How to Fix "Driver Unavailable" Printer Error on Windows
The "Driver unavailable" error appears when Windows cannot find or load the printer driver needed to communicate with the printer. This usually happens after a Windows Update, OS upgrade, or when the driver becomes corrupted. The fix is straightforward: reinstall the correct driver from the manufacturer.
Does this describe your problem?
- "Driver unavailable" error message when trying to print
- Yellow warning triangle (!) on the printer icon in Device Manager
- Printer stopped working after a Windows Update
- "No driver found" message in Printers & Scanners settings
Try this first
Download and reinstall the printer driver from the manufacturer's official website — Windows generic drivers are often incompatible with specific printer models.
Step-by-Step Fix
Follow each step in order. Most issues are resolved within the first three steps.
- 1
Check Device Manager for the error code
Press Win+X and select Device Manager. Expand "Print queues" (or "Printers"). If your printer shows a yellow warning icon (!), right-click it and select Properties to see the error code. Common codes: Code 28 (driver not installed), Code 39 (driver corrupted or missing), Code 43 (driver failed to load).
- 2
Uninstall the broken driver
In Device Manager, right-click the printer and select Uninstall device. Check "Delete the driver software for this device" if that checkbox appears. Click Uninstall. Also go to Settings > Printers & scanners, find your printer, and click Remove device to clean up the system entry.
- 3
Download the official driver
Visit your printer manufacturer's support site: hp.com/support, usa.canon.com/support, epson.com/support, or support.brother.com. Enter your exact printer model number (e.g., HP DeskJet 4155e — not just HP DeskJet). Select your Windows version and bit type. Download the Full Feature Software or Full Driver Package.
- 4
Run the installer as Administrator
Right-click the downloaded installer file and select "Run as administrator." Running without admin rights is a common cause of silent driver installation failures on Windows 10 and 11. Follow the installation wizard. Choose your connection type (USB or Wireless) when prompted.
- 5
Add the printer after driver installation
After the driver installs, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners > Add device. Allow Windows to discover your printer on the network or via USB. Select it from the list and click Add device. The printer should now appear without a warning icon.
- 6
Restart and verify
Restart your computer after driver installation. Open Device Manager and confirm there is no warning icon on the printer under Print queues. Go to Settings > Printers & scanners, select the printer, and click Print a test page to verify the driver is fully functional.
Advanced Troubleshooting
If the steps above did not resolve the issue, try these advanced fixes.
- 7
Remove old drivers using Print Management
Press Win+R, type printmanagement.msc, Enter. In the left panel, expand All Drivers. Remove all old entries for your printer manufacturer. This clears cached driver packages that silently conflict with new installations — a step that the standard uninstall process often skips.
- 8
Clear the Windows driver store
Run Command Prompt as Administrator. Type pnputil /enum-drivers and find your printer's "oem#.inf" entry. Remove it with: pnputil /delete-driver oem#.inf /uninstall (replace # with the actual number). This removes the cached driver from the Windows driver store, ensuring the fresh installation has no remnants to conflict with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about printer driver unavailable fix.
Why did my printer driver become unavailable after a Windows Update?
Windows updates sometimes replace third-party printer drivers with generic Microsoft versions that lack full model-specific functionality. After a Windows Update breaks your printer, visit the manufacturer's website and download the latest driver package released for Windows 10/11. Manufacturer drivers always take priority over Windows generic drivers.
How do I find my printer's exact model number for driver download?
The model number is on a label on the printer body — typically on the front panel, back, or bottom. It includes a specific number (e.g., HP DeskJet 4155e, Canon PIXMA MG3620). Do not use just the series name — the full model number is required to download the correct driver that matches your hardware revision.
Can I use a universal print driver instead of the model-specific one?
Yes. HP, Epson, and Lexmark offer Universal Print Drivers (UPD) that work across multiple models. These are useful in corporate environments with many printer models. However, universal drivers may lack scanning support, ink monitoring, and advanced print settings. For home users, the model-specific Full Feature driver is recommended.
The driver installed without errors but the printer still won't work. What next?
If the driver installed cleanly but the printer still won't work: check Device Manager for a warning icon. Try printing a test page directly from Settings > Printers & scanners > printer > Manage. If the test page fails, the issue is likely a connection problem (USB cable, Wi-Fi network) rather than the driver. Check the physical connection next.
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