How to Print Queue: View, Manage & Clear Jobs

What You’ll Need

A computer with a printer installed (Windows or macOS)
Access to the printer’s queue via system settings or printer software

Step-by-Step

Open the print queue on Windows: Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (or Devices > Printers & scanners on older versions). Select your printer, then click Open print queue.
Open the print queue on macOS: Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners (or System Preferences > Printers & Scanners). Select your printer, then click Open Print Queue.
View the list of jobs: The queue window shows each document with its status (printing, paused, or error). Check the document name, owner, and page count to identify what’s waiting.
Pause or resume a job: Right-click (or control-click on Mac) a job and select Pause to temporarily stop it. To continue, choose Resume.
Cancel or delete a job: Right-click the job and select Cancel (Windows) or Delete (macOS). To clear all jobs, use Cancel All or Delete All from the menu.
Restart a stuck job: If a job is stuck, right-click it and choose Restart (Windows) or Resume after pausing (macOS). If that fails, cancel it and reprint from the original app.

Common Mistakes

Clicking Print multiple times because the first job seems slow, creating duplicate jobs in the queue.
Forgetting to check the correct printer in the dropdown; jobs may go to a different device.
Assuming the queue is empty when the printer is offline; jobs remain queued until the printer is back online.
Deleting the wrong job when multiple documents have similar names—always check the timestamp.

Tips

Set a default printer to avoid sending jobs to the wrong device.
Use the queue to prioritize important documents: pause lower-priority jobs, then resume them later.
If you often have large jobs, consider setting a lower print priority in the printer’s preferences to avoid blocking smaller jobs.
On Windows, you can also open the queue from the taskbar when a print job is active—click the printer icon.

Troubleshooting

Queue is stuck and won’t clear: Restart the print spooler service (Windows): open Services (type “services.msc”), find Print Spooler, right-click and select Restart. On macOS, restart the printer or computer.
Jobs disappear but don’t print: Check the printer’s connection (USB or Wi-Fi) and ensure it’s not in an error state. Try printing a test page from the printer settings.
Cannot open the queue: Make sure the printer is installed and not set to “Use Printer Offline” (Windows). Right-click the printer in Printers & scanners and uncheck it.
Jobs stuck as “Paused”: Right-click the job and select Resume. If it persists, cancel and re-add the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the print queue located in Windows 11?

Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select your printer, and click Open print queue. The path may vary slightly with updates.

Can I print from the queue directly?

No—the queue only manages jobs already sent. To print a new document, you must use the print command in the app you’re using.

How do I clear all jobs in the queue?

In the queue window, look for a Cancel All or Delete All option (often in the Printer menu). On Windows, you can also right-click the printer in Printers & scanners and choose See what’s printing, then Cancel All.

Why does my queue show “Error – Printing” but nothing prints?

This usually indicates a connection issue or paper jam. Check the printer’s display, ensure it’s online, and try restarting both the printer and your computer.

Can I move a job to the top of the queue?

Yes, on both Windows and macOS, right-click the job and select Restart or Resume after pausing others. Some printer software allows dragging jobs to reorder.

What does “spooling” mean in the queue?

Spooling is the process of saving the print job to the computer’s memory before sending it to the printer. It’s normal to see “Spooling” briefly.

Sources: Microsoft Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.