Samsung Printer Not Printing? Find Where the Job Stopped and Fix It

You clicked Print and nothing came out. This guide helps you figure out where the job stopped and get your Samsung laser printer working again on Windows or Mac.

When a Samsung printer won't print, it usually isn't broken. More often the job is stuck on something small. The printer might be waiting for you to press a button, or it can't find the paper size the job asked for. It may think the toner is empty, or Windows is holding the queue behind one job that failed.

One more thing trips up a lot of Samsung owners: HP bought Samsung's printer business in 2017. Your printer's drivers, manuals and diagnostic tools are now on HP's support site, still listed under the original Samsung model name. Anything this guide tells you to download comes from there.

These steps cover Samsung Xpress, ProXpress and older ML, SCX, CLP and CLX laser printers. A light-only printer like the Xpress M2020W and a display model like the M2070FW use slightly different buttons and menus, so if a label on your printer doesn't match exactly, go with the closest one.

Why Your Samsung Printer Isn't Printing

A print job goes from your app to the Samsung driver, then through the Windows or macOS print queue, across USB or your network, and finally to the printer. A problem at any of those points stops the page from printing. The cause is almost always in one of three places.

The job never reaches the printer

• The printer is off, asleep or has lost its USB or network connection (if Windows shows it as Offline, start with our Samsung printer offline guide instead)
• Jobs are going to the wrong printer, or to a duplicate Samsung entry that no longer connects
• The queue is paused, or one failed job is holding up everything behind it
• Windows is sending jobs to an old IP address
• The driver is damaged, is the wrong one for your model, or was replaced during a Windows update
• Your computer is very low on disk space (Samsung's own troubleshooting table lists this)

The printer gets the job, then waits

• The job was sent to the Manual Feeder, so the printer is waiting for you to load a sheet and press a button
• A manual two-sided job printed the first side and is waiting for you to put the pages back in
• The paper size or type in the driver doesn't match the paper in the tray
• A cover is open, the tray is empty or the output tray is full

The printer can't finish the page

• The toner cartridge is empty, missing or not recognized
• A new cartridge still has its protective cover or packing sheets on, so pages come out blank
• Paper is jammed somewhere inside
• The printer has a hardware fault and shows a numbered error

Start Here: Did Your Print Job Reach the Printer?

This check takes about a minute, and it tells you which half of the fixes below to use.

Print a single page from something simple, like a line of text in Notepad or TextEdit. If a simple page prints and your original document doesn't, the problem is that one file (see Fix 10). Then watch the printer.

On models with lights only (like the Xpress M2020 and M2020W)

Watch the Status light while the job goes out:

Keep an eye on the Toner light too. Blinking orange means a small amount of toner is left. Solid orange means the cartridge has nearly reached its estimated life.

On models with a display (like the Xpress M2070 and M2070FW)

Read the screen before you do anything else. A message there is usually what's holding up the job. These are the ones most likely to stop printing:

Then have the printer print its own report

If the printer can print a page on its own, the engine, toner and paper path all work, and the problem is somewhere between your computer and the printer.

• Xpress M2020 series: hold the WPS button (or the Print Screen button on models without Wi-Fi) for about 10 seconds to print a configuration sheet, or about 15 seconds for a supplies information report.
• Display models: press Menu, then go to System Setup > Report and choose Configuration or Supplies Info.

If you have a multifunction model, making a quick photocopy works as a second check. A clean copy means the printer itself is fine.

How to Fix a Samsung Printer That Won't Print

Fixes 1 to 3 are for when the job reached the printer and it's waiting on something. Fixes 4 to 9 are for when the job never arrived. Fix 10 is for when only one file won't print. Print a test page after each fix, and stop once one of them works.

Fix 1: Press the button your printer is waiting for (manual feed and manual two-sided)

If the Status light is blinking red and nothing prints, your Samsung is probably waiting for you. This catches people all the time, because the setting is easy to pick without noticing and the computer gives no warning.

