Windows 10: computer to printer communication

computer is printing to a file and not to the actual printer. How to change

:)

 

Printer and computer not communicating

Hi,



Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

I would suggest you to follow the troubleshooting steps mentioned in the article:

Fix printer problems.

If you have recently upgraded your Windows and the printer is not working after that, I would suggest you to follow the steps mentioned in article:

Fix printer problems after updating or upgrading to Windows 10.



Please write back with more information (error message or outcome of the above troubleshooting steps) in order to help him fix the issue.

 

Computer not communicating with printer

Hi Willa,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Community. I understand the inconvenience you are facing. I will certainly help you with this.

I appreciate if you could answer few questions to narrow down the issue and to provide you better assistance.

• What exact error message do you receive when you try to print any document?
• Did you made any system changes prior to this issue?
• Does this issue persist while printing from specific app or from all programs/app?
• Is printer connected to PC with wired connection or wireless connection?

Method 1:

I suggest you to try running Printer troubleshooter and check if it fixes the issue. To do so kindly follow the below given steps:

• Type troubleshooting in the search bar.

• Select Troubleshooting.
• Select View all on the top left corner.
• Click on Printer.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to run the troubleshooter.
• Check if issue persists.

Method 2:

This issue may arise due to printer’s driver incompatibility with Windows 10. I suggest you to install the drivers in compatibility mode and check if it helps.
To do so kindly follow the below given steps:

• Right click on printer’s driver that you have downloaded from manufacturer website.
  
• Click/tap on Properties.
• Check the Run this program in Compatibility mode for under
  Compatibility tab
• Select Windows 8.1/8 from the drop down under
  Compatibility mode section.
• Click on Apply and Ok.
• Install the drivers, restart PC and check if issue is resolved.

Please post back with the results and the information asked, we will be glad to assist you further.

Thank you.

 

cannot communicate with printer

Hi Joe,

The error message Computer cannot communicate with Printer is commonly caused by a connection issue between both devices. For us to provide an accurate solution, we need to elaborate the issue further. Kindly answer the questions listed below:

• Have you tried connecting to your printer using a USB cable?
• If your computer is connected to the internet using WiFi, are you experiencing any issues?
• Have you tried relocating your computer to a location which is nearer to your printer?

For initial troubleshooting for all printer issues, we suggest that you visit this

link. From there, you'll see a simple guide on how to resolve any printer issues.

We'll be waiting for your reply.