Samsung Printer in Error State? How to Find the Cause and Clear It

"Printer in error state" is a Windows message, not a Samsung one. You'll see it in Printers & scanners or in the print queue when Windows sends a job and the printer reports a problem back, or stops answering the way Windows expects. Microsoft's own advice for this status starts at the printer itself: check the paper and toner, make sure no cover is open, and look for a jam.

That works in your favor with a Samsung laser printer, because these machines are good at saying what's wrong. A solid red light, a "Replace new cartridge" message or an alert in SyncThru Web Service usually leads you straight to the fix. If the printer turns out to be fine, the problem is almost always in the print queue, the Print Spooler or the driver, and the Windows and Mac sections below cover those.

One more thing before you start: Samsung printer support moved to HP when HP bought Samsung's printer business in 2017. Any driver, firmware file or diagnostic tool mentioned on this page comes from HP's support site, listed under your Samsung model number.

Start Here: Find Out What Your Samsung Printer Is Reporting

Windows only knows that something went wrong. The printer knows what it was. Spend a minute on the check that fits your model before you touch any settings.

Printers with a display

On models like the Xpress M2070FW, the ProXpress line or the color Xpress C480FW, read the message on the screen. Write it down word for word, including any error number, because the exact wording tells you which fix to use. The most common messages are explained in the next section.

Printers with lights only

Models like the Xpress M2020, M2020W and M2026 have no screen, so the color of the status light does the talking. Here's what it means, according to Samsung's user guide for the M2020 series:

These models also have a separate toner light. Blinking orange means toner is running low. Solid orange means the cartridge is close to the end of its estimated life.

Other Samsung models use different patterns. If yours doesn't match, the user guide on HP's page for your model has the right table.

Network printers: check SyncThru Web Service

Every network-connected Samsung printer has a built-in web page called SyncThru Web Service. On a computer that's on the same network, type the printer's IP address into your browser's address bar. According to HP, the printer's current status appears next to Alert, and it says No Alert when nothing is wrong. For more detail, the Information tab has an Active Alerts page that lists each alert and how serious it is.

Don't know the IP address? Print a configuration page:

• Models with a display: press Menu and look under System Setup > Report, or under the Network menu, for the network configuration report.
• Models without a display: hold the Stop, Cancel or WPS button until the status light starts blinking fast. HP notes that if a demo page or supplies page prints instead, you held the button too long or not long enough.

USB printers: check Samsung's software on your computer

If you installed Samsung's full driver package, you probably have two helpers already:

• Samsung Printer Status shows the error the printer is reporting, along with instructions for fixing it. HP's own Samsung guidance points you to this window when the status light turns red.
• Samsung Easy Printer Manager shows the printer's status, toner level and paper. On Windows, its Alert History keeps a record of past device and toner alerts, which is handy when the error comes and goes.

Once you know what the printer is reporting, go to the matching fix below. If the printer looks ready (green light, no message, "No Alert" in SyncThru) and Windows still says error state, skip to the Windows or Mac section.

Why a Samsung Printer Goes Into an Error State

Almost every case starts in one of three places.

On the printer

• The toner cartridge has reached the end of its estimated life. Samsung's guides point out that some toner can still be left inside when the printer stops.
• The cartridge isn't accepted. It isn't seated properly, it isn't the right model for your printer, it isn't genuine Samsung, or it was sold for a different region than the printer.
• A replaceable part has worn out on a color model. Samsung's Xpress C48x guide says printing stops once the waste toner tank reaches the end of its life. Imaging units and transfer belts have their own end-of-life messages too.
• Something physical is in the way. A paper jam, an empty tray, a cover that isn't latched or a full output tray.
• The printer is waiting for you. During manual two-sided printing or manual feed, the printer pauses until you reload the paper and press a button.
• A firmware update is running or didn't finish.
• A part has failed. Samsung shows this as "Error" followed by a code, with "Turn off then on" or "Call for service."

Between the printer and the computer

• A loose USB cable, a cable that's too long, or a USB hub in the way.
• A Wi-Fi drop or an IP address change. These usually show up as "offline," but they can also leave jobs stuck in an error.

