Windows 11 Printer Shows Driver Unavailable After Update: Fix

After installing a Windows Update, your printer may show a “Driver Unavailable” error in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. This error typically occurs because the update replaced a critical system file that the printer driver depends on, or because the driver itself is incompatible with the new Windows build. This article explains why the update breaks the driver, provides three proven methods to restore printing, and covers related failure patterns you may encounter.

Why a Windows Update Makes the Printer Driver Unavailable

Windows Update occasionally replaces or modifies the print spooler service components, the Print System Driver, or the core kernel-mode driver stack. When the update overwrites a file that a third-party printer driver depends on, the driver can no longer load. The result is the “Driver Unavailable” message next to the printer in the Printers & scanners list.

Two specific scenarios cause this. First, a cumulative update may include a new version of the Microsoft Print System Driver that is not backward compatible with the manufacturer driver. Second, a security update may block the driver because it uses an unsigned kernel-mode component. In both cases, Windows marks the driver as unavailable rather than crashing the system.

The error is not permanent. You can restore the driver by removing the update, reinstalling the driver cleanly, or forcing Windows to use a compatible driver file.

Steps to Fix Printer Driver Unavailable After a Windows 11 Update

Use the following methods in order. Method 1 is the fastest when the update is recent. Method 2 is more reliable for persistent driver corruption. Method 3 is for printers that still show the error after a fresh install.

Method 1: Uninstall the Problematic Windows Update

1. Open Windows Update settings
   Press Windows+I to open Settings. Click Windows Update in the left pane.
2. View update history
   Click Update history. Scroll down to the Related settings section.
3. Uninstall updates
   Click Uninstall updates. A Control Panel window opens listing every installed update.
4. Select the update installed just before the error appeared
   Look at the Installed On column. Right-click the most recent update and select Uninstall. Confirm any User Account Control prompt.
5. Restart and test the printer
   Restart your PC. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. The printer should no longer show “Driver Unavailable”. Print a test page.

If the error returns after Windows reinstalls the update automatically, pause updates for 7 days. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Pause updates. Then use Method 2 to install a driver that is compatible with the new update.

Method 2: Remove the Printer and Reinstall the Driver from the Manufacturer

1. Remove the printer from Windows
   Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click the printer showing “Driver Unavailable”. Click Remove.
2. Delete the printer driver from the system
   Open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager. Expand Print queues. Right-click the printer entry and select Uninstall device. Check the box “Delete the driver software for this device” if available. Click Uninstall.
3. Download the latest driver from the manufacturer
   Go to the printer manufacturer website (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, etc.). Find the driver for your exact printer model and your Windows 11 version. Download the full driver package, not a basic scan-only package.
4. Run the driver installer as administrator
   Right-click the downloaded installer file and select Run as administrator. Follow the on-screen instructions. Connect the printer via USB or ensure it is on the same network.
5. Set the printer as default
   After installation, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click the printer and select Set as default. Print a test page.

Method 3: Force Install a Compatible Driver Using Device Manager

Use this method when the driver installer fails to detect the printer or when Windows keeps reverting to the broken driver.

1. Extract the driver files
   Download the driver package from the manufacturer. If it is an executable, run it once and let it extract files to a folder. Note the folder path, often C:\SWSetup or C:\Drivers.
2. Open Device Manager
   Right-click Start and select Device Manager.
3. Update the printer driver
   Expand Print queues. Right-click the printer entry and select Update driver.
4. Browse for the driver manually
   Click Browse my computer for drivers. Click Browse and navigate to the folder where the driver files were extracted. Ensure the folder contains an INF file. Click Next.
5. Select the compatible driver
   Windows shows a list of compatible drivers. Choose the one that matches your printer model. Click Next. Windows installs the driver and the “Driver Unavailable” message disappears.

If the Printer Still Shows Driver Unavailable After the Main Fix

Some printers require additional steps because the driver is tightly integrated with Windows services. The following scenarios cover the most common edge cases.

Print Spooler Service Is Not Running

The print spooler must be running for any printer driver to load. Press Windows+R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Scroll to Print Spooler. If the Status column is blank, right-click it and select Start. Set Startup type to Automatic. Restart your PC.

Driver Is Blocked by Windows Security

Windows Security may block a driver it considers vulnerable. Go to Windows Security > Device security > Core isolation details. If Memory integrity is On, try turning it Off temporarily. Restart and check the printer. If the error clears, the driver is incompatible with Memory integrity. Contact the manufacturer for an updated driver.

Windows Update Reinstalls the Broken Driver Automatically

Windows Update may push the same driver that caused the error. To stop this, go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options. Under Additional options, turn off Receive updates for other Microsoft products. Then use the Show or hide updates troubleshooter from Microsoft to hide the specific driver update.

Item	Method 1: Uninstall Update	Method 2: Reinstall Driver
Time required	5–10 minutes	15–30 minutes
Permanent fix	No, update may reinstall	Yes, if driver is compatible
Requires internet	No	Yes, to download driver
Risk of data loss	None	None
Best for	Recent update causing error	Persistent driver corruption

If none of these methods resolve the error, the printer manufacturer may have released a firmware update that addresses Windows 11 compatibility. Check the support page for your printer model for a firmware update tool. Also verify that the printer is listed on the Windows 11 compatibility list on the manufacturer website.