While using your printer, you might get an error message saying that your “Printer driver is unavailable”. What do you do in this situation?
While using your printer, you might get an error message saying that your “Printer driver is unavailable”. What do you do in this situation? how to connect hp printer to wifi

While using your printer, you might get an error message saying that your “Printer driver is unavailable”. What do you do in this situation?

hp printer driver is unavailable windows 10

The printer remains an important tool, especially in the office. With it, you can print, scan and copy documents and share them around. A working printer is very important; this means a faulty one can cause bottlenecks. hp printer driver is unavailable windows 10

If a reliable printer suddenly malfunctions and throws up that error message, it may be linked to an outdated or incompatible driver. It could even be that the printer driver became faulty and stopped responding to system commands.

Of course, not every printer issue is software-related. It could be due to wear and tear on an old printing device. A printer that has fallen into disuse or underuse may also not work so well when put back in action. Dust, dirt, paper bits and caked ink may also cause obstructions and even damage the printer.

Still, most of the time, the “printer driver is unavailable” error boils down to a software issue linked to the printer driver installed on the computer. If the problem goes unresolved you will not be able to carry out print jobs.

If the issue occurs on your Windows 10, don’t let it deter you. The error can appear on many printers, though HP printer users have made the most reports. There are easy fixes that will make your printer start working again in no time.

Why Am I Getting the Printer Driver Is Unavailable Error on Windows 10?

Several instances of the unavailable printer driver error are linked to a software upgrade. Users who recently made the jump to Windows 10 from an earlier version may find that the process damaged some device drivers. Your printer or its driver might also be incompatible with your current Windows version.

This happened by design on the part of Microsoft. Unlike earlier versions, Windows 10 doesn’t have backward compatibility with certain devices. If your printer happens to be one of them, your options are limited to downgrading your OS or getting a new printer.

This error can also happen when the printer driver isn’t installed at all. Some plug and play printers may actually require manual driver installation. The driver could have also been mistakenly deleted by your security software. It could also be installed incorrectly, meaning neither the printer nor the OS is able to interact with it.

In rare cases, you may experience the unavailable printer driver error because of a corrupt file or driver. This becomes more complicated if the driver in question is the latest version you can use. You may need to downgrade or uninstall the software and hope it works.

Printer Driver Explained

Before diving into the fixes for the “Printer driver is unavailable” error, it’s worth noting what exactly is a printer driver is. A printer driver is a small software that enables your printer and the operating system to talk to one another.

The printer driver links the OS to your printer so the former can read and understand the hardware specifications and abilities of the latter. It also decodes print instructions into a language that the printer can understand. Without it, no printing, scanning or copying job can happen.

Most printers, especially the newest ones, have dedicated drivers on Windows 10. Each driver is optimized to get the best out of its counterpart printer. Hence, the PC may not detect the printer if you’ve installed the wrong driver or wrongly configured the correct one.

Even so, some printer models can use the generic printer drivers built into Windows 10. This gives you an extra option if you’re unable to use the printer-specific driver for whatever reason. Though a generic driver likely won’t function as well as a dedicated one, it’s still better than nothing.

Fix “Printer Driver Is Unavailable” on Windows 10

If you keep getting the “Printer driver is unavailable” error when you try to print something, you need to apply some fixes. Here are five possible solutions that can get your printer up and running:

Apply a Windows update

Update the printer driver automatically

Manually update the printer

Completely reinstall your printer

Use the generic printer driver reference link = hp printer not connecting to wifi