When you print a document or picture, Windows places the document/picture in a queue, called a print queue. In short, the print queue is nothing but a list of the document (s) waiting to print.
Windows 10 automatically clears the print queue when the printer completes all pending jobs.
At times, you may need to clear the queue manually to resolve a stuck print job. Clearing a print queue is pretty easy in Windows 10. Use one of the methods below to remove a print queue in Windows 10.
Method 1: The easiest way to clear the print queue in Windows 10
Step 1: Find the printer icon in the taskbar’s system tray and then double click on it to view pending print jobs.
Step 2: Click the Printer menu and then click Clear All Documents to clear the print queue.
Method 2: Delete printed documents via Devices & Printers
Step 1: Type Devices & Printers in the Start menu or toolbar and then press the Enter key to open the Devices & Printers window.
Step 2: Right-click on your printer’s icon, click See what’s printing option to see all print jobs currently waiting.
Step 3: Right-click the print queue, and then click Cancel to delete specific print jobs from the line.
To delete all print jobs from the queue, click the Printer menu and then click the Cancel All Documents option.
Method 3: Delete the print queue via the Settings app
Step 1: Open the Settings app and then navigate to Devices > Printers & scanners.
Step 2: Click on your printer to see the Open queue button. Click the Open queue button to view all print queue jobs.
Step 3: Right-click on the print job and then click Cancel to delete it from the print queue. To delete all documents from the print queue, click the Printer menu and then click the Cancel All Documents option.
Method 4: Manually remove the print queue in Windows 10
Use this method if the print job is stuck in the queue, and you cannot clear the line by following the procedures mentioned above.
Step 1: In the Start menu or toolbox search box, type services.msc and then press the Enter key to open the Services window.
Step 2: Here, find Print Spooler service. Right-click Print Spooler and then click the Stop option. Minimize the Service window.
Step 3: Open File Explorer and navigate to the following folder:
C: WindowsSystem32spoolPRINTERS
In case “C” is the control letter of Windows 10 install drive. If you see the dialog with the message “You don’t currently have permission to access this folder”, Click the Continue button to open the PRINTERS folder. If you are not an administrator, you may need to enter a password.
Step 4: In the PRINTERS folder, you will see many files. Select all files and press the delete key to delete all files. This will clear the print queue. Click the Yes button if you see a confirmation dialog.
Step 5: Maximize the Services window, right-click the Print Spooler service, and click Start to start the service.
Method 5: Use third-party tools to clear the print queue
There are a lot of premium tools available to help you clear the print queue in Windows 10. Print Queue Cleaner, Print Service Manager, and PrintFlush are two free tools you can use to remove the print queue in Windows 10.
