HP Printer in Error State? How to Fix It in Windows

You click Print and get a pop-up instead of a page: your HP printer is "in error state." Open Printers & scanners and the same words sit under the printer's name. Open the print queue and your document is stuck there, marked Error - Printing.

What makes this message so annoying is that it tells you something went wrong without telling you what. The cause could be on the printer, like a jam, an open door, a cartridge it doesn't like, or a prompt waiting for someone to press OK. It could also be on the computer: a stuck job, a stalled Print Spooler, or a driver or port that no longer matches the printer.

This guide starts with a quick test that tells you which side to work on. Then it walks through the fixes in order, built from HP's and Microsoft's own troubleshooting steps. It covers HP DeskJet, ENVY, OfficeJet, OfficeJet Pro, Smart Tank, and LaserJet printers on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

What "Printer in Error State" Actually Means

Windows keeps a running status for every printer it knows about: ready, printing, paused, offline, out of paper, and so on. "Error" is the catch-all on that list. Microsoft's developer documentation literally defines it as "the printer is in an error state," and lists it separately from more specific statuses like a paper jam, an open door, or no toner. Windows can only show those specific ones when the printer and its driver report that much detail. Often all it hears is that something's wrong, so that's all it tells you.

Microsoft's own printer help says that when your printer's status reads "Printer in error state," there may be a problem with the printer itself. That's the right place to start looking, even though the cause sometimes turns out to be on the computer.

Two more things are worth knowing before you start:

• HP printers use the phrase too. On HP DeskJet 2700, 4100, and 4800 series printers, an E5 or E6 on the display means the scanner or printer is in an error state. On HP Smart Tank printers, E6 means "the printer is in an error state." HP also says that on Smart Tank models, a Power light that blinks quickly means the ink cartridge door is open or the printer is in an error state. So the message on your PC may simply be passing along what the printer already knows.
• Error state isn't the same as offline. Offline means Windows can't reach the printer at all. Error state means a print job or a status check went wrong: the printer reported a problem, or the hand-off between computer and printer failed partway through. The fixes overlap, but if Windows says Offline, our HP printer offline guide is the better match.

Start Here: Is the Problem the Printer or the Computer?

Take one minute for this before you change any settings. It can save you from reinstalling drivers for a printer that only needs paper.

1. Look at the printer. Is there a message on the screen, an E and a number on a small display, or a light that's blinking? If so, go straight to Step 1.
2. Make the printer print something on its own. On an all-in-one, make a copy. Or print a report from the printer itself. On touchscreen models, look for Reports under the Setup or Tools menu. Button-only models use a button combination that HP lists for each model family. For example, on the DeskJet 2700, 4100, and 4800 series, holding the Cancel button for three seconds prints a Printer Status Report.
3. Try printing from something else. Use the HP app on your phone, or a second computer on the same network.

Here's what the results tell you:

• The printer won't make a copy or print its own report. The problem is the printer. Work through Steps 1 and 2.
• The printer prints its own pages, but nothing comes from your PC. The printer hardware is fine, and the problem is the computer or the connection. Do Step 2, then continue from Step 3.
• Your phone prints, but your PC doesn't. The network is fine too. Focus on Steps 3 to 7.

HP's own support staff use the same test on HP's community forum. If the printer makes a good copy or prints a test page by itself, the hardware is working and the issue is on the computer side.

Step 1: Clear Whatever the Printer Is Showing

No Windows fix gets past an open door or a jammed sheet, so start at the printer. On models with a touchscreen, follow the message on the screen, whether it says Paper Jam, Cartridge Problem, Door Open, or Out of Paper. If you see a code instead, like 13.03 on a LaserJet or 0x83c0000a on an OfficeJet, look it up in our HP printer error codes and messages guide.

DeskJet and Smart Tank printers with a small display show an E and one digit. Here's what HP's documents say they mean:

Newer families, like the DeskJet 2800, 4200, and 4900 series, have their own light and code guides on HP's site. Search for your model name plus "blinking lights and error codes." For jams that keep coming back, see our HP printer paper jam guide.

If the printer wants different paper

A paper mismatch is easy to miss. The printer stops and waits for the right paper, and all you see on the computer is an error. HP's fix is to make the job's settings match what's in the tray:

1. In your program, click File, then Print, then open Properties (it may be called Preferences, Options, or Printer Setup).
2. On most HP inkjets, open the Paper/Quality tab. Check that Paper Source points to the right tray, then click Advanced and make sure Paper Size matches the paper you loaded.
3. On HP laser printers, open the Paper tab. Set Original Size to the paper you loaded, and set Output Size to Same as Original Size.

