Printer driver is unavailable on Windows 10/11

December 2022 · 5 minute read

XINSTALL BY CLICKING THE DOWNLOAD FILE

To fix various PC problems, we recommend DriverFix:
This software will keep your drivers up and running, thus keeping you safe from common computer errors and hardware failure. Check all your drivers now in 3 easy steps:
  • Download DriverFix (verified download file).
  • Click Start Scan to find all problematic drivers.
  • Click Update Drivers to get new versions and avoid system malfunctionings.

    • Finding the appropriate drivers to accompany your hardware can certainly be a painful experience.

    That shouldn’t be the case for Windows 10, but it certainly is for some users who tried installing printer drivers after migrating to Windows 10.

    They were met with an error informing them that the driver for the said printer is unavailable. If you’re stuck with this problem, we encourage you to check the two solutions we enlisted below.

    What can I do if the printer driver is unavailable?

  • Reinstall the driver
  • Install drivers automatically
  • Install drivers manually

    • 1. Reinstall the driver

    This error is quite common when it comes to older printers, and Windows 10 tends to enforce random generic drivers.

    This, of course, might work for some users, but others will be met with the error at hand.

    Generic drivers are hardly adequate for newer printers that fully support Windows 10, not to speak about 5 or 10-years-old machines.

    But, this doesn’t mean that the driver provided by Windows Update won’t work. If you uninstall it, the system should look for another one and that one might be the right fit.

    So, we encourage you to navigate to Device Manager and uninstall the printer driver. After that, a simple restart (network connection is a must), and Windows Update should install a proper driver.

  • Right-click Start and open Device Manager from the Power User menu.
  • Navigate to Print queues and expand this section.windows 10 printer driver is unavailable
  • Right-click on the affected printer and choose Uninstall device from the contextual menu.
  • Restart your PC and open Device Manager again.
  • Click on the Scan for hardware changes icon and the driver should install automatically.

    • 2. Install drivers automatically

    Downloading and installing drivers manually may be a big problem, especially when the wrong driver version is installed. This may lead to serious malfunctions.

    Expert Tip: Some PC issues are hard to tackle, especially when it comes to corrupted repositories or missing Windows files. If you are having troubles fixing an error, your system may be partially broken. We recommend installing Restoro, a tool that will scan your machine and identify what the fault is.
    Click here to download and start repairing.

    We strongly suggest you update your driver automatically with a dedicated tool. All you need to do is to install it and let it scan your PC for missing and out-of-date device drivers. The best part is yet to come. You can choose to download all of your faulty device drivers at once.

    Most of the time, the generic drivers for your PC’s hardware and peripherals are not properly updated by the system.There are key differences between a generic driver and a manufacturer’s driver.Searching for the right driver version for each of your hardware components can become tedious. That’s why an automated assistant can help you find and update your system with the correct drivers every time, and we strongly recommend DriverFix. Here’s how to do it:

  • Download and install DriverFix.
  • Launch the software.
  • Wait for the detection of all your faulty drivers.
  • DriverFix will now show you all the drivers that have issues, and you just need to select the ones you’d liked fixed.
  • Wait for the app to download and install the newest drivers.
  • Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
    • DriverFix

    DriverFix

    Keep your PC components drivers working perfectly without putting your PC at risk.

    Disclaimer: this program needs to be upgraded from the free version in order to perform some specific actions.

    3. Install drivers manually

  • Download proper drivers and store them on your local storage.
  • Disable the Internet connection temporarily.
  • Open Device Manager, expand Printer queues and uninstall the device. Do not restart your PC.
  • Now, right-click on the driver setup you’ve downloaded from the official manufacturer’s website. Open Properties.
  • Select the Compatibility tab.
  • From the Run this program in Compatibility mode drop-down menu, choose previous versions of Windows.windows 10 printer driver is unavailable
  • Confirm changes and run the driver installer.
  • After the installation is complete, restart your PC.

    • If the aforementioned solution can’t fix your error and you’re still missing a functional driver, we encourage you to install it by hand.

    Now, searching for the appropriate printer driver can be like searching for the needle in a haystack, especially if you’re using a legacy printer.

    However, most of them, when running in the compatibility mode, should work just fine on Windows 10.

    In order to find and obtain a proper driver, you’ll need to know the exact model code and OEM. After that, a simple lookup on Google should get you to the official website.

    We suggest avoiding suspicious third-party websites, but if you have no alternative, some of them might provide you with the necessary drivers.

    That’s it. If you’re still unable to install a proper printer driver, we encourage you to contact support and ask for a resolution.

    Furthermore, make sure to share your experience with us in the comments section below.

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