HP printers work well most of the time. But when they malfunction, one of the main errors users see is that ‘The HP printer driver is unavailable. This error implies that your HP driver is not compatible with your printer model. It also means that the driver is either corrupt or the contents in the print spooler are damaged. Whatever the cause, the error puts a halt to the printing job.
So, how do you resolve it? Some of the best measures include updating your Windows operating system, reinstalling the printer driver, and checking for damaged system files using the Reimage tool. Keep reading this article to fix this error and start printing again.
What does HP Printer Driver is Unavailable Error Means?
People who are from a non-technical background may find it difficult to make sense of the error message ‘driver is unavailable printer HP.’ but it has a very straightforward explanation. It implies that there is a specific issue with the drivers of your printer. They hinder it from properly working with your computer system.
The error message signifies that the HP printer drivers you are using are either corrupted or missing. Usually, the most common reason why this error happens is when you have drivers that are not updated. You can fix this problem by downloading the printer driver again.
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Why HP Printer Driver is Unavailable?
Your HP driver can be unavailable due to a couple of reasons. They include the following:
- A corrupt printer driver – The printer driver can become outdated or corrupt because of incomplete or faulty driver installation.
- Your computer is incompatible with the HP printer driver – If your system has an outdated driver, your printer’s working will be negatively affected.
- Corrupt print spooler contents – The print spooler application in HP printers determines how the documents will be printed. A failure of the spooler service results in the unavailable driver.
- A Windows upgrade process from one version to another can also damage the printer driver. If your printer driver is not compatible with your new Windows version, you’ll find the driver is unavailable printer error message.
Resolve Driver is Unavailable HP Printer Error
If you leave this error unresolved, you will face a tough time printing, scanning, and copying. So, it’s best to fix it once and for all.
Check if your Windows system is updated
An out-of-date Windows system increases the chances for the printer driver unavailable issue to occur. So, consider updating your system and then see if the error persists. The new operating system update has many bug fixes and new features that resolve this glitch.
- Launch the Windows ‘Settings’ menu. Hit the Windows logo key and I on the keyboard at the same time to open it.
- Now tap ‘Update & Security.’
- Hit the ‘Check for updates’
- The updates will be automatically installed in your system.
- After the install, reboot the computer. Try to print and see if you can do it without any problems.
Uninstall the current driver
Windows 10 HP printer driver is unavailable issue signals that your computer does not acknowledge or detect your printer. As the communication between your computer and printer mainly occurs because of the driver, you must re-install it to fix this issue. You can re-install the driver manually or automatically.
To update the drivers automatically, you need to take the help of third-party software. Here are the instructions to manually update the driver.
- Go to the HP printer manufacturer’s website and head to its support section.
- Once there, check if your printer is supported by Windows 10.
- Next, download the latest stable driver version.
- After the driver gets downloaded, double-tap its installer file.
- Launch ‘Control Panel’ and go to ‘Device Manager.’
- In its window, locate the printer whose drivers you want to install. Usually, a printer with outdated drivers has a yellow exclamation mark beside its name.
- Right-tap the name of the printer and select ‘Update driver software.’
- Choose the option, ‘Search automatically for updated driver software‘ below the question, ‘How do you want to search for drivers?‘
- Now stick with the instructions that you see to install the updated drivers if you don’t have them with you.
- But if you have the downloaded drivers, choose the option, ‘Browse my computer for driver software.’
Fix the corrupt system files
One of the prominent causes of you noticing that your HP printer driver is unavailable Windows 10 is damaged or corrupt system files.
You can use the Reimage tool to carry out a comprehensive Windows repair. You can also use the SFC (System File Checker) tool to rectify corrupt files.
Using Reimage tool
- Download the Reimage tool by searching for it on the web.
- Once downloaded, install it and then open it.
- To allow the tool to carry out a free scan of your computer, tap the ‘Yes‘ button.
- The tool will run a full scan of your PC. You will need to wait for some minutes till it completes the scan.
- After the tool completes the scan, you will get a report of all the issues it has detected.
- Tap’ Start Repair‘ to fix these issues. But for it, you will need to purchase the tool.
Using SFC
- In the search box, input ‘cmd‘ and tap ‘Run as administrator.’
- Enter ‘sfc /scannow‘ in the command prompt. Then, hit Enter.
- While the repair process is going on, don’t close the command prompt.
- The SFC scan will detect problems and repair corrupt system files.
Modify the UAC settings
You can configure the user account control settings so it will not prevent you from installing the crucial drivers for your HP printer. Here are the steps to change these settings.
- Log in as an administrator.
- Go to ‘Control Panel’ followed by ‘User Accounts.’
- Now go to the ‘Change User Account’ control settings.
- Set your slider to the third level, which says, ‘Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (default).’
- Tap ‘OK‘ and ‘Yes‘ in the permission window.
Final Thoughts
Do not ignore the HP printer driver is unavailable error message. It will make your printer unresponsive and practically useless. Use these simple fixes and make sure to keep your drivers and operating system up to date. Connect with expert HP printer technical support services if you face any other issues.