Why does my HPOfficeJetPro8120e sporatically not print from Windows

[olddesertrat37]

Sometimes when I try to send a job to my printer from Microsoft Word I get an error message.  No matter how many times I delete the error job, it will not print.  At other time everything prints without a problem.

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @olddesertrat37,

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 OfficeJet Pro 8120e sometimes fails to print from Windows and shows an error message, while other times it prints normally. Let’s go through a few steps to check what could be causing this intermittent issue.

1. Restart the print spooler service

On your Windows computer, press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.

Find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart.

This clears stuck print jobs and reinitializes the print queue system.

2. Clear the print queue manually

Go to Control Panel → Devices and Printers.

Right-click your HP OfficeJet Pro 8120e and select See what’s printing.

Cancel all pending jobs, then close the window and try printing again.

3. Set the printer as the default device

In Devices and Printers, right-click your HP printer and choose Set as Default Printer.

This ensures Windows doesn’t accidentally send jobs to another print driver or virtual printer.

4. Reinstall the printer driver

Open Settings → Bluetooth & Devices → Printers & Scanners.

Remove the HP OfficeJet Pro 8120e, then restart your PC.

Add the printer again using Add Device, and select the driver with “HP Smart” or “Web Services” in the name (not a generic one).

5. Update the printer firmware and HP Smart app

In HP Smart, go to Printer Settings → Advanced Settings → Tools → Printer Updates and select Check for Updates.

Firmware updates can resolve random connection or print queue issues.

6. Disable “Pause Printing” and “Use Printer Offline” options

Right-click your printer in Devices and Printers, select See what’s printing, and ensure these two options are unchecked.

These settings can sometimes toggle on automatically after a network drop.

I hope this helps.

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Best regards,