How to fix Mac print jobs stuck in the print queue and clear the macOS printing system on macOS

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to fix Mac print jobs stuck in the print queue and clear the macOS printing system on macOS. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

When a print job becomes stuck on your Mac, it can prevent any new documents from printing and may cause your printer to appear offline. The macOS printing system occasionally needs a manual reset to clear corrupted jobs and restore normal operation. This guide walks you through clearing stuck print jobs, resetting the print queue, and troubleshooting common printing issues on macOS.

Quick Fix Steps

Try these steps first if your print job is stuck or your printer appears offline:

1. Click the Printer icon in your Dock, or open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Select your printer from the list.
3. Click Open Print Queue.
4. Select the stuck job and click the Delete button (or the x icon).
5. If the job will not delete, continue to the detailed instructions below.

Detailed Instructions

Method 1: Cancel Print Jobs from the Print Queue

1. Open System Settings from the Apple menu.
2. Click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar.
3. Select your printer from the device list on the right.
4. Click the Open Print Queue button.
5. To cancel a single job, select it and click the small x button next to the job.
6. To cancel all jobs, click Printer in the menu bar and choose Cancel All Jobs.

If the print jobs remain stuck and will not delete, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Reset the Printing System via System Settings

Resetting the printing system removes all printers from your Mac and clears all queued jobs. You will need to add your printer again afterwards.

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Right-click (or Control-click) in the printer list area.
3. Select Reset printing system from the context menu.
4. Enter your administrator password when prompted.
5. Confirm by clicking Reset.
6. Click Add Printer, select your printer from the list, and click Add.

Method 3: Cancel Jobs via the CUPS Web Interface

If the print queue is still stuck after the steps above, you can cancel jobs using the built-in CUPS web interface.

1. Open Safari (or your preferred browser).
2. Navigate to http://localhost:631 and press Return.
3. Click the Printers tab to view all configured printers.
4. Click your printer name, then click Cancel All Jobs in the Maintenance drop-down.
5. Enter your administrator username and password when prompted.
6. Close the browser and try printing again.

Method 4: Restart the Print Spooler Using Terminal

If the print queue is still stuck, you can restart the CUPS print spooler from Terminal. This is an advanced step.

1. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
2. Stop the print spooler by typing: sudo launchctl stop org.cups.cupsd and pressing Return.
3. Enter your administrator password when prompted.
4. Start the print spooler by typing: sudo launchctl start org.cups.cupsd and pressing Return.
5. Close Terminal and try printing again.

Troubleshooting

If your printer is still not working after clearing the print queue, work through these common issues.

Check Printer Connection

• USB printers: Disconnect the USB cable, wait ten seconds, then reconnect. Try a different USB port if available.
• Network printers: Confirm the printer is connected to the same network as your Mac. Print a network configuration page from the printer's control panel to verify its IP address.
• Wi-Fi printers: Restart your printer, then restart your Wi-Fi router. Wait two minutes for the network to stabilise before testing.

Verify the Printer Is Online

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Check that your printer shows a status of Idle or Ready.
3. If the status shows Offline, select the printer and click Remove Printer.
4. Click Add Printer and re-add the printer using its current IP address.

Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver

1. Visit your printer manufacturer's website and download the latest macOS driver for your model.
2. Install the driver package.
3. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
4. Remove the existing printer entry.
5. Add the printer again using the newly installed driver.

Check for macOS Software Updates

1. Open System Settings > General > Software Update.
2. Install any available updates for macOS.
3. Restart your Mac and test printing.

Restart Your Mac and Printer

A full restart resolves many temporary printing issues:

1. Turn off your printer and unplug it from power for thirty seconds.
2. Choose Apple menu > Restart on your Mac.
3. After your Mac restarts, plug the printer back in and power it on.
4. Wait for the printer to finish its startup cycle, then try printing.

Test with a Different Application

Try printing a test page from TextEdit to determine whether the issue is application-specific:

1. Open TextEdit from Applications.
2. Type a short line of text.
3. Choose File > Print.
4. Select your printer and click Print.

If the test page prints successfully, the original issue is likely with the application you were trying to print from.

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