Driver is Unavailable Printer? Here is What to Do
Your printer is an extremely useful device. It can help you out in the home and office. However, if it starts giving you any issues, it can lead to frustration. It is the nature of printers that they can continue to work flawlessly for years. Still, when an issue occurs, it can stop working entirely. The most common issue with printers of any brand is that it stops printing documents. This can be because the printer has become unresponsive and needs to be fixed. Sometimes, you would get an error like Driver is Unavailable Printer.
If you get this error, you need not worry. This error can be resolved easily in Windows 10 by following simple steps. In this article, we will share with you some common troubleshooting methods that you can use. These steps will help you get your printer back in working condition in no time.
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Causes Behind the Printer Driver Unavailable Error
The dreaded Printer Driver is Unavailable message is common in Windows 10. When this error occurs, the printer will not print anything. There are several reasons why your printer may be giving this error. In this section, we will list some of those reasons.
The printer’s driver is missing, or maybe it was never installed correctly
The printer’s driver file has become corrupted by a virus or malware
The version of the driver is no longer compatible with your system
The driver needs to be updated
You need to update your Windows to its latest version
There is a bug in the Windows system
No matter what of these reasons are behind your “driver is unavailable in printer” error, it can be fixed easily. In the below section, we will share with you all the steps and methods you can follow to resolve this issue.
Resolving the Printer Driver is Unavailable Error in Windows 10
Here are some top ways that you can fix this common issue:
Reconnect Your Printer
This may sound like a basic solution but sometimes they work. All you have to do in some cases is to reconnect your printer to the computer. This involves powering off your printer and disconnecting it from all the wires and power outlets. Then, connecting all of it back again. It might resolve this error, and you might be able to start printing again.
Here are some steps to properly disconnect your printer
Open your Control Panel. If you do not know where to find it, press Windows + S and type in the Control Panel.
Once the Control Panel is open, click on the View Devices and Printers option. Ensure that the view mode is set to the Category option.
Then, right-click on the name of the printer that is giving you trouble and select the Remove Device option.
If the User Account Control screen prompts you, click on yes.
After the device is removed from your system, disconnect it from the computer.
Then, reconnect the printer to the computer and allow Windows 10 to reconfigure it.
If this step resolves the error, the printer should start printing immediately. If not, then move on to the next step.
Updating Your Printer’s Driver Through Windows 10
Your Windows needs to update regularly, as does your printer’s driver. You may have installed an older version before, which has become obsolete. If that is the case, then by updating the driver, you can resolve your “Driver is Unavailable in Printer” error. Below are the steps to do it.
Open your Device Manager by clicking the Windows+X key and selecting it from the WinX menu.
Expand the Printers option by clicking the arrow next to it. From the list below, right-click on your printer and left-click on Update Driver.
Then, select the “Search automatically for drivers” option. Now, Windows 10 will use the internet to search for the most updated version of the driver.
Once the driver is installed, restart your computer.
If Windows 10 cannot find a suitable driver online, you will need to update it manually.
Manually Updating the Driver
If the automatic update fails for your device’s printer, you can manually install it. To do so, you first need to know your printer’s brand and model number. Once you know this information, you can follow the steps below to install the driver to resolve the “printer driver is unavailable” error.
Visit the official website of your printer’s manufacturer. Once there, search for the driver download page.
Search for the most suitable driver based on your computer’s configuration and your printer. For example, if your system is 64-bit, make sure you choose a driver compatible with 64-bit.
Once the download the correct driver from the website, open your downloads folder, locate the file and run the Windows installer.
After the driver is installed, restart your computer. Your printer should start functioning correctly after this.
If you are still getting the “Driver is Unavailable Printer” message, you can try this next step.
Install a Generic Printer Driver
Many printer users have stated that this error can be resolved in most cases by installing a generic driver onto the computer. After installing this driver, the printers generally start working again.
Here is how to install it?
Open the Device Manager using the same steps as mentioned in the above points.
Expand the Printers option, right-click on your printer’s name, and choose Update Driver.
After that, choose the Browse My Computer for Drivers option.
Click on the Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer button.
You will see a list of compatible drivers in the next window.
Select the Generic Software Device option and then click on Next.
Now, Windows 10 will install the generic drivers for your printers that might resolve your Printer Driver is Unavailable error.
Conclusion
That is about it. These steps will resolve your driver is unavailable in printer error. If you cannot resolve your issue even after following these steps, then we suggest you contact the professionals.