If the job was sent to the Manual Feeder. When Manual Feeder is chosen as the paper source in the Samsung driver, a light-only model like the M2020 series won't feed a page until you load a sheet and press Print Screen (or WPS on Wi-Fi models). You have to press it once for every page. Load the sheet face up with the top edge going in first, press the button, and the page prints.

The printer also won't pull paper from the manual feeder while it's in power save. If pressing the button does nothing, press Power once to wake the printer and try again.

To stop this from happening on every job:

1. Open Printing Preferences for your Samsung printer.
2. On the Paper tab, change Source from Manual Feeder back to Auto Select or your main tray.
3. Click OK and print again.

If you printed on both sides manually. Printers without automatic two-sided printing, like the M2020 series, print one side first and then wait with a solid red Status light. Take the printed pages, put them back in the tray the way the on-screen instructions show, and press the button your printer uses to continue. If you didn't mean to print on both sides, cancel the job, turn off two-sided printing in Printing Preferences and send it again.

Fix 2: Match the paper size and type

A Samsung printer won't guess when the driver asks for paper that isn't in the tray. If the job is set to Legal and the tray holds Letter, or the driver says Thick paper while the tray is set to Plain, the printer may stop and wait for the right paper.

• Check the driver. In Printing Preferences, open the Paper tab and confirm that Size, Source and Type match what's actually in the tray.
• Check the printer's own setting. On display models, press Menu and look under System Setup > Paper Setup for Paper Size and Paper Type. On light-only models, open Samsung Easy Printer Manager, choose Switch to advanced mode and go to Device Settings.
• Check the auto-continue setting. Some Samsung models have a Paper Mismatch setting, and many also have an Auto Continue option. With Auto Continue on, the printer keeps going on a similar or larger paper size. With it off, the printer waits until the right size is loaded.

Two related problems come from the same mismatch. If half the page prints blank, Samsung says the page orientation or paper size setting is probably wrong. If a custom-size job won't print at all, set the exact size under Custom on the Paper tab.

Also check the output tray. Samsung lists a full output tray as a reason the printer stops, and it picks up again once you take the pages out.

Fix 3: Clear toner messages and fix blank pages

Toner problems are the main reason a Samsung printer gets the job and still doesn't print a usable page.

New cartridge, blank pages? Take the cartridge out and check for anything you missed when you unpacked it. Samsung's troubleshooting table says to make sure the protective cover and packing sheets have been removed. A cartridge with a strip still attached can go in and still print blank pages. While it's out, don't touch the drum underneath (the green or shiny roller on many models), and don't leave it in bright light for more than a few minutes.

"Toner Empty," "Toner Exhausted" or "Replace Toner"? HP's advice for Samsung laser printers is to take out the cartridge and shake it gently from side to side to spread the remaining toner, then put it back. If the message comes back, the cartridge is used up and needs replacing. Redistributing toner only buys you a few more pages. It doesn't turn an empty cartridge into a full one.

"Install Toner Cartridge" when one is installed? Take the cartridge out, check that the small gold chip contacts on the cartridge are clean and not damaged, and reinstall it until it clicks into place. Then turn the printer off and on so it reads the cartridge again.

"Not Compatible Toner cartridge"? Samsung's manuals say this means the cartridge isn't made for your printer. Check that the model number matches the one listed for your printer on HP's site. Cartridges for other printers can look almost the same. Aftermarket and refilled cartridges use their own chips, and the printer may not accept them. If the message came up with a compatible cartridge, try a genuine cartridge or a new one from the seller before you assume the printer is at fault.

Want to finish a job on a nearly empty cartridge? On some display models, System Setup > Maintenance includes a CLR Empty Msg. option once the cartridge is almost empty. Older Samsung manuals describe it as a way to keep printing past the empty warning, though print quality drops. TonerLow Alert in the same menu only turns the low-toner warning on or off. It won't make an empty cartridge print.

