Short answer: if your print preview fails, the cause is usually a driver, service, setting, or app problem; this article shows how to diagnose and fix the issue. The core issue addressed here is Print preview doesn’t work in Windows 10 — you’ll learn the most common reasons this happens and step-by-step fixes so previews work again.
This problem is typically caused by outdated or corrupted printer drivers, a stalled Print Spooler, incorrect default printer settings, application-specific bugs, Windows updates, incompatible printer preferences, or corrupted system/user files. Below you’ll find quick fixes and detailed troubleshooting for each cause.
Key Takeaway
Restart the Print Spooler, update or reinstall the printer driver, and check the default printer; those three actions fix the majority of cases where Print preview doesn’t work in Windows 10.
Quick Fix Guide
Quick Fix Guide
| Reason for the Problem | Quick Solution |
|---|---|
| Outdated or corrupted printer driver | Update or reinstall the printer driver via Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. |
| Print Spooler service stopped or corrupted | Restart the service in services.msc or run net stop spooler then net start spooler as admin. |
| Wrong default printer / network printer offline | Set the correct default and ensure the printer is online at Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. |
| Recent Windows Update or system bug | Uninstall problematic updates or use System Restore to revert changes. |
| App-specific print preview issue | Repair or update the app (Office/Chrome) or use the system print dialog. |
| Printer preferences / incompatible page settings | Reset printing defaults and verify paper size and scaling in Printer properties. |
| Corrupted system files or user profile | Run sfc /scannow and DISM, or test with a new user account. |
Detailed Fixes for “Print preview doesn’t work in Windows 10”
1) Outdated or corrupted printer driver
Why it causes the problem
- The print preview depends on the driver to report capabilities and render previews; a corrupted or old driver can fail to produce a preview or provide incorrect settings.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select your printer, click Remove device to uninstall it (note: you can reinstall it later).
- Visit the printer manufacturer’s support website (HP, Epson, Canon, Brother, etc.) and download the latest Windows 10 driver for your model.
- Run the downloaded installer and follow prompts. If the installer offers “clean install” or “remove previous drivers”, choose it.
- After installation, reboot the PC and open a document to test print preview.
Alternative (Device Manager)
- Press Win + X and choose Device Manager.
- Expand Print queues or Printers, right-click your printer and choose Uninstall device.
- Reboot; Windows will usually reinstall a generic driver automatically. If preview still fails, install the manufacturer driver.
Notes/tips
- Use the full driver package (not just a basic driver) if available.
- If your printer is networked, install the network driver version.
2) Print Spooler service stopped or corrupted
Why it causes the problem
- The Print Spooler coordinates print jobs and preview rendering; if it’s stopped, stuck, or has corrupted queued files, previews and printing can break.
Step-by-step solution
- Restart the spooler via Services:
- Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
- Find Print Spooler, right-click and choose Restart.
- If restart fails, clear spooler files manually:
- Stop the service: open Command Prompt (Admin) and run net stop spooler (use bold).
- Delete files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS (you may need admin rights).
- Start the service: net start spooler.
- Test print preview.
Notes/tips
- If the spooler repeatedly stops, check Event Viewer for errors and consider reinstalling printer drivers or checking for malware.
- For persistent spooler corruption, deleting the driver package from Print Management (if available) and reinstalling drivers may help.
3) Wrong default printer / printer offline
Why it causes the problem
- If Windows targets an offline or network printer that can’t provide status, preview may fail or be empty. The “Let Windows manage my default printer” setting can also switch defaults unexpectedly.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
- If Let Windows manage my default printer is enabled, consider disabling it to control the default yourself.
- Click your preferred printer and choose Set as default.
- If the printer shows Offline, click it and select Open queue, then ensure Use Printer Offline is not checked in the Printer menu.
- For network printers: ensure the printer is on, connected to the same network, and pingable. Open Command Prompt and run ping
. - If ping fails, restart the printer and router; ensure proper IP or hostname configuration.
Notes/tips
- For shared printers, ensure the host PC is online and that sharing permissions are intact.
- If you have multiple virtual printers (PDF creators), try selecting a different one to diagnose whether the issue is with a specific device.
4) Recent Windows Update or system bug
Why it causes the problem
- Windows updates sometimes introduce regressions affecting printing components; a recent update might have changed printing behavior or drivers.
Step-by-step solution
- Check update history: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history.
- If a recent update correlates with the start of the issue, consider uninstalling it: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history > Uninstall updates.
- Use System Restore if a restore point exists:
- Search Create a restore point, open System Properties, click System Restore, and follow the prompts to choose a point from before the issue.
