Meta Description: 4 Quick methods to resolve printer delayed printing issue in no time. Make the printer decelerating wait pains a thing of the past by adopting simple affirmed steps to quicken your printer.
4 Ways To Remove the Delay in Your Printer
Has your printer ever simply sat there? You press print, walk over to get your document, and nada. The printer is on. The paper is loaded. But it’s just staring back at you like it has no clue what you want.
Printing delays are among the most annoying tech annoyances people encounter both at home and at work. They drag your day to a crawl, cost you time and can drive you to the point of wanting to throw the entire machine out a window.
But there’s some good news: Most printing delays are solvable. And you do not need to be a tech whiz to repair them.
This guide will take you through 4 quick printer guide methods, which really work. Each method addresses a different cause of printing delays — so whatever’s causing your printer to lag, you’ll find the solution here.
Let’s get into it.
Why Are You Waiting So Long for Printouts in the First Place?
Before diving into solutions, it’s helpful to understand why printers slow down. Here are the most popular reasons for this:
| Cause | What’s Happening |
|---|---|
| Queue backup | Old or stuck jobs are blocking new ones from coming through |
| Outdated drivers | Your printer’s software is old and buggy |
| Wrong print settings | High-quality or color settings slow everything down |
| Weak Wi-Fi or bad connection | The printer isn’t receiving data fast enough |
| Low ink or toner | The printer slows itself down to save resources |
| Too many background apps | Your computer is busy doing something else |
Either one of these can transform a 10-second print job into a 5-minute patience test. Most of the time, the issue isn’t with the printer itself — it’s with its surroundings.
Now let’s fix it.
Method 1: Cancel All Active Print Jobs and Reboot the Print Spooler
This is the first thing to try. It’s fast, it’s free and it works surprisingly frequently.
What Is a Print Queue?
Imagine the print queue as if it is a line at a coffee shop. All print jobs are queued up. If a job at the head of the line is causing trouble (a frozen or corrupt job), nobody else is served — even if their order has common ingredients.
The print spooler is the manager of that queue. It manages what jobs are sent to the printer and in which order. When it becomes confused or overloaded, everything slows down or comes to a standstill.
How to Clear the Printer Queue on Windows
Step 1: Open the Start menu and search for “Services” — open the Services app.
Step 2: Scroll down to find “Print Spooler.” Right-click it and choose “Stop.”
Step 3: On File Explorer navigate to this folder: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Step 4: Remove everything inside that folder. Do not delete the folder itself — only the files within.
Step 5: Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler again, and select “Start.”
Step 6: Try printing again.
How to Remove Print Queue on Mac
Step 1: Apple menu → System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
Step 2: Choose your printer and click “Open Print Queue.”
Step 3: Delete all jobs that appear by hitting the X next to each one.
Step 4: Close the queue and attempt printing again.
Why This Works
Stalled or corrupted print jobs behave like a traffic jam. Clearing them out and restarting the spooler gives the printer a clean slate — and your new job goes immediately to the front with no obstacles.
Pro Tip: If your printer’s delays are a common occurrence, habitually clearing the queue once a week will help. The whole thing takes under two minutes.
Method 2: Update or Reinstall Your Printer Drivers
This is one of the fixes that gets ignored more than any other. An old driver is the cause of a massive number of printer issues — including delays.
What’s a Printer Driver?
A driver is software that allows your computer to “communicate” with your printer. Without it, your computer wouldn’t know how to send print jobs accurately.
When drivers get old or corrupted, communication breaks down. Print jobs are slower to process, or they sit in limbo waiting for instructions that never arrive clearly.
Signs Your Drivers Need Updating
- Your printer was working perfectly until, immediately after a Windows or Mac update, it suddenly started printing slowly
- You encounter error messages you wouldn’t have seen before
- Jobs build up in the queue but nothing releases
- The printer is sporadic and does not work consistently
Updating Printer Drivers on Windows
Option A — Via Device Manager:
- Press the Windows logo key + X → click Device Manager
- Expand the Printers section
- Right-click your printer and select Update Driver
- Choose Search automatically for drivers
- Restart your computer after updating
Option B — Via the Manufacturer’s Website:
Head straight to the website of your printer brand:
| Printer Brand | Driver Download Page |
|---|---|
| HP | support.hp.com |
| Canon | usa.canon.com/support |
| Epson | epson.com/support |
| Brother | support.brother.com |
| Lexmark | lexmark.com/support |
Look for your printer model and download the most recent driver. Select the version corresponding to your operating system (Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS, etc.) every time.
