Many Windows users who have their automatic updates on have reported that their printers stopped functioning as soon as they had a Windows upgrade. There are many possible reasons for this. There are also easy fixes that can help in resolving the issue of the Windows update.
One of the most common reasons for an error is the incompatibility between the Windows version and the drivers. This results in a conflict between the devices, thus causing an error in the printer. There are various other errors that lead to an issue in printing, such as
Sometimes when the printer driver is not installed properly, the icon for the connection will not show up on the machine. Also, the system does not let you install a printer driver if one is already installed, which can cause update issues. In such cases, you will come across the “unable to install printer driver” message display.
Issues in connectivity in the hardware of the printer can also cause compatibility problems with Windows after the update.
After updating your windows to the latest version, you may check the configuration settings of the printer as well. Usually, changes in configuration can help in resolving the problem, as the configuration may not be the same for every Windows version.
Sometimes, after the Windows update, the printer is not able to connect to the network that is working with the operating system. There are also issues with the IP address of the machine.
There are a few fixes we know that are likely to work in the resolution of the Windows update issues. Here are a few of them.
One of the fixes that seem to work almost every time is the regular installation of printer drivers. You can install the drivers using the following steps (for Windows)
The process for installing the drivers in Mac OS is as follows:
As for updating the printer drivers, the process can be completed manually or automatically. To manually update the drivers, you can visit the official website of the printer manufacturer and select the printer model for which you want the driver to update. Download and install the driver update on your system.
There is plenty of third-party software as well, which would save you a lot of time. You can find this software on the Internet. They allow you to manage and update the drivers, which can be done with a click. One drawback of this method is the safety concerns that it may bring to your system.