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6 Ways to Fix Print Spooler High CPU Usage in Windows 10

Check out comprehensive solutions that are proven to work

6 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

ThePrint Spoolerservice’s high CPU usage issue is known to causepainfully slow processing times in Windows 10 PCs.

The service, designed to store the print jobs for a while until the printer is ready, can often lead to issues. But these are easy to fix and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes of your time.

What causes Print Spooler’s high CPU usage?

The Spooler service is by no means a resource-hungry process that should overwhelm your computer, and if that’s the case, it’s usually due to one of these issues:

Our solutions would also work for the following related issues:

How can I fix the Printer Spooler’s high CPU usage?

Before we head to the relatively complex solutions, here are a few quick ones to try:

If these didn’t work, head to the ones listed next.

1. Disable the Print Spooler service

First, if you don’t use a printer, thePrint Spooler service need not be running. And disabling it will automatically fix thePrint Spoolerhigh CPU.

2. Update the printer drivers

In most cases, an incompatible printer driver led to the Print Spooler high CPU problem, and updating it did the trick. When you update the driver, it fixes all three issues: incompatibility, file corruption, or running an outdated version.

Also, some users reported that installing just the driver package from the manufacturer’s website, without any supporting applications, for instance, HP Smart App, did the trick.

Another easy way to update your drivers is by using a dedicated tool, like Outbyte Driver Updater, to scan your device and instantly choose the right driver directly from its database.

Outbyte Driver Updater

3. Clear the printing queue

4. Pause printing for individual printers

A simple way to fix high CPU usage by Print Spooler is to pause printing for all the old printers. Often, a printer you may have used in the past remains saved and consumes resources. However, increase the number of printers, and you will have a high CPU usage issue.

5. Uninstall third-party applications

Often, third-party apps installed on the PC may lead to high CPU usage by Print Spooler. Some users foundDYMO Connectto be the problem, so if you have the app, uninstall it right away.

Also, look for other programs installed around the same time the problem first appeared and remove them.

6. Uninstall the latest Windows update

A few late updates have been reported to cause the problem. So here, you have two options: installing the next available version or heading to the previous stable one.

If another update has not been released yet or doesn’t carry a patch, you can quickly revert to the version that worked.

By now, you should have fixed the high CPU by Print Spooler, and the PC’s performance should have improved considerably.

And while you are at it, learn how tomake Windows 10 faster than ever.

If you have any other queries regarding the information listed here, drop a comment below.

6 Ways to Fix Print Spooler High CPU Usage in Windows 10#

What causes Print Spooler’s high CPU usage?#

How can I fix the Printer Spooler’s high CPU usage?#

1. Disable the Print Spooler service#

2. Update the printer drivers#

Outbyte Driver Updater#

3. Clear the printing queue#

4. Pause printing for individual printers#

5. Uninstall third-party applications#

6. Uninstall the latest Windows update#