How to Completely Reinstall Your Drivers (When Updating Is Not Enough)
Updating doesn’t always solve the problem. In that case, a full reinstall works better.
- Open Control Panel → Devices and Printers
- Right-click your printer → Remove Device
- Go to Device Manager → View → Show Hidden Devices
- Under Printers, find your printer and right-click → Uninstall Device
- Restart your computer
- Download the most recent driver from the manufacturer’s site
- Reconnect your printer
This means a totally clean reboot with the printer for your system — as if it were new.
Mac Driver Update Steps
- Apple menu → System Settings → General → Software Update
- Install any updates available (Mac frequently includes printer driver updates here)
- Or go to the manufacturer’s website and download the Mac-compatible driver
Method 3: Tune Your Printing Settings to Print Faster
Here’s something most people don’t think about: your print settings could be the cause of all this slowness.
Your printer doesn’t merely spit out a document you’ve printed. It processes the file first. And the higher those quality settings, the longer that processing time takes.
For a deeper dive into all kinds of printer fixes, visit Printer Troubleshoot Guide — a dedicated resource covering everything from setup issues to performance problems.
Which Settings Slow Down Printers the Most
1. Print Quality Set to “Best” or “High”
This setting instructs the printer to apply maximum ink or toner and produce the smallest dots possible on the page. It looks great — but it’s a lot slower.
For everyday documents, you don’t need “Best” quality. No one needs a restaurant-quality printout of a grocery list.
2. Color Printing (When You Don’t Need Color)
Color printing is a lot slower than black-and-white. Every inch of the page requires mixing multiple ink cartridges, making precise color decisions.
If all your document has is text, switch to grayscale or black and white — you’ll see a noticeable speed improvement.
3. Two-Sided (Duplex) Printing
Automatic duplex printing requires the printer to turn over the paper, adding time. If you’re in a rush, turn this off.
4. High DPI Settings
DPI stands for dots per inch. More DPI = more detail = slower print. For plain text documents, 300–600 DPI is plenty.
Steps to Modify Print Settings
On Windows:
- Open your document and press Ctrl + P
- Click Printer Properties or More Settings
- Look for:
- Quality: Change from “Best” to “Normal” or “Draft”
- Color: Switch to “Black & White” or “Grayscale”
- Paper Type: Set to “Plain Paper” (specialty settings slow things down)
- Click OK and print
On Mac:
- Press Command + P
- Click Show Details
- Find the Quality & Media or Print Quality panel
- Adjust settings the same way
Draft Mode: Your Best Friend for Speed
Draft mode is the speediest option on any printer. It saves ink and prints faster. The text is a bit lighter, but for internal documents, notes, or drafts (as the name suggests), it’s very readable.
Here’s a quick comparison:
| Print Mode | Speed | Ink Used | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | Very Fast | Low | Notes, drafts, internal docs |
| Normal | Moderate | Medium | Everyday documents |
| Best/High | Slow | High | Photos, presentations |
| Photo | Very Slow | Very High | Photo printing only |
Use Draft or Normal for 80% of your print jobs. You’ll save time and ink.
Method 4: Repair the Connection of Your Printer (USB vs. Wi-Fi)
Even if everything else is operating flawlessly, a faulty connection between your computer and printer will add delays every single time.
Wireless printers see a lot of connection issues in particular. Wi-Fi makes things easier — but it also introduces a lot of potential problems.
Wired vs. Wireless: Which Is Faster?
| Connection Type | Speed | Reliability | Setup |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB (Direct) | Fastest | Most reliable | Easy |
| Ethernet (Cable) | Fast | Very reliable | Moderate |
| Wi-Fi | Moderate | Can be unstable | Easy but tricky |
| Bluetooth | Slowest | Least reliable | Easy |
USB is always the fastest if speed is your first concern. A direct, wired connection eliminates all the variables that slow down wireless printing.
Fixing Wi-Fi Printer Delays
If you prefer wireless printing (or your printer doesn’t have a USB option), here’s how to make it faster and more reliable:
1. Move the Printer Closer to the Router
Wi-Fi signals weaken with distance and walls. A printer at the other end of the house with a weak signal will receive print jobs more slowly.
The printer should ideally be no more than 15–20 feet away from your router, with no thick walls in between.
2. Assign a Static IP Address to Your Printer
Every time your printer connects to Wi-Fi, your router gives it an IP address. This address sometimes changes — and when it does, your computer can no longer find the printer.
Assigning a static (fixed) IP address prevents this from happening.
