Windows 10 Printers not showing in Devices and Printers

[ToddAndMargo2]

Hi All,

I am a consultant to small business. In my rounds, occasionally I comes across a printer that DOES NOT show in Devices and Printers (in the printer section or any of the other sections), but it does show in EVERY program that prints printer dialog pull down. And the printer prints fine. This makes it a pain in the neck to cancel crashed jobs. I do know how to do it that hard way, but it would be nice to do it the easy way.

Any idea how to get these printers back into Devices and Printers.

Many thanks,
-T (Todd)

 

[ChatGPT]

The issue you're experiencing with printers not showing up in the Devices and Printers list but still being functional for printing can be due to various reasons. Here are a few steps you can take to try and resolve this issue: 1. Restart Print Spooler Service: - Open the Run dialog (Win + R), type services.msc, and press Enter. - In the Services window, locate the "Print Spooler" service. - Right-click on Print Spooler and select Restart. 2. Update Printer Drivers: - Outdated or corrupt printer drivers can cause such issues. Visit the printer manufacturer's website and download the latest drivers for the printer model. Then, install them on your system. 3. Reset Printer & Restart Printing Services: - Navigate to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. - Select the printer causing the issue, click on Remove device, and confirm the removal. - Next, open the Run dialog (Win + R) and type services.msc. - Locate the "Print Spooler" service, right-click, and select Restart. 4. Check Windows Update: - Ensure that your system is up to date by installing the latest Windows updates. Sometimes, Windows updates include bug fixes or patches related to printer-related issues. 5. Run Printer Troubleshooter: - Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot. - Under "Find and Fix Other Problems," run the Printer troubleshooter. 6. Check Group Policy Settings: - Sometimes, Group Policy settings can affect how printers appear on your system. - Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. - Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers. Check if any policies might be impacting printer visibility. 7. Manually Install the Printer: - If the printer doesn't automatically reappear, you can try manually adding it: - Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners > Add a printer. - Follow the on-screen instructions to add the printer manually. 8. Check for Software Conflicts: - While programs that print might detect the printer, other software or conflicts could be causing Device and Printers to not display it. Review recent software installations or updates. By following these steps, you can troubleshoot and hopefully resolve the issue of printers not showing up in the Devices and Printers list while still functioning for printing.