On the computer

• A job that failed and is now blocking the queue, often showing "Error - Printing."
• A stalled Print Spooler.
• The wrong driver: a generic Microsoft driver, a driver for another model, or an old Samsung driver still sitting under a new one.
• A Mac running a Samsung driver that was built for an older version of macOS.

Clear the Error on the Samsung Printer First

If the printer is showing a message or a red or orange light, deal with that first. Changing settings on your computer won't help while the printer itself is stopped. Once the printer reports that it's ready, Windows normally picks that up and the error state goes away. If it doesn't, Step 2 of the Windows section clears it.

Toner messages

• "Prepare new cartridge" or a blinking toner light. Toner is low, but the printer will still print. Take the cartridge out and gently rock it from side to side to spread out the remaining toner. That buys you some extra pages while you order a new one.
• "Replace new cartridge." The cartridge has almost reached its estimated life. On display models like the M2070 series, Samsung lets you choose Stop or Continue on the control panel. Stop halts printing until you put in a new cartridge. Continue keeps printing, but Samsung won't guarantee the print quality. If you need a few more pages today, choose Continue and replace the cartridge soon.
• "Toner Empty," "Toner Exhausted" or "Replace Toner." HP's advice for Samsung printers is to take the cartridge out and shake it side to side. If the message is still there after you put it back, the cartridge is used up and needs replacing.
• "Install Toner Cartridge." The printer can't detect a cartridge. Take it out and put it back in firmly. With a brand-new cartridge, make sure you've removed all the packing material and tape first.
• "Not Compatible Toner cartridge" or "Not original toner." The printer is rejecting the cartridge. Check that the model number on the cartridge matches one HP lists for your printer. If you're sure it's genuine and correct, see the FAQ below about region-coded toner.
• Color models, "Error [number] Install [color] toner." Samsung's guide says the cartridge isn't installed properly or its connector is dirty. Take it out, check the contacts for dust or spilled toner, and put it back in.

Imaging unit, waste toner tank and transfer belt (color models)

Color Samsung printers like the Xpress C480 series use more than just toner. Messages such as "Replace with new imaging unit," "Replace/Install Waste Toner Tank" and "Replace new Transfer belt" mean that part has reached the end of its life. Printing stops when the waste toner tank is full, so that one has to be replaced before you can print again. When you take out a full waste tank, keep it upright and set it down on a flat surface so toner doesn't spill.

Paper, covers and the output tray

• "Jam or empty, Door open&close" (M2070 series). This covers two things: paper stuck in the feed area, or no paper in the tray. Load paper or clear the jam, then open and close the cover so the printer checks again.
• "Paper Jam inside machine" or a solid orange light. Pull the sheet out slowly so it doesn't tear. Samsung warns that the fuser area is hot, so be careful when reaching inside. Our Samsung printer paper jam guide covers each jam location.
• "Door Open, Close it." A cover isn't fully latched. Close it firmly until it locks into place. On multifunction models, "Door of scanner is open" means the document feeder cover needs the same treatment.
• "Output bin Full, Remove paper." Clear the output tray. If it's already empty, Samsung says to check that the paper-full sensor is pointing down.
• "Not proper room temp. Move set." Shown on some color models. The room is too hot or too cold for the printer, so move it somewhere with a normal indoor temperature.

A blinking red light on light-only models

This usually means the printer isn't broken. It's waiting for you. A blinking red status light means it's waiting for the Print Screen or WPS button to continue a manual job, usually the second side of a manual two-sided print. Reload the pages as your computer shows, then press the button. If you didn't mean to print manual duplex, cancel the job and turn that option off in Printing Preferences.

A blinking orange light: firmware update

Leave the printer alone until the light stops blinking. Turning it off during a firmware update can leave it unable to start normally. If you think an update already failed, see the ROOT-DOWNLOAD question in the FAQs.

"Error [number]" messages

"Error [number], Turn off then on" means the printer lost control of one of its internal units. Turn it off, wait a minute, and turn it back on. If the same message comes back, or you see "Call for service," write down the full error number. That's a hardware fault, and power cycling won't fix it. Our Samsung printer error codes and messages page goes through the common ones.

