Your printer says the driver is unavailable because Windows or macOS cannot find the software that lets your computer talk to your printer
When you see "driver is unavailable" on your printer or in your print queue, it means the operating system has lost contact with the printer driver — the small program that translates print jobs from your computer into instructions your printer understands. This happens most often after a Windows or macOS update, when you uninstall software without removing the driver first, or when the driver file becomes corrupted.
The message does not mean your printer is broken. It means the connection between your computer and printer is incomplete. You can fix this by reinstalling the driver, updating it, or removing the old one and starting fresh.
Key Takeaways
- A missing or corrupted driver is the most common cause — Windows or macOS updates sometimes overwrite or delete printer drivers without warning.
- You can check whether the driver is actually missing by opening Device Manager (Windows) or System Report (Mac) and looking for your printer model.
- Reinstalling the driver from the printer manufacturer's website usually solves the problem within a few minutes.
- If you cannot find a driver for your printer model, the printer may be too old for your current operating system version.
- Removing the printer from your system completely and re-adding it can work when a straightforward reinstall does not.
Check whether the driver is actually missing
Before you read anything, confirm that Windows or macOS actually cannot see the driver. On Windows, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Device Manager. Look for "Printers" or "Print queues" in the list. If your printer appears with a yellow exclamation mark or a red X, the driver is missing or broken.
On a Mac, open System Report by clicking the Apple menu, selecting About This Mac, then clicking System Report. Go to Hardware and look for Printers & Scanners. If your printer does not appear there, or appears with a warning, the driver is not installed.
If your printer does not appear in Device Manager or System Report at all, the computer may not be detecting the printer on the network or USB connection. Check that the printer is powered on, that the USB cable is plugged in firmly (if you use one), or that the printer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer.
read and install the correct driver from the manufacturer
Go to the support or downloads page of your printer's manufacturer — Canon, HP, Brother, Epson, Xerox, or whoever made it. Search for your exact printer model. You can usually find the model number on a sticker on the back or bottom of the printer, or in the printer's menu settings.
read the driver file for your operating system and version. If you use Windows 10, read the Windows 10 driver, not the Windows 7 one. If you use macOS Ventura, read the Ventura driver or the newest one available for your Mac.
Run the installer file and follow the on-screen steps. Most printer drivers install in two to five minutes. When the installer finishes, restart your computer. After restart, open Device Manager or System Report again and check that your printer now appears without a warning symbol.
Remove the printer completely and re-add it
If reinstalling the driver does not work, try removing the printer from your system entirely and adding it back. On Windows, go to Settings, then Devices, then Printers & Scanners. Find your printer in the list, click it, and select Remove Device. Then restart your computer.
After restart, go back to Printers & Scanners and click "Add a printer or scanner." Windows will search for available printers. When it finds yours, click it and let Windows install the driver automatically. If Windows cannot find it, click "The printer that I want isn't listed" and follow the manual setup steps.
On a Mac, go to System Preferences, then Printers & Scanners. Click your printer in the list on the left and click the minus button to remove it. Then click the plus button, select your printer from the list, and click Add.
What to do if you cannot find a driver for your printer model
Printer manufacturers usually stop releasing drivers for models older than seven to ten years. If you search the manufacturer's website and find no driver for your operating system, your printer may be too old for the version of Windows or macOS you are running.
Check the printer's manual or the manufacturer's support page to see which operating systems that model supports. If your printer was made for Windows 7 and you are running Windows 11, a driver may not exist.
In this case, you have two options: use a generic printer driver that Windows or macOS provides (which limits you to basic printing without special features), or replace the printer with a newer model that the manufacturer still supports. Generic drivers work for straightforward black-and-white printing but often do not support color, double-sided printing, or other advanced features.
Why the driver disappears after a Windows or macOS update
Operating system updates sometimes overwrite printer drivers or remove them entirely. Windows 10 and Windows 11 updates have been known to delete third-party drivers and replace them with generic versions that do not work with all printer features.
When this happens, you see "driver is unavailable" even though the driver was working before the update. The fix is the same: read the latest driver from the manufacturer's website and reinstall it. Check the manufacturer's support page to see if they have released an updated driver specifically for the latest Windows or macOS version.
To prevent this in the future, check the manufacturer's website for driver updates every few months, especially after a major operating system update. Many manufacturers have a notification system that alerts you when a new driver is available.
Troubleshooting when nothing else works
If you have reinstalled the driver, removed and re-added the printer, and checked that the printer is powered on and connected, try these steps: unplug the printer's power cable for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. This resets the printer's internal memory and sometimes clears a stuck driver state.
On Windows, open the Print Spooler service by pressing Windows Key + R, typing services.msc, and pressing Enter. Find "Print Spooler" in the list, right-click it, and select Restart. This clears any stuck print jobs that might be preventing the driver from loading.
If your printer connects over Wi-Fi, forget the network on the printer itself (usually through the printer's menu or settings button) and reconnect it to your Wi-Fi. Sometimes the network connection becomes unstable and causes the driver to appear unavailable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does "driver is unavailable" mean my printer is broken?
No. It means the software connection between your computer and printer is missing or corrupted. The printer itself is usually fine. Reinstalling the driver from the manufacturer's website fixes the problem in most cases.
Can I print without a driver?
Not with most printers. A driver is required to translate print jobs from your computer into commands the printer understands. Some very basic generic drivers exist, but they do not support color, special paper sizes, or other features.
Why does the driver disappear after I update Windows?
Windows updates sometimes overwrite or delete third-party drivers. Check the printer manufacturer's website for an updated driver compatible with your new Windows version, then reinstall it.
What if the manufacturer no longer makes drivers for my printer model?
Your printer may be too old for your current operating system. Check the printer's manual to see which Windows or macOS versions it supports. If there is no match, you can try a generic printer driver, but it will not support all features.
Should I restart my computer after installing a new driver?
Yes. Restarting ensures the operating system fully loads the new driver and clears any old driver files from memory. Most printer driver installers prompt you to restart at the end.