How to Fix Windows 11 Printer Spooler High CPU Usage Slowing Down Your PC

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Fix Windows 11 Printer Spooler High CPU Usage Slowing Down Your PC. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

If your computer feels sluggish and the fan is running constantly, the Windows Print Spooler service may be consuming an unusually high amount of CPU resources. This issue commonly occurs after a Windows update, due to a corrupted print driver, or when a print job becomes stuck in the queue. Follow the steps below to resolve the issue and restore normal performance on your Windows 11 PC.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Restart your computer to clear any temporary glitches affecting the Print Spooler.
2. Open Task Manager using Ctrl + Shift + Esc and check if spoolsv.exe is using high CPU.
3. Cancel any stuck print jobs from the print queue.
4. Restart the Print Spooler service using the steps in the Detailed Instructions section.

Detailed Instructions

Restart the Print Spooler Service

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter.
3. In the Services window, scroll down and locate Print Spooler in the list.
4. Right-click Print Spooler and select Restart.
5. If Restart is greyed out, select Stop, wait a few seconds, then select Start.
6. Close the Services window and check Task Manager to confirm CPU usage has returned to normal.

Clear Stuck Print Jobs

1. Click the Start button and type Printers & scanners, then press Enter.
2. Select your printer from the list.
3. Click Open print queue.
4. Select any documents listed and click Cancel or Cancel All Documents.
5. If jobs will not delete, restart the Print Spooler service again using the steps above, then try cancelling the jobs.
6. If jobs still remain, stop the Print Spooler service, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, delete all files in that folder, then restart the Print Spooler service.

Update or Reinstall the Printer Driver

1. Open Printers & scanners from the Start menu.
2. Select your printer and click Printer properties.
3. Go to the Advanced tab and click New Driver to launch the Add Printer Driver wizard.
4. Follow the prompts to install the latest driver for your printer model.
5. Alternatively, visit the printer manufacturer's website to download and install the most recent Windows 11 driver.
6. Restart your computer after installing the new driver.

Troubleshooting

If the Print Spooler Keeps Stopping

• Ensure Windows is fully updated by going to Settings > Windows Update and clicking Check for updates.
• Run the built-in printer troubleshooter: go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then click Run next to Printer.
• Check for third-party print management software that may conflict with the Windows Print Spooler and temporarily uninstall it to test.

If High CPU Usage Returns After Printing

• Try printing a test page to a different printer or to Microsoft Print to PDF to determine if the issue is specific to one device.
• Remove and re-add the affected printer in Printers & scanners.
• Disable the printer temporarily to see if CPU usage normalizes: select the printer in Printers & scanners and click Remove, then re-add it when needed.

If you only print occasionally, you can set the Print Spooler startup type to Manual in Services instead of Automatic. This prevents it from running in the background until you actually need to print.

Do not disable the Print Spooler service entirely if you need to print, as Windows will not be able to send jobs to your printer while it is stopped.

If you have completed these steps and your computer is still running slowly, you may have a separate performance issue. See our guide on Computer running slow for additional troubleshooting, or Open a Ticket for assistance from our Brisbane support team.

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