Why Is Printing So Slow on Windows

What Causes This?

Slow printing on Windows usually happens when the print spooler is stuck, the printer queue is clogged, or the printer driver is outdated or corrupted. It can also be caused by large temporary files, too many background apps using system resources, or a weak network connection to a wireless printer. In some cases, Windows sends print jobs slowly because the printer is set to the wrong port or is having trouble processing complex documents.

Common Symptoms

• Print jobs stay on “Spooling” for a long time
• Documents take several minutes to start printing
• The printer pauses between pages or prints very slowly
• Windows shows old print jobs that will not clear
• Printing is slower from one PC than from other devices

How to Fix It Manually

1. Restart the printer and your PC

   • Turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds, then turn it back on.
   • Restart your computer from Start > Power > Restart.
   • Try printing a small test page again.

2. Clear the print queue

   • Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
   • Select your printer, then click Open print queue.
   • If jobs are stuck, click the three dots or right-click items and choose Cancel.
   • If the queue will not clear, continue to the next step.

3. Restart the Print Spooler service

   • Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
   • Scroll down to Print Spooler.
   • Right-click it and choose Restart.
   • If that does not help:
     1. Right-click Print Spooler and choose Stop.
     2. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
     3. Delete the files inside that folder.
     4. Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler, and choose Start.

4. Update or reinstall the printer driver

   • Right-click Start and choose Device Manager.
   • Expand Print queues or Printers.
   • Right-click your printer and choose Update driver.
   • Select Search automatically for drivers.
   • If printing is still slow:
     1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
     2. Select the printer and click Remove.
     3. Restart your PC.
     4. Reinstall the latest driver from the printer manufacturer’s website.

5. Reduce background load

   • Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
   • In Processes, look for apps using high CPU, Memory, or Disk.
   • Close anything unnecessary, especially browser tabs, cloud sync apps, or large downloads.
   • If your PC is low on free space, delete unneeded files or empty the Recycle Bin.

6. Check printer connection and settings

   • For Wi-Fi printers, make sure the printer and PC are on the same network.
   • Move the printer closer to the router if the signal is weak.
   • In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your printer and make sure it is set as the default printer.
   • Open Printer properties and confirm the correct port is selected under the Ports tab.

7. Print a simpler test document

   • Try printing a basic text file from Notepad.
   • If that prints quickly but PDFs or image-heavy files are slow, the issue may be document size or print quality settings.
   • Lower the print quality or choose Draft mode in the printer’s preferences.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

Kudu can help speed up printing by clearing temporary files, reducing unnecessary background load, and fixing common Windows slowdowns that affect print performance. It is a faster option if you do not want to manually dig through services, temp folders, and startup processes.

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