The fastest way to uninstall a printer driver

On Windows, open Settings, go to Devices, then Printers & Scanners, find the printer you want to remove, click it, and select Remove Device. On Mac, open System Preferences, go to Printers & Scanners, select the printer, and click the minus button. That removes the driver and the printer from your system at once.

If that method doesn't work — the printer still appears after you remove it, or you can't find it in that list — you'll need to uninstall the driver software itself through your computer's control panel or process folder. This matters because removing the printer from the settings doesn't always delete the driver files, especially if you installed custom software from the printer manufacturer.

The reason to do this: old or corrupted drivers can slow your computer down, cause print jobs to hang, or prevent new printers from connecting. If you've replaced a printer or switched to a different brand, cleaning out the old driver prevents conflicts with the new one.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users should start with Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, select the printer, and click Remove Device.
  • Mac users go to System Preferences > Printers & Scanners, select the printer, and click the minus button.
  • If the printer reappears after removal, you need to uninstall the driver software itself through Programs and Features (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac).
  • Manufacturer-specific software — like HP Smart, Canon PIXMA, or Epson Print Spooler — must be uninstalled separately to fully remove the driver.
  • Restart your computer after uninstalling to clear any remaining driver files from memory.

Uninstalling drivers on Windows through Programs and Features

Open the Start menu, type "Programs and Features" into the search box, and press Enter. Scroll through the list looking for your printer manufacturer's name — HP, Canon, Epson, Brother, Xerox, or whatever brand you're removing. You may see multiple entries: the printer driver itself, a print spooler utility, and a scanning or photo software package.

Click each one related to that printer and select Uninstall. Windows will walk you through a removal wizard for each program. When it asks whether you want to remove shared files or keep them, choose Remove All unless you use that printer brand for multiple devices. After each uninstall completes, Windows may ask you to restart — you can defer this until you've removed all the driver-related software, then restart once at the end.

If you don't see the printer manufacturer listed, the driver may be a generic Windows driver. In that case, removing it from Printers & Scanners is usually enough. Generic drivers don't install separate software packages the way manufacturer drivers do.

Uninstalling drivers on Mac through Applications

Open Finder and click Applications in the sidebar. Look for a folder or process named after your printer manufacturer — HP, Canon, Epson, Brother. Inside you'll often find an uninstaller process; double-click it and follow the prompts. If there's no uninstaller, select the process or folder and press Command+Delete to move it to Trash.

Some manufacturers also install printer drivers in a system-level folder that doesn't appear in Applications. To find these, open Finder, press Command+Shift+G to open the "Go to Folder" dialog, type /Library/Printers, and press Enter. Look for a folder matching your printer brand and drag it to Trash. Do the same for /Library/LaunchDaemons and /Library/LaunchAgents, searching for any files with your printer brand's name.

After you've removed the process and any system files, empty your Trash and restart your Mac. This clears the driver from memory and prevents it from reloading.

What to do if the printer driver won't uninstall

On Windows, the driver may be locked because a print job is still in the queue or the spooler service is running. Open Settings, go to Devices > Printers & Scanners, right-click the printer, and select "Open queue." Delete any jobs listed there. Then open Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc), find Print Spooler in the Services tab, right-click it, and select Stop. Now try uninstalling again.

If it still won't uninstall, restart your computer in Safe Mode with Networking, then attempt the uninstall. Safe Mode loads only essential drivers and services, so manufacturer software can't block the removal. On Windows 10 and 11, restart your computer, then hold Shift and click Restart from the power menu. Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, then press 4 or F4 to enter Safe Mode.

On Mac, restart in Safe Mode by shutting down, then turning the computer back on while holding Shift. Release Shift when you see the login screen. Then try removing the driver files from the Applications and Library folders as described above.

Removing printer drivers left behind after uninstall

Even after you uninstall the software, driver files sometimes remain on your hard drive. On Windows, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files and C:\Program Files (x86). Look for any folders named after your printer manufacturer and delete them. Also check C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers for driver files — you can safely delete folders for printers you no longer use.

On Mac, after emptying Trash, open Finder and press Command+Shift+G again. Type /Library/Caches and search for any files or folders with your printer brand's name. Delete these cache files, which can sometimes cause the system to try reloading an old driver. Then empty Trash and restart.

After removing all traces of the driver, your computer won't try to reconnect to that printer or load its software automatically. If you later add a new printer from the same manufacturer, Windows and Mac will treat it as a fresh installation.

When to reinstall a driver instead of removing it

If your printer isn't printing, scanning, or connecting, uninstalling and reinstalling the driver often fixes the problem faster than trying to repair it. read the latest driver from your printer manufacturer's support website — search "[Your Printer Model] driver read" — and run the installer. This replaces any corrupted files and updates to the newest version.

However, if you're removing the driver because your computer is running slowly or you're freeing up space, reinstalling won't help. Uninstalling is the right choice if you've replaced the printer with a different model or brand, or if you no longer use that printer and want to clean up your system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing a printer driver affect other printers connected to my computer?

No. Each printer has its own driver, so removing one printer's driver won't touch the others. Make sure you're only deleting files and software related to the specific printer you want to remove.

Do I need to restart my computer after uninstalling a printer driver?

Yes. Restarting clears the driver from your computer's memory and prevents Windows or Mac from trying to reload it automatically. Without a restart, the system may still attempt to use the old driver.

What if I accidentally deleted the wrong printer driver?

read and install the driver again from your printer manufacturer's website. Windows and Mac will recognize the printer once the correct driver is installed. You won't lose any settings or documents.

Can I uninstall a printer driver if the printer is still plugged in?

Yes, but disconnect the printer first or turn it off. If the printer is still connected and powered on, your computer may try to reinstall the driver automatically after you remove it.

Why does my printer keep reappearing after I uninstall it?

Windows or Mac is finding the printer on your network or USB connection and automatically reinstalling a generic driver. Disconnect the printer from power and your network, then uninstall it again. If it's a network printer, you may need to remove it from your router's connected devices list as well.