Your printer shows 'Driver is unavailable' error
The printer driver is corrupted or missing. Uninstall the printer from Windows completely, then reconnect it and let Windows reinstall the driver fresh.
When your printer shows 'Driver is unavailable', Windows has lost or corrupted the software that talks to your printer. The physical printer is fine, but Windows doesn't know how to use it. Removing it completely and reinstalling fresh always fixes this.
Risk: Medium
⏱ 10–20 minutes
Beginner
⚡ Before you start
- ✓Know if printer is connected by USB or WiFi
- ✓Have printer handy for reconnecting
- ✓Plan to restart computer after reinstall
Fix-IT-Bot will walk you through each step, just tap, no typing needed.
Skip, I just want a technicianCommon mistakes to avoid
- Removing printer but not fully removing the driver — use Device Manager to remove driver too
- Not waiting long enough for Windows to auto-detect and install
- Assuming you need to download driver manually when Windows auto-installs for most printers
Signs you need professional help
- After removing and reconnecting the printer, Windows still shows the driver as unavailable — the printer hardware may be disconnected or failing.
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