Documents from outside North America are often set up for A4, which is slightly narrower and longer than US Letter, and that alone can trigger a mismatch.

On LaserJet Pro models, the same problem shows up on the printer as "Unexpected size in tray 2, Load [size], Press OK." HP says this usually means the tray's paper size setting doesn't match what's actually in it. Set the tray from the printer's control panel (on many models, Setup > System Setup > Paper Setup > Tray 2 > Paper Size), or from the printer's Embedded Web Server. HP adds two useful notes. Most programs override the driver's paper size, so check the setting inside the program, too. And if the message keeps appearing with every setting correct, a dirty or worn pickup roller can fool the printer into thinking the paper is longer than it is.

If the printer is waiting on a prompt

After you install new cartridges, many HP all-in-ones print an alignment page and ask you to scan it. HP's instructions are to follow the steps printed on that page to finish the alignment. A printer that's waiting for that scan, or for any "Press OK" message, may hold your job. Answer or cancel the prompt on the printer, then send the job again.

If you see an internet or Instant Ink message

Messages like "Can't print, connect to the internet" or "Printer not connected to the internet" are covered in the HP+ and Instant Ink section further down.

Step 2: Reset the Printer the Way HP Does It

HP's standard reset clears most temporary printer faults, including E5 and E6. Here's the sequence from HP's current support documents:

1. If your printer has a rechargeable battery, as some HP mobile printers do, remove it.
2. Press the power button to turn the printer off. If it won't turn off, unplug the power cord from the back of the printer.
3. Unplug the power cord from the wall outlet, too.
4. Wait 60 seconds.
5. Plug the cord straight into a wall outlet, not a power strip or surge protector, and back into the printer. HP's reset steps specifically call for a wall outlet.
6. Turn the printer on and wait until it's quiet and idle.

While the printer is off, restart your computer. If the printer connects over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, restart your router too. HP's own troubleshooting describes restarting the computer, printer, and router as the way to clear error states.

Print a test page. If the same message or code comes back right away, write down exactly what it says. It points to something physical, and the HP printer error codes and messages guide is your next stop.

Step 3: Clear the Error and the Queue in Windows

If the printer is ready and can print its own pages, but Windows still shows an error, Windows may be holding on to an old status or a job that failed.

1. Press Windows + R, type control printers, and press Enter. This opens Devices and Printers on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
2. Right-click your HP printer and choose See what's printing.
3. Click the Printer menu at the top. If Pause Printing or Use Printer Offline has a check mark, click it to clear it.
4. Open the Printer menu again, choose Cancel All Documents, and click Yes.
5. Close the window and print a test page.

While you're in Devices and Printers, look for more than one copy of your printer, such as "HP ENVY 6000" and "HP ENVY 6000 (Copy 1)." Each copy can point to a different connection, and only one may still work. Send a test page to each copy. Our HP printer offline guide shows how to make the working one your default and stop Windows from switching it back.

If documents won't leave the queue, go to Step 4. For a queue that fills up again and again, see HP printer job stuck in queue.

Step 4: Reset the Windows Printing Environment

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that holds your print jobs and feeds them to the printer. One damaged job in it can trip the error every time you print, even after a restart. HP's version of the spooler reset is a little different from most guides because it has you power down both the printer and the computer:

1. Turn off the printer and unplug its power cord.
2. In Windows, search for Services and open it.
3. Right-click Print Spooler and click Stop. Once it stops, close the Services window.
4. Open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. If Windows asks for permission, click Continue.
5. Delete everything inside the PRINTERS folder. Leave the folder itself where it is.
6. Shut down your computer.
7. Plug the printer back in and turn it on.
8. Turn the computer back on. The Print Spooler starts again with Windows.

If printing still fails, open Services again and double-click Print Spooler. Microsoft recommends that Startup type be set to Automatic. If the service shows as stopped, click Start.

This clears every waiting job on that computer, for every printer. If you share the PC, let others know before you do it.

Step 5: Run Diagnose & Fix in the HP App

Diagnose & Fix is HP's own troubleshooter, built into the free HP app for Windows and Mac. According to HP, it:

• clears stuck jobs, resumes paused ones, and fixes other print queue errors,
• checks whether the printer is offline and reconnects it to the network if it can,
• resolves Print Spooler errors,
• on Windows, checks for and installs driver updates, and
• on Windows, reconnects the printer to the correct port if there's a port mismatch.

