Regardless of which printing device is used, very often users are faced with the problem that when sending a document to print, instead of the result, the system displays a message that the device currently has the status "Printer disabled". How to enable it, and fix this problem with several effective methods, read on.
Possible problems
Before deciding to fix a problem, you need to understand the essence of the problem.
Among all that can cause such violations in the operation of the device, the following can be singled out separately:
- lack of physical connection to a computer or power supply;
- activated offline mode;
- dirty or empty cartridges;
- stopped print service;
- problems with device drivers.
Status: "Printer disabled." How to turn on the device in the simplest way?
At the first stage, it is worth using the simplest and, as many might think, completely banal solution. When the system displays a message such as “Printer Status: Off,” you can try to turn on the HP device or any other printer or MFP by first unplugging it from the power supply and turning it back on after a couple of seconds.
At the same time, as a rule, self-diagnostics will be performed in all modern devices (the LED will blink at this time), after which the printer will enter the ready state (the LED should be on continuously).
But in some cases, this does not help, and the system again displays a warning that the device is set to “Printer Disabled”. How to turn on the device? You need to check the physical connection using the USB cable. It turns out that the device driver is installed in the system (it seems to “see” it), but in fact the printer is simply missing.
On the other hand, if the LED blinks constantly when turned on, the problem may be that the cartridge has run out of powder or ink. Therefore, it must be replaced with a new one. It also happens that for some reason the cartridge has surface contamination. In this case, it will be enough to wipe it and perform a complete reboot of the computer with restarting the printer.
Status: "Printer disabled." How to enable ("Windows 7", device parameters)?
But most often, problems are due to software crashes or incorrect settings. To begin with, understanding the question of how to change the status of the printer “Disabled” (how to turn on the device), you need to look at its status and installed parameters.
In the standard “Control Panel” you need to go to the printers and faxes section, in which you first need to find the correct printer and make sure that the printing device is installed by default.
Next, in the device’s status window, you need to use the “Printer” menu and remove the checkmarks from the lines for pausing printing (delayed printing) and for using the offline mode of operation, if any. In theory, after that, the state will change to "Ready." Sometimes cleaning the print queue helps.
Restart print service
But it may happen that the printer itself is all right, but the service responsible for printing, for some reason, disconnected or failed.
In this case, you need to call the services section using the services.msc command, which is entered in the Run console (Win + R), find the corresponding service there (Print Manager or Printer Spooler), stop it, disconnect the printer from the mains approximately for 60 seconds, then start the service again and turn on the device itself.
Fix driver issues
Also, often the problems of the appearance of a system message about the disabled printer status can be observed in case of problems with the drivers (obsolescence, malfunctions, file corruption, etc.).
In this situation, you will have to completely remove the drivers from the system, at least from the same “Device Manager”. If they are displayed among installed programs, it is better to uninstall from the programs and components section. After that, the best solution would be to download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website and install it later.
You can do it easier. If the driver is really outdated or just does not match this type of device, you can use automated driver update programs like Driver Booster.
Using fix utilities
Some users and experts recommend the use of special programs that automatically fix such problems.
In the simplest case, a small Microsoft Fix It Center utility is recommended for use, but HP Print And Scan Doctor is suitable for a more complete diagnosis and troubleshooting of any type of printer.
A few words in the end
Finally, Microsoft experts themselves recommend using the latest updates when using Windows 10, but I think this is relevant to the problem insofar as.