installing "other Microsoft products" - this is not directly related to printer software.  Missing updates in other Microsoft programs might result in a "ripple effect" if the printer software tries to access an instruction in another program and that program is outdated or not available.
• Your computer needs to be updated to stabilize the HP (or other manufacturer) drivers for Windows 11.
• The printer software for your particular printer is more vulnerable to File System changes.
• Your network is not configured fully or is otherwise not fully supporting the printer.
• The connection type between the printer, the printer software, and the network should be changed to a manual IP / static IP address and TCP/IP

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