- Check for newer updates: sometimes Microsoft releases follow-up fixes. In Windows Update, click Check for updates and install all pending patches.
Notes/tips
- Uninstalling updates should be a last resort; try driver fixes and spooler restarts first.
- For enterprise/corporate PCs, check with IT before uninstalling updates.
5) Application-specific print preview issue
Why it causes the problem
- Sometimes the problem is not Windows but the app (Word, Excel, Chrome, Adobe Reader) that generates the preview. The app may be misconfigured, corrupted, or incompatible.
Step-by-step solution
- Test different apps: open a PDF in Adobe Reader, a webpage in Chrome, and a document in Word; try print preview in each. If only one app fails, focus on that app.
- Repair Office (for Word/Excel):
- Settings > Apps > Apps & features, select Microsoft Office, click Modify, then choose Quick Repair; if that fails, try Online Repair.
- For Chrome:
- Use Ctrl + P, then click Print using system dialog or disable Use hardware acceleration in Settings > Advanced if preview is blank.
- For Adobe Reader:
- Update to the latest version or use Help > Repair Installation.
- Clear app caches if applicable, or reinstall the app.
Notes/tips
- If the app uses its own print engine, using the system print dialog often bypasses app-level preview issues.
- Keep apps updated to reduce compatibility problems.
6) Printer preferences or incompatible page settings
Why it causes the problem
- Incompatible paper size, scaling, duplex settings, or advanced features can cause previews to render incorrectly or not at all.
Step-by-step solution
- Open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select your printer, click Manage, then Printing preferences.
- Verify Paper/Quality settings: ensure Paper size and Source match the document.
- Check Advanced or Printer properties:
- In the Advanced tab, select appropriate Driver and Printing Defaults.
- Temporarily disable non-essential features (like Advanced finishing, custom scaling, or “Use advanced printing features”).
- In the app print dialog, set scaling to 100% and paper size to match the document before previewing.
Notes/tips
- If you frequently print varied sizes, create and save custom presets with consistent settings.
- Some drivers have known issues with specific advanced features—disabling them may restore preview functionality.
7) Corrupted system files or user profile
Why it causes the problem
- Corrupted Windows files or user profile settings can break printing subsystems and UI elements like Print Preview.
Step-by-step solution
- Run System File Checker:
- Open Command Prompt (Admin) and run sfc /scannow.
- Let it complete; if it reports repairs, reboot and test.
- If SFC reports problems, run DISM:
- DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth (run as admin).
- After DISM completes, run sfc /scannow again.
- Test with a different user account:
- Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC; create a new local user and log in to test print preview.
- If a new profile works, consider transferring data to the new account or repairing the original profile.
Notes/tips
- Always back up important files before making profile changes.
- If system repairs don’t help, consider an in-place upgrade repair of Windows 10 (Windows 10 installation media > Upgrade this PC now).
Preventive maintenance and when to contact support
- Keep Windows and your printer drivers up to date; enable automatic updates for drivers or periodically check the manufacturer’s site.
- Restart the Print Spooler weekly if you print heavily, and periodically clear the spooler folder if you see many stuck jobs.
- Maintain simple, consistent print settings across documents (paper size, scaling) to reduce surprises.
- If you’ve tried all above and previews still fail, contact the printer manufacturer’s support or Microsoft Support. For managed corporate devices, open a ticket with your IT team—do not uninstall enterprise-managed drivers or updates without approval.
FAQ
Can I still print if print preview is broken?
Yes. Preview is a convenience—most apps can still send jobs to the printer even if preview fails. Use Ctrl + P to print or choose Print using system dialog to proceed.
Does print preview differ between applications?
Yes. Some apps (Office, Chrome, Adobe Reader) use their own rendering for preview; others rely more on the printer driver. Testing multiple applications helps isolate whether the problem is app-specific.
Will uninstalling and reinstalling Windows fix it?
A full reinstall usually fixes deep system corruption but is extreme for preview issues. Try sfc /scannow, DISM, driver reinstall, and a new user account before considering a reinstall.
Are third-party PDF printers or virtual printers likely to break preview?
They can. Virtual printers (PDF creators) install their own drivers—if preview fails only when using a virtual printer, reinstall or update that software and try adjusting its settings.
How do I reset the print system in Windows 10?
Manually stop the spooler, delete files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, remove and reinstall the printer drivers, and restart the spooler. This sequence effectively resets the print system.
Conclusion
Most cases where Print preview doesn’t work in Windows 10 are resolved by restarting the Print Spooler, updating or reinstalling printer drivers, and ensuring the correct default printer and settings. If those steps fail, run system repairs, test another user account, or consult manufacturer/IT support for deeper diagnostics.