Here’s how (on most routers):
- Open your browser and log in via 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1
- Look for the DHCP or Connected Devices section
- Find your printer in the list
- Reserve its current IP address so it never changes
3. Restart Both Your Router and Printer
The simplest fix is the best one, sometimes. Turn off your router, unplug for 30 seconds, then plug back in. Then restart your printer. Let everything reconnect fresh.
4. Switch from 5GHz to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi
Most modern routers broadcast two networks: 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
- 5GHz is faster but has a shorter range
- 2.4GHz is slower but has greater range and travels better through walls
The majority of printers work better on 2.4GHz. If your printer keeps losing connection or printing slowly, switch to the 2.4GHz network in your printer’s wireless settings.
According to HP’s official support documentation, using the 2.4GHz band is specifically recommended for most home printers due to its better range and wall penetration compared to 5GHz.
5. Check for IP Address Conflicts
If two devices on your network get assigned the same IP address, they will interfere with one another. This can render the printer unreachable, resulting in long delays before the job times out or fails.
Restarting your router usually resolves this automatically.
Fixing USB Printer Delays
USB connections tend to be more reliable, but they can still cause issues.
- Try a different USB port on your computer — some ports are faster than others
- Use a shorter USB cable — very long cables can cause signal quality loss
- Replace worn-out USB cables — they degrade over time
- Plug directly into the computer rather than through a USB hub
Combine All 4 Methods for Maximum Speed
All four methods address different issues. For the best results, don’t just run one — try all four.
Here’s a quick action checklist:
| Step | Action | Time Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clear print queue + restart spooler | 3–5 minutes |
| 2 | Update or reinstall printer drivers | 10–15 minutes |
| 3 | Switch to Draft/Normal, grayscale settings | 2 minutes |
| 4 | Fix Wi-Fi or swap to USB connection | 5–15 minutes |
Total time investment: less than 30 minutes. And the payoff is a printer that functions as it should.
Other Smaller Fixes Worth Trying
While the 4 methods above cover the biggest causes, there are a few additional tricks that can definitely help:
Restart your computer. It sounds simple, but restarting clears any temporary memory issues and reestablishes the connection to your printer.
Check your ink and toner levels. Many printers will slow down automatically when ink or toner runs low. Replacing or shaking the cartridge (for toner) can restore normal speed.
Turn off printer features you don’t need. Automatic paper type detection or color calibration can increase processing time. If you don’t need them, turn them off in your printer’s settings menu.
Close background programs before printing. When 20 programs are running on your computer, it has less power to process your print job. Close what you don’t need before printing.
Use a direct printer connection instead of a shared network printer. Shared printers (connected through another computer or a print server) introduce additional steps and potential delays.
FAQs About Fixing Printer Delays
Q: My printer takes a long time to start printing after I click print. Why?
A: The usual suspects are a stuck print queue, outdated drivers, or high-quality print settings. Try clearing the print queue first and then examine your driver and settings.
Q: Does Wi-Fi make printing slower?
A: Yes, it can. Wireless is typically slower and less reliable than USB. If speed is critical, connect via a USB cable directly to your computer.
Q: How regularly do I need to update printer drivers?
A: Keep an eye out for updates every few months, or whenever you notice that your printer is acting differently. Always update after any major operating system update.
Q: Is Draft mode bad for my printer?
A: Not at all. Draft mode simply uses less ink and prints faster. It’s completely safe for everyday use. Save “Best” quality for photos or presentations that matter.
Q: My printer used to be fast — why did it suddenly slow down?
A: A sudden slowdown is usually the result of a software or OS update that altered your driver settings, or a stuck job in the print queue. Clear the queue and update your drivers.
Q: A lot of devices are on my Wi-Fi network. Can that slow down my printer?
A: Yes. A crowded Wi-Fi network means less bandwidth available for your printer. Try printing at off-peak times, or switch to a USB connection for faster results.
Q: My printer is brand new — why is it already slow?
A: New printers often come with outdated drivers straight out of the box. Before anything else, head to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest version of its driver.
Wrapping It All Up
The tedium of printer delays doesn’t need to be your new normal. Using these 4 quick printer guide methods, you have everything at your disposal to locate the problem and solve it fast.
To recap:
- Clear your print queue and restart the print spooler — clears traffic jams in your printing pipeline
- Update or reinstall your printer drivers — rectifies communication errors between your computer and the printer
- Change your print settings — Draft mode or black and white can reduce printing time significantly
- Fix your connection — whether it’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting or switching to USB, a strong connection is indispensable for fast printing
You don’t have to be a tech wizard to fix a slow printer. You just need the proper steps — and now you have them.
Come back to this guide next time your printer decides it’s time for a nap. Execute the methods one after another. Chances are, you’ll be printing again in less than 15 minutes.
