How to Clear All Print Queue Jobs in Windows 7

printer setup on a desk
Home » How to Clear All Print Queue Jobs in Windows 7

What is a Print Queue Job?

Print queue jobs are an important part of the printing process. They refer to the tasks that should be completed for a document or image to be printed correctly. This includes setting up the printer, selecting the paper size and type, choosing a color or black and white options, and more. Every time you send something to print, it is converted into a print queue job so that all of these details can be processed accurately.

If you have multiple documents waiting in your print queue, this can cause issues with your system’s performance and potential printing errors. If many jobs build up over time, you must clear out your print queue manually to ensure successful printing operations on your Windows 7 device. Clearing out old jobs will also make sure that any new prints are handled quickly and efficiently.

Step 1: Open the Printer Folder

Clearing the print queue jobs in Windows 7 can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. By following these simple steps, anyone can easily clear all the pending print jobs. Step 1 of this process is to open the printer folder.

To do so, press Windows+R keys simultaneously on your keyboard and then type “control printers” in the run window that appears. This will open up your printer folder, which contains all the installed printers on your computer.

You can access any pending print jobs or delete them as needed. Once you are in this folder, you will see all of the currently installed printers and their respective queues listed there and can begin clearing them out one by one if necessary.

a computer with memory disks on them
Printer setup

Step 2: Stop the Print Spooler Service

If you’ve been struggling with print queue jobs that won’t clear in Windows 7, this article will help. Step 2 of the process is to stop the Print Spooler Service. This service allows you to manage multiple printer queues and it stores pending print jobs until the respective printer can print them. To stop the service, open your Services window and locate the Print Spooler Service.

Right-click on it and select “Stop.” You can also use a command line tool such as Net Stop to do so. Once stopped, all your print queue jobs should be removed from the spool folder, and any stuck documents will be cleared off your system. The process may take some time, depending on how many prints are stored in the queue; however, once complete, all stuck documents should be gone from your system.

Step 3: Delete Files in the Spooler Directory

Clearing a print queue in Windows 7 is a simple process. Step 3 involves deleting all files present in the Spooler directory. This step is necessary to clear the print queue completely and should be done after following steps 1 and 2.

The Spooler directory stores temporary data while printing, such as printer drivers, font information, and job orders. To delete the files contained within this folder, go to Start>Computer>C: Drive>Windows>System32>Spooler. You will find several folders inside this directory; simply delete them all by right-clicking on each one and selecting ‘delete’ from the context menu that appears. Once you have deleted all of these files, your print queue will be cleared of any pending jobs it contains!

Step 4: Restart the Print Spooler Service

Having completed Steps 1-3, you are now ready for Step 4: Restart the Print Spooler Service. This step is necessary for clearing any stuck print jobs in the Windows 7 print queue. To restart the service, first open up the Services list by searching for “Services” from the start menu. Scroll down until you find Print Spooler, and then right-click on it and select “Stop.” Once stopped, select “Start,” again to restart your printer spooler service. You may also want to set this service to Automatic so that in the future it starts automatically when your computer boots up. Lastly, check to ensure that this service’s startup type is set as Automatic or Manual, depending on your needs, before exiting out of the Services window. After following these steps carefully, all current print jobs should be cleared out of Windows 7’s print queue!

Step 5: Check All Jobs Are Cleared

Step 5: Checking All Jobs Are Cleared is the fifth step in ensuring all print queue jobs are successfully cleared on a Windows 7 computer. This final step in the process should be done after every job clearing session to ensure no residual jobs remain stuck in the system.

The simplest way to check that all print queue jobs are cleared is to open the printer manager window and view any existing jobs. If none appear, it can be assumed that all previous print jobs have been removed from the system. It may also be beneficial to restart the computer after each job-clearing session, as this will help clear any remaining stuck jobs still lingering on the machine’s memory.

The quick guide for clearing print queue jobs

  1. Press the “Start” button in the bottom left corner of your screen.
  2. Type “Services” into the search box and press “Enter” on your keyboard.
  3. Scroll down the list of services and locate the “Print Spooler” service.
  4. Right-click on the “Print Spooler” service and select “Stop” from the menu.
  5. Once the service has stopped, navigate to the following folder on your computer: C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
  6. Delete all the files in this folder.
  7. Go back to the “Services” window and right-click on the “Print Spooler” service again.
  8. Select “Start” from the menu to restart the service.

That’s it! All the print queue jobs should now be cleared and you can print again.

Conclusion: Easily Clear Print Queue Jobs

Print queue jobs can be a nuisance when they slow down your computer or prevent you from printing important documents. Fortunately, clearing these jobs in Windows 7 is easier than ever. This article discussed how to clear all print queue jobs on a Windows 7 computer.

The first step of this process was to open the Devices and Printers window. From here, you could select the printer with which you wanted to work and then click on See What’s Printing in the toolbar above. You then had the option of canceling any single job or all of them by clicking an appropriate link. Once this was done, all of your print queue jobs should have been cleared from memory and your printer ready for new tasks.

By following these simple steps, it should be easy for anyone to clear their print queue job list without too much effort or technical knowledge. Remember to always be careful when deleting files on your computer, as deleting the wrong files can cause problems with your system. If you’re not comfortable with the above steps or have any doubts, it’s always a good idea to ask a more experienced computer user for help.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *