Printer delays up to three minutes before commencing print jobs

[MH52d]

My printer stopped working altogether. I then reinstalled from the HP Smart app (windows reports it is using that to print) but now it takes up to three minutes to start a print job.  It is showing as the default printer, is ready and also shows in devices from the settings link in Windows. However in device manager all of the possible printers show in print queues, but not in printers.  I'd be happy to unistall all of this and start again, but I don't know how. The printer prints from other devices including my phone, without delay. I've tried diagnose and fix, it reports no issues. This is driving me crazy!!  Thanks for any assistance.

[Max3Aj · Accepted solution]

@MH52d, Hi there, and welcome to HP Support Community!

Thank you for reaching out with your concern. I'm glad to assist you today.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to resolve the issue of your HP OfficeJet Pro 9720e printer taking up to three minutes to start printing on Windows 11, even though it prints fine from other devices:

Uninstall All HP Printer Software and Drivers

To start fresh:

• Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
• Uninstall HP Smart, HP OfficeJet Pro 9720e drivers, and any other HP-related software.
• Open Device Manager > Print queues, right-click and uninstall all HP printer entries.
• Also go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers, right-click and remove all HP printers.

Restart the Print Spooler

• Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
• Scroll to Print Spooler, right-click > Restart.

Reinstall the Printer Properly

• Go to 123.hp.com and download the latest full-feature driver for HP OfficeJet Pro 9720e.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to install and connect the printer.

Set the Correct Port

• Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
• Right-click your printer > Printer Properties > Ports tab.
• Ensure the correct port is selected (e.g., WSD, USB, or IP address depending on your connection type).

Disable Bidirectional Support (Optional)

Sometimes disabling this helps:

• In Printer Properties > Ports, uncheck Enable bidirectional support.

Set as Default and Test

• Right-click the printer > Set as default printer.
• Try printing a test page.

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Take care and happy computing!

Best regards,

Max3Aj

HP Support