If pages stay blank with a new, genuine cartridge that's been installed correctly, the problem is probably a part inside the printer. See "When to Stop and Call for Service" below.

Fix 4: Restart the printer, router and computer in order

If the job never reached the printer, a restart in the right order clears a lot of stuck connections.

1. Turn off the printer, unplug it and wait 30 seconds.
2. If the printer is on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, restart your router and wait for your internet to come back.
3. Plug the printer back in, turn it on and wait for the Status light to turn solid green or the display to say it's ready.
4. Restart your computer, then send a one-page test.

Fix 5: Clear the Windows queue and reset the print spooler

One job that won't print or cancel can hold up every job behind it, and Windows doesn't always show an error.

First, look at the queue:

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your Samsung and click Open print queue.
2. If a job shows Error or has sat there for a long time, cancel it.
3. On the Printer menu, make sure Pause Printing and Use Printer Offline are both unchecked.
4. Back on the Printers & scanners page, look for a second Samsung entry, such as one with "(Copy 1)" after its name. If your jobs have been going to a duplicate that doesn't connect, remove it and set the working one as default. If Set as default isn't shown, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer first.

If jobs won't cancel, clear the spooler by hand:

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Right-click Print Spooler and choose Stop.
3. In File Explorer, go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete everything inside. Leave the folder itself. Windows may ask for administrator permission.
4. Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Start.

If jobs keep piling up after this, our Samsung printer job stuck in queue guide goes further.

Fix 6: Make sure Windows is sending jobs to the printer's current address

For a Samsung on Wi-Fi or Ethernet, this is one of the most common reasons it prints fine from one computer but not another. Routers can give the printer a new IP address after a restart or power cut, and your computer keeps sending jobs to the old one.

1. Get the printer's current IP address from its configuration report (see "Start Here").
2. In Printers & scanners, select the Samsung, click Printer properties and open the Ports tab.
3. Look at the checked port. If it shows a different address from your report, or it's a WSD port that has lost track of the printer, add a Standard TCP/IP Port with the current address and check it.
4. On the General tab, click Print Test Page.

Our Samsung printer offline guide walks through this port fix step by step. It also covers giving the printer an address that won't change, plus two HP port settings for Samsung printers that fall asleep and ignore new jobs.

Fix 7: Reinstall the Samsung driver from HP

If jobs disappear from the queue without printing, or text comes out as symbols or garbled characters (Samsung says that usually means the wrong driver is selected), install a clean copy of the driver.

1. In Printers & scanners, select each Samsung entry and click Remove.
2. Click Print server properties, open the Drivers tab, select the Samsung driver, click Remove and choose Remove driver and driver package. If Windows says the driver is in use, restart and try again.
3. Restart your computer.
4. Go to support.hp.com, enter your full model code (it's on the printer's label and looks like SL-M2020W) and open Software and Drivers. Download the full Print Driver installer for your model, or the Samsung Universal Print Driver if your model's own driver won't install.
5. Run the installer and pick your printer when it finds it.

Use the current version. In 2024, HP fixed a high-severity security flaw (CVE-2024-5760) in the Samsung Universal Print Driver for Windows. The fixed release is V3.00.16.0101:01. If yours is older, replace it, and only download from HP, not from third-party driver sites.

If a Samsung driver installs but still won't print, try the driver Windows provides instead. One SCX-4300 owner on HP's community forum could scan but not print on Windows 11 24H2, even with the current Universal Print Driver. HP's moderator suggested installing HP's basic driver for that model, or adding the printer with Windows' built-in driver instead. Built-in drivers only cover basic printing, but basic printing is better than nothing.

Our Samsung printer driver guide has the full walkthrough.

Fix 8: Check Windows protected print mode and Microsoft's driver changes

Two recent Windows changes can quietly affect Samsung printers.