That last item matters for error state. A port mismatch means Windows is sending your jobs somewhere the printer isn't. Step 6 explains how to check that by hand.

1. Get the HP app from 123.hp.com or the Microsoft Store. If you had HP Smart, it may have already updated to the HP app.
2. Open the app and click your printer, then click Diagnose & Fix. Depending on your version, it may be in the Printers menu instead, or under Diagnostics when you scroll down.
3. Click Start and keep the app open until it finishes.
4. Follow any fixes it shows on the results screen, then print a test page.

HP's requirements are Windows 10 version 1809 or later (or macOS 12 or later) and a printer that works with the HP app. HP says the app supports most wireless-capable printers made in 2014 or later. If yours is an older USB-only model, skip ahead to Step 6.

You may see older guides, including some HP forum replies, telling you to download HP Print and Scan Doctor. HP retired it in May 2025 and recommends Diagnose & Fix instead.

Step 6: Check Which Port Windows Is Sending To

The port is the route Windows uses to reach your printer. If it points to the wrong place, every job fails, and Windows reports an error.

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, click your HP printer, and click Printer properties. On Windows 10, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, click the printer, then Manage, then Printer properties.
2. Open the Ports tab and find the port with a check mark.
3. Make sure it matches how your printer connects:
   • USB: a port named USB001, USB002, and so on.
   • Wi-Fi or Ethernet: a WSD port, or a port named with the printer's IP address or network name.
4. For a network printer, compare the IP address in the port with the one on the printer's Network Configuration Page. You can print that page from the printer's Wireless or Network menu, or from the HP app.

If you moved, changed routers, or reset the printer's network

This one is easy to miss because the printer looks perfectly healthy. HP's community forum has a thread that lays it out clearly: an owner moved to a new home and reconnected their HP ENVY to the new Wi-Fi. The printer printed its own test pages without trouble, yet the laptop kept saying "Printer in error state" through spooler restarts and reboots.

When the printer joins a new network, it usually gets a new address, but Windows can still be pointed at the old one. The fastest way out is to let Windows find the printer again. Run Diagnose & Fix (Step 5), or remove the printer from Windows and add it back (Step 7).

If it's a WSD port and the error keeps coming back

WSD ports let Windows find network printers automatically, but some HP owners have found them unreliable. On HP's forum, an office with an OfficeJet 6970 had one PC stuck on "Error - Printing" while every other PC printed fine. The accepted fix was switching that PC from the WSD port to a Standard TCP/IP port set to the printer's IP address. Our HP printer offline guide walks through creating that port and keeping the printer's address from changing.

If it's a USB printer

HP's USB checklist is short:

• Check the cable for damage. HP says to replace it if it's damaged or longer than 3 meters (9 feet 10 inches).
• Plug it into a USB 2.0 or faster port directly on the computer. Don't go through a USB hub or docking station.
• Turn on the computer first and let it finish starting up, then turn on the printer.

If you've moved the cable to a different USB port on the computer, check Devices and Printers for a second copy of the printer, and print to the one that responds.

Step 7: Reinstall the HP Software Cleanly

If the error survives everything above, the driver may be damaged, or Windows may be using one that doesn't fit your printer. A clean reinstall gives you a fresh start. This is HP's procedure, with the leftover-driver step HP's support staff add on the forum:

1. Disconnect any USB cable from the printer.
2. Search for Add or remove programs and open it. If your HP printer appears in the list, click it and choose Uninstall. If it doesn't, open Printers & scanners, click the printer, and choose Remove.
3. Click Yes if User Account Control asks, and follow the prompts until the removal finishes.
4. Clear out any leftover driver. Press Windows + R, type printui.exe /s, and press Enter. On the Drivers tab, select any HP driver for your printer, click Remove, choose Remove driver and driver package, and confirm.
5. Restart the computer.
6. Go to 123.hp.com to get the HP app, and follow its steps to connect the printer. If you'd rather use HP's full driver package, download it from HP's Software and Driver Downloads page for your exact model.

After you reinstall, the driver may show as Microsoft IPP Class Driver instead of an HP name. That's normal on many newer Windows 11 setups, and everyday printing works with it. Our HP printer driver guide explains when to switch to HP's driver, and if all this started right after a Windows update, see HP printer issue after Windows update.

