Brother Printer Print Queue Stuck? Clear Jobs & Fix Spooler 2026

Introduction

Is your Brother printer refusing to print because jobs are stuck in the queue?

This is a common problem that affects both USB and wireless Brother printers.

You may notice:

• Print jobs stuck on “Printing”
• Documents showing “Pending”
• Nothing happens when you click Print
• New print jobs never start
• The printer appears connected but inactive

Fortunately, the printer itself is usually not broken.

Most print queue problems are caused by software or communication issues that are easy to fix.

This guide explains how to clear stuck print jobs and restore normal printing.

If your printer has broader printing issues, see our Brother Printer Not Printing? guide.

What Is the Print Queue?

The print queue is a temporary holding area where print jobs wait before being processed.

When everything works correctly:

1. You send a document
2. The queue receives the job
3. The printer processes it
4. The document prints

When something goes wrong, jobs become stuck and block future printing.

Why Does the Brother Print Queue Get Stuck?

Common causes include:

• Failed print jobs
• Print spooler crashes
• Driver issues
• Network interruptions
• Corrupted documents
• Printer communication errors
• Windows update conflicts

Most queue problems are software-related.

Fix 1: Cancel All Pending Print Jobs

The first step is clearing the queue.

Steps

1. Open Printers & Scanners
2. Select Brother printer
3. Open Print Queue
4. Right-click each job
5. Select Cancel

Wait for the queue to clear completely.

Then try printing again.

Fix 2: Restart the Brother Printer

The printer may still be holding corrupted print data.

Steps

1. Turn off the printer
2. Disconnect power
3. Wait 60 seconds
4. Reconnect power
5. Restart printer

This clears temporary memory issues.

Fix 3: Restart the Print Spooler Service

The Print Spooler manages all print jobs in Windows.

If it becomes stuck, the queue often freezes.

Steps

1. Press Windows + R
2. Type services.msc
3. Press Enter
4. Locate Print Spooler
5. Right-click
6. Select Restart

This is one of the most effective fixes for queue problems.

Fix 4: Clear the Spooler Folder

Sometimes print files remain trapped inside Windows.

Steps

1. Stop the Print Spooler service
2. Open:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

1. Delete all files inside
2. Restart Print Spooler
3. Retry printing

This removes corrupted print jobs.

Fix 5: Restart Your Computer

Windows may continue holding damaged print data.

Restarting refreshes:

• Print services
• Drivers
• Queue management
• Printer communication

After restarting, send a new test print.

Fix 6: Check Printer Connection

Communication failures often cause stuck queues.

USB Printers

Check:

• Cable condition
• USB ports
• Loose connections

Wireless Printers

Check:

• WiFi status
• Router connection
• Signal strength

Connection interruptions frequently stop print jobs from processing.

Fix 7: Update Brother Printer Drivers

Corrupted or outdated drivers can create queue failures.

Symptoms include:

• Jobs stuck indefinitely
• Printing never starts
• Queue errors appear repeatedly

For detailed instructions, see our: Brother Printer Driver Unavailable? Guide.

Fix 8: Remove and Reinstall the Printer

Sometimes Windows stores corrupted printer information.

Steps

1. Remove Brother printer
2. Restart computer
3. Add printer again
4. Print test page

Reinstallation often resolves recurring queue issues.

Fix 9: Print a Different Document

The problem may not be the printer.

Some documents become corrupted and freeze the queue.

Test:

• PDF file
• Text document
• Browser page
• Printer test page

If another document prints successfully, the original file is likely the issue.

Fix 10: Check If the Printer Is Connected But Not Printing

Sometimes a stuck queue is actually caused by communication problems.

Common symptoms include:

• Printer appears online
• Queue never clears
• Documents remain pending

See: Brother Printer Connected But Not Printing? Guide for deeper troubleshooting.

Fix 11: Run Windows Printer Troubleshooter

Windows includes a built-in printer diagnostic tool.

Steps

1. Open Settings
2. Select Troubleshoot
3. Open Other Troubleshooters
4. Run Printer Troubleshooter

The tool may automatically repair spooler or queue problems.

How to Prevent Future Print Queue Problems