• Windows protected print mode. When this setting is on, Windows prints only through its own built-in print system. Printers that use a manufacturer's driver, including Samsung's, are removed while it's active, and only Mopria-certified printers can be added. To check it, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and look for Windows protected print mode under Printer preferences. On a work computer, ask IT before you change it, because it's often turned on for security reasons.
• Microsoft's driver timeline. As of January 15, 2026, Windows Update no longer publishes new third-party printer drivers for Windows 11. Since July 1, 2026, Windows has preferred its own IPP class driver when it adds a printer that supports it. Existing Samsung drivers still install and work, but if Windows set your printer up by itself, you may have the Microsoft driver instead of Samsung's. It handles basic printing. For Samsung's full print settings, install HP's Samsung package (Fix 7).

If printing stopped right after an update, our Samsung printer issue after Windows update guide covers that in more depth.

Fix 9: 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. Open it, choose Diagnose the printer, and it checks the print system and fixes what it can. It also has network checks under Advanced Options. The tool checks online for a newer version each time it opens, so run it while you're connected to the internet.

The same tool can update your printer's firmware. If you use compatible or refilled toner, think before updating. Some owners and aftermarket sellers report that firmware updates stopped cartridges that used to work from being recognized.

Fix 10: If only one document won't print

If a test page prints but one particular file doesn't, the problem is the file or the app, not the printer.

• PDFs: Samsung's manuals note that some PDFs won't print correctly through Acrobat. In Acrobat's print dialog, click Advanced and turn on Print As Image, then try again.
• Very large or complex pages: Samsung says complex pages can print very slowly. Give the job time, or lower the print quality and try again.
• "Fail To Print" or "A printer timeout error occurred": Samsung's advice is to wait, since these can show up while a big job is still printing. If the message appears when the printer is idle, check the connection and the printer's display for an error.
• Try another app. Print the same file from a different program. If that works, the first app is the problem.

Samsung Printer Not Printing on a Mac

Printer-side problems work the same way on a Mac: manual feed waits, paper mismatches, toner messages and jams. What's different on a Mac is the driver, and for many Samsung models, that's the real problem.

Resume the queue. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your Samsung and click Printer Queue. If you see Resume, click it. Delete any job marked with an error, then send a new one.

Check your macOS version against HP's drivers. HP's downloads for popular models like the Xpress M2070 series only go up to macOS 13 Ventura. On macOS 14 Sonoma or later, a job may sit in the queue with a "Stopped" or "Filter failed" message, because the old Samsung driver isn't officially supported there.

If your Samsung supports AirPrint, switch to it. Remove the printer, add it again, and pick AirPrint from the Use menu instead of the Samsung driver. AirPrint doesn't need any Samsung software, so newer macOS versions don't cause it problems. HP's compatibility list shows AirPrint support for some models, like the Xpress M2070W and M2070FW, but not others, like the M2020W. Our Samsung printer offline guide explains how to make sure AirPrint is turned on in the printer's web settings.

If your model doesn't support AirPrint, the options are limited. Some Mac owners report that the last Samsung Mac driver from HP still installs on newer macOS versions, but HP doesn't officially support it, so it may not work. If it doesn't, the most dependable ways to keep printing are a Windows PC connected to the printer, or replacing the printer with an AirPrint model.

Reset the printing system as a last resort. In Printers & Scanners, Control-click inside the printer list and choose Reset printing system. This removes every printer and every waiting job on the Mac, so you'll need to add your printers again afterward.

When to Stop and Call for Service

Some problems can't be fixed from your computer. Get a qualified technician involved, or think about whether the printer is worth repairing, if:

• The display shows Error [number], Call for service, or an error comes back every time you restart
• Pages come out blank with a new, genuine cartridge that's installed correctly (Samsung's manuals point to internal parts like the controller board in that case)
• The printer won't print its own configuration report or make a copy
• It won't power on, or the lights stay stuck the same way through a restart
• The fix would mean opening the printer beyond the covers you use for toner and paper jams

For a specific code, our Samsung printer code errors and messages guide is the next place to look. If the printer is stuck on an error, see Samsung printer in error state.