How to Fix a Samsung Printer in Error State on Windows 11 and 10

Use these steps when the printer looks ready (green light, no message on the screen, "No Alert" in SyncThru) but Windows still reports an error. The steps are written for Windows 11, with Windows 10 differences noted. Print a test page after each step so you can stop as soon as it works.

Step 1: Restart the printer and computer, and check the cable

1. Turn the printer off with its power button, unplug it and wait 30 seconds.
2. While it's unplugged, check the USB cable if you use one. Push it in firmly at both ends and plug it straight into the computer, not into a hub, dock or monitor. HP recommends a USB cable shorter than 6 feet for Samsung printers.
3. Plug the printer into a wall outlet, turn it on and wait until it's ready.
4. Restart the computer.

Step 2: Clear the print queue and take the printer out of offline or paused mode

A job that failed usually stays in the queue marked "Error - Printing," and everything behind it waits.

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your Samsung and click Open print queue.
2. Cancel every job. Click the ... menu at the top and choose Cancel all.
3. To check the offline and pause settings, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices, scroll down and click More devices and printers settings. Right-click the Samsung, choose See what's printing and open the Printer menu. If Use Printer Offline or Pause Printing has a check mark, click it to clear it.

Windows 10: go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, click Open queue, then use Printer > Cancel All Documents and the same Printer menu options.

If a job won't cancel, or the queue fills up again right away, go to Step 3.

Step 3: Reset the Print Spooler

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that holds jobs and sends them to the printer. Resetting it clears jobs that won't cancel.

1. Type Services in the taskbar search box and open it.
2. Double-click Print Spooler, click Stop, then OK.
3. Open File Explorer, paste %WINDIR%\System32\spool\PRINTERS into the address bar and press Enter.
4. Delete everything inside that folder, but keep the folder itself. Approve the administrator prompt if you see one.
5. Back in Services, double-click Print Spooler, click Start, set Startup type to Automatic and click OK.

If jobs keep getting stuck, our guide to a Samsung printer job stuck in the queue goes further.

Step 4: Run the Windows printer troubleshooter

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your Samsung and choose the option to run the troubleshooter. On current Windows 11 builds it opens in the Get Help app. Let it finish and accept any fix it suggests. It won't fix a driver problem, but it can catch a stopped service or a queue problem you missed.

Step 5: Check which driver Windows is using

A Samsung printer running on the wrong driver can install normally and then fail on every job.

1. In Printers & scanners, select the Samsung, click Printer properties and open the Advanced tab.
2. Look at the Driver box. You want a Samsung driver for your model or the Samsung Universal Print Driver.
3. If it shows Microsoft IPP Class Driver, a generic class driver or a different printer model, that could be your problem.

Windows has leaned toward its own built-in IPP driver in recent years, and Microsoft's published schedule has Windows preferring it for printers that support it from July 1, 2026. That driver handles basic printing on many printers. But an HP support agent on the HP Community pointed out that generic Microsoft IPP and class drivers can make jobs fail without any warning on a Samsung. If you're having problems, install Samsung's driver from HP (Step 7).

Step 6: Run Samsung Printer Diagnostics

Samsung Printer Diagnostics is a free Windows tool that HP still offers on the Software and Drivers page for many Samsung models. It monitors the printer's status and walks you through fixes.

1. Download it from HP's page for your printer, install it, and open it while you're online. HP says it checks for a newer version each time it starts.
2. Choose Diagnose the printer. It checks the printer and your computer's printing system for problems and fixes the ones it can.
3. Under Advanced Options, you'll also find Update firmware, View toner usage history and Diagnose Printer Network.

A clean result doesn't clear the driver completely. One M2020W owner on the HP Community got "No issues have been detected" from the tool while print jobs were still vanishing from the queue. If it finds nothing, move on to a clean reinstall.

Step 7: Reinstall the Samsung driver the clean way

Don't install a new Samsung driver on top of an old one. HP says doing that can break the connection between the driver and Samsung's status monitor, which leads to a "Printer Status Monitor has stopped working" message. HP publishes a Samsung driver patch for that specific error, but a clean install avoids it altogether.

