Do you know why your printer will get blocked? The world is moving fast toward digital technology; the number of computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and printers has increased. When you buy a printer, you will also get a computer to print your documents.
Nowadays, printers are ubiquitous in our homes, offices, and schools. In case your printer gets blocked, it will not only affect your work, but it will also affect your life.
I am sure you will be aware of the problems when your printer gets blocked. A printer is an electronic device that prints the output on paper. The output is printed as a document, a receipt, a letter, etc. Printers are widely used in offices, schools, homes, and many other places.
Read More: How Long Does it Take to Print A Book?
4 Reasons why your printer will get blocked?
Here are the four reasons that your printer will get blocked:
1. Paper Jam
Paper jams are one of the most common problems faced by users. If you use a laser printer, you will get a jamming problem while printing.
2. Dust
If you are not cleaning the printer correctly, the dust will also accumulate in the printer. If you keep the printer dirty, then the performance of the printer will decrease, and it will also cause the printer to get jammed.
3. Virus
If you don’t have a printer virus scanner, you may face some severe problems.
4. Slow Performance
If the printer’s performance is slow, it will not be able to perform the desired work.
How to fix a printer blocked in Windows 10
Every computer user faces the problem of printer blockage at least once in his lifetime. It happens when you try to print a particular page or document, but the system can’t recognize the printer, and it displays an error message.
The error message may vary according to the operating system, printer, and driver version. The most common error messages are “printer is unable to open the selected device” and “printer not found.” In this case, you need to take action and resolve the problem as soon as possible.
Fix the printer driver
The most common reason for printer driver failure is the outdated printer driver. You need to update the printer driver of your device. To update the printer driver, you need to follow the below steps:
Go to Device Manager.
Find the printer model and click the Edit button.
Click the Driver tab and select Update Driver Software.
Select the recommended option and click Next.
Wait until the printer driver is installed and the process completes.
Reinstall the printer driver
If you still face the same issue, you must reinstall the printer driver. You can do this by following the below steps:
Go to the Control Panel and then select Printers and Faxes.
Click Add a Printer.
Choose the printer you want to use and click Next.
You will see the driver installed if you have a compatible printer. Otherwise, you will be prompted to search for the driver.
Click Install.
If you are still looking for your printer’s driver, you can download it from the manufacturer’s website.
Reset the printer
Sometimes, the driver is corrupted. So, you can reset the printer by following the below steps:
Go to Device Manager and then select your printer.
Right-click the printer and choose Uninstall.
Select Yes to confirm the uninstallation.
Restart the computer.
Open Control Panel and select Printers and Fax.
Select Add a Printer and then choose the printer you want to install.
Click Install.
5 Best Ways To Unlock Your HP Printer
The most common problem HP printer users face is that they need to learn about the process of unlocking the HP printer. They search online and find the solutions that will work for them, but sometimes it is not the right solution.
So, if you are facing the same problem, don’t worry because, in this article, I will tell you the best method to help you unlock your HP printer.
Use a new USB cable
You can quickly solve the problem by replacing the old USB cable with a new one. You may have connected the printer with an old USB cable that may need to be compatible with your computer.
Unplug the printer and plug it in again with the new USB cable.
Use the reset button.
If the problem persists, you need to press the reset button and keep the printer unplugged for some time. The reset button is located at the back of the printer.
Wait for a while
After pressing the reset button, wait for a few seconds and restart the printer. After restarting the printer, wait for a few more seconds and then try to connect the printer to the computer.
Check the USB port
Another solution is to check the USB port; if it is a USB 2.0 or a USB 3.0, the problem will not arise, but if the port is USB 1.1, the problem will arise.
Clean the USB port
If the problem persists, then you need to clean the USB port. You can clean it with a cotton ball if it is dirty.
So, these were the best ways to unlock your HP printer. If you are also facing the same problem, follow these methods, and you will unlock your printer.