Step 8: Update the Printer's Firmware

HP releases firmware updates with fixes for known problems, and updating is part of HP's troubleshooting for paper mismatch errors and HP+ printers that stop printing. HP's support staff also recommend it for error state on the forum. Use whichever route your printer supports:

• On the printer: many HP printers with a menu screen can update themselves. One common path is Setup > Printer Maintenance > Update Printer > Check Now, though the names vary by model.
• In the HP app: click your printer, then Advanced Settings (on some versions, Printer Settings > View all > Advanced Settings). Click Printer Update or Printer Updates, enter the printer PIN if asked, and click Check Now.
• From HP's website: open the Software and Driver Downloads page for your printer and download anything listed under Firmware.

Don't turn the printer off while an update is running. HP warns that it can permanently damage the printer.

Got an HP+ or Instant Ink Printer? Check This Too

HP+ printers, and any printer enrolled in Instant Ink, need an active internet connection to keep printing. HP says they rely on its Web Services for security checks, ink level monitoring, and page counts. If the printer is off the internet for an extended period, or is connected by USB only, it may stop printing until the connection comes back. On the printer or in the HP app, you might see:

• "Can't print, connect to the internet to continue printing with HP Instant Ink cartridges"
• "Printer not connected to the internet" or "Connection problem"
• "Printer status unknown"
• "Cartridge problem"

From Windows, any of these can look like a plain error state. HP lists the usual causes as a declined, pending, or suspended payment, a canceled Instant Ink subscription, a printer that isn't enrolled, Wi-Fi problems, and cartridge errors. Work through HP's checks in order:

1. Check your Instant Ink account. Sign in to your HP Smart account online, update your payment method if needed, and confirm the printer's status shows Enrolled. If it says Cancelled, you can re-enroll, or switch to regular HP cartridges from a store.
2. Reseat the cartridges. Open the cartridge door, wait for the carriage to stop, then push each cartridge in until it snaps into place.
3. Update the firmware (Step 8).
4. Restart the printer, computer, and router, then make sure the computer and printer are on the same Wi-Fi network.
5. Check Web Services. Type the printer's IP address into a web browser to open its Embedded Web Server, then click the Web Services tab. Make sure Web Services is turned on and the internet connection shows Connected. If you're asked to sign in, the PIN is on a label usually inside the cartridge door. HP LaserJets also ask for the username admin.

If your HP Smart account shows the printer as Not ready to print or Unable to print after all of that, HP's next step is to contact HP support.

If Your HP Printer Keeps Going Into Error State

Clearing the error once is one thing. If it's back every day or two, try these:

• Run Microsoft's printer troubleshooter. On Windows 11, open the Get Help app and search for the printer troubleshooter, or go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and click Run next to Printer. Microsoft has moved its printer troubleshooting into Get Help, so either route ends up there. On Windows 10, look under Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. It checks the Windows side only. It can't close a door or clear a jam.
• Stop the printer's address from changing. If your router hands the printer a new IP address now and then, any port tied to the old one breaks. Our HP printer offline guide covers giving the printer a fixed address, plus the SNMP setting that can make a working network printer look broken to Windows.
• Test the bidirectional setting. In Printer properties, on the Ports tab, there's a box called Enable bidirectional support. It lets Windows and the driver ask the printer for its status. If a garbled status reply is what keeps flagging the error, clearing the box can stop it. The trade-off is real, though: Windows can no longer show ink levels or warn you about genuine problems like an empty tray. Treat it as a test. If nothing changes, check the box again. If the box is grayed out, leave it alone.
• Keep the firmware current. HP fixes known issues through firmware, so turn on automatic updates if your printer offers them, or check every few months using Step 8.

When It's More Than a Glitch

Most error states come down to paper, a prompt, a stuck job, or a connection. It's time to look past troubleshooting if:

• E6 comes back right after HP's 60-second reset, or a Smart Tank shows E8, which HP calls a fatal error.
• The printer can't make a copy or print its own report, even with paper loaded and nothing on the screen.
• The carriage won't slide freely, even after you've checked its path with a flashlight.
• The same message returns after every reset, like a jam code with no paper inside, or a cartridge error with a brand new set installed.

Check your coverage first. Enter the printer's serial number on HP's Warranty Check page at support.hp.com. HP says repair fees may apply once a printer is out of warranty. On an inexpensive home inkjet, compare any repair quote with the price of a new printer before you agree to it. Our HP printer error codes and messages guide covers which codes usually mean a repair.

One word of caution when you search for help. HP says it never calls customers out of the blue to offer tech support, and its emails only come from HP.com addresses. If you want to call HP, get the number from hp.com yourself.