Remove the old setup:

1. In Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select each Samsung entry and click Remove. On Windows 10, click Remove device.
2. On the same page, open Print server properties under Related settings. On the Drivers tab, select each Samsung driver, click Remove and choose Remove driver and driver package. If Windows says a driver is in use, restart and try again.
3. Restart the computer.

Install the current driver:

1. Go to support.hp.com, enter your full model code (it's on the rating label and looks like SL-M2070FW), and open Software and Drivers.
2. Download the print driver package listed for your version of Windows. For many models, HP also lists the Samsung Universal Print Driver, which is worth trying if your model's own driver won't install.
3. Run the installer and choose USB or network when it asks how the printer is connected.

If you use the Universal Print Driver, make sure it's version V3.00.16.0101:01 or later. That's the release where HP fixed a high-severity security flaw (CVE-2024-5760) in 2024. Stay away from third-party driver sites, since they can't promise you the patched version. Our Samsung printer driver guide covers installation in more detail.

Samsung Printer Showing an Error on a Mac

macOS doesn't use the phrase "error state." Instead you'll see the printer marked Paused, a job stuck with an error next to it, or the message "Filter failed."

1. Clear the printer-side error first. Use the lights, display and SyncThru checks above. A Mac will pause the whole queue after a failed job, so fix what stopped the printer before resuming.
2. Resume the queue. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the Samsung and open its print queue. You can also click the printer's icon in the Dock while a job is waiting. Click Resume, and delete any job showing an error.
3. Fix "Filter failed." This message means the driver's processing step crashed before the job reached the printer. With Samsung printers, it usually means the driver is older than your version of macOS. HP's Mac downloads for popular models like the Xpress M2070 series only go up to macOS 13 Ventura. Remove the printer, then add it back and choose a different driver:
   • If your model supports AirPrint: choose AirPrint in the Use menu when you add it. HP's compatibility list includes the Xpress M2070W and M2070FW, but not the M2020W or the basic M2070.
   • If it doesn't: install the newest Samsung Mac driver HP offers for your model, then choose it through Use > Select Software. Some Mac owners report older Samsung drivers still working on recent macOS versions, but that's not officially supported.
4. Check Easy Printer Manager. It's available for Mac as well, and it shows the printer's status and toner level. That's a quick way to see what the printer is reporting if it has no screen.
5. Reset the printing system as a last resort. In Printers & Scanners, Control-click an empty spot in the printer list and choose Reset printing system. This deletes every printer, every queued job and all your printer presets, so you'll have to add your printers again afterward.

Samsung Printer Keeps Going Into an Error State?

When the error clears and then comes back hours or days later, something is causing it again. Find the pattern before you try another round of fixes.

• Check the alert history. Easy Printer Manager's Alert History on Windows and the Active Alerts page in SyncThru show which alert keeps coming up. If it's the same toner warning every time, the cartridge is the problem, not your computer.
• Does it happen after the printer sits idle? A Samsung that doesn't wake up from power save can leave jobs stuck. Our Samsung printer offline guide covers the power save and port settings HP recommends for this.
• On a laptop with USB? Windows can cut power to USB ports to save battery. Open Control Panel > Power Options > Change plan settings > Change advanced power settings. If you see USB settings, set USB selective suspend setting to Disabled.
• Did it start right after a Windows update? See our guide to a Samsung printer issue after a Windows update.

Signs it's a hardware problem

The steps on this page can't fix a failed part. It's time for a technician if you see any of these:

• The same "Error [number]" code comes back after every restart, or the printer says "Call for service."
• The printer reports a jam but there's no paper anywhere inside.
• It makes grinding or clicking noises it didn't make before.
• Toner smudges or rubs off the page. That usually points to the fuser, the heated part that bonds toner to the paper.

When you contact someone, have the full model code, the exact error message and your printer's page count ready. You can find the page count in SyncThru's Usage Counters or on a supplies or usage report. On an older budget model, compare the repair quote with the price of a new printer before you go ahead.