Stop a print job on Windows, Mac, or Linux before the pages come out

A print job can be stopped at three different points: on your computer before it reaches the printer, on the printer itself if it's already queued there, or by clearing the printer's memory if pages are already printing. The fastest method depends on where the job is stuck. If you catch it on your computer, you can cancel it in seconds. If it's already at the printer, you may need to use the printer's control panel or restart the device.

Most people don't realize they have a window of time between clicking print and the first page emerging. That window is your best chance to stop a job without waste. After that, the method changes depending on your device and operating system.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, open Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners, click your printer, then select "Open queue" and delete the job from the list.
  • On Mac, go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, and click "Open Print Queue" to remove the job.
  • If the job has already reached the printer, use the printer's control panel (usually a small screen on the device) to cancel it from the queue menu.
  • Restarting the printer clears its memory and stops any job in progress, though pages already printed cannot be recovered.
  • If you cannot find the cancel option, turning off the printer and waiting 30 seconds before turning it back on will reset the queue.

Cancel a print job on Windows

On Windows 10 and 11, the print queue lives in Settings. Click the Start button, type "Settings," and open it. Go to Devices, then Printers & Scanners. Find your printer in the list and click it once to select it.

A menu will appear below the printer name. Click Open queue. A window will open showing all jobs waiting to print. Find the job you want to stop, click it, and a Delete button or trash icon will appear. Click it. The job should disappear from the queue immediately, and the printer will move to the next job or stop if that was the only one.

If the queue window is empty but the printer is still printing, the job may have already started processing on the printer itself. In that case, move to the printer cancellation method below.

Cancel a print job on Mac

On macOS, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions). Click Printers & Scanners. Select your printer from the list on the left side.

Click the Open Print Queue button. A window will show all pending jobs. Click the job you want to remove, then click the X or delete button that appears. The job will be removed from the queue.

If you don't see an Open Print Queue button, your printer may not support remote queue management. In that case, you'll need to cancel the job at the printer itself.

Cancel a print job on Linux

On Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment, but most systems use CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). Open your terminal and type lpstat -o to see all jobs in the queue. This will show a list with job numbers.

To cancel a specific job, type cancel [job-number] and press Enter. For example, if the job number is 5, type cancel 5. To cancel all jobs for a printer named "HP-Printer," type cancel HP-Printer.

If you prefer a graphical interface, many Linux distributions include a print manager in the system settings. Look for "Printers" or "Print Settings" and select your printer to see the queue.

Cancel a job directly at the printer

If the job has already reached the printer's queue, you need to cancel it from the printer itself. Most printers have a small touchscreen or button panel on the front. Look for a menu button or a screen that shows "Queue," "Jobs," or "Printing."

Navigate to the queue or jobs menu using the arrow buttons and select the job you want to cancel. Press the button labeled "Cancel," "Delete," or "Stop." The printer will remove the job from its memory. If pages have already started printing, they will finish, but no new pages will print after that.

If your printer has no screen, look for a Cancel or Stop button on the control panel. Pressing it will halt the current job. Some older printers only have a power button; in that case, turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on to clear the queue.

Restart the printer to clear a stuck job

If you cannot find the cancel option or the job won't respond to cancellation commands, restarting the printer will clear its memory. Turn off the printer completely using the power button. Wait at least 30 seconds — this gives the printer time to clear its internal queue.

Turn the printer back on. The queue should be empty, and any job that was stuck will be gone. This method works on nearly all printers, but any pages already printed cannot be recovered, and you'll need to resend the print job if you still want it.

If the printer is a network printer (connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet rather than directly to your computer), restarting may take longer. Wait for all lights to stop blinking and for the printer to show it's ready before sending a new job.

Prevent print jobs from getting stuck in the first place

Most jobs get stuck because the printer driver on your computer is outdated or corrupted. Check your printer manufacturer's website for the latest driver for your specific model and operating system. Installing the current driver often solves queue problems before they happen.

Another common cause is printing to the wrong printer. Before clicking the print button, always check the printer name in the print dialog. If you have multiple printers, it's easy to send a job to a device that's offline or in another room.

If a job regularly gets stuck on a particular application (like a specific web browser or design program), try printing to a PDF file first, then opening that PDF and printing from there. This bypasses the application's print system and often works when direct printing fails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my print job stuck and won't cancel?

A stuck job usually means the printer driver has lost communication with the printer. Restart both your computer and the printer, waiting 30 seconds between each restart. If the job still won't cancel, restart the printer first, then restart your computer. This order matters because it clears the printer's memory before your computer tries to reconnect.

Can I cancel a print job after it starts printing?

Yes, but only pages that haven't been printed yet will be stopped. If the printer is actively printing when you cancel, the current page will finish. Press the Cancel button on the printer's control panel or restart the printer to stop it immediately. Pages already in the output tray cannot be recovered.

What if the printer has no screen or buttons?

Older or very basic printers may only have a power button. Turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. This clears the queue. You can also cancel the job from your computer's print queue before restarting the printer, which is faster.

Does canceling a print job damage the printer?

No. Canceling a job is a normal operation and won't harm the printer. Restarting the printer is also safe and is actually recommended by most manufacturers when jobs get stuck. The only risk is wasting paper if pages have already printed.

How do I cancel a print job on a shared office printer?

Shared printers usually have a web interface. Open a web browser and type the printer's IP address (found on a settings page or printed on a test page). Log in if prompted, find the "Jobs" or "Queue" section, and delete your job from there. If you don't know the IP address, ask your IT department or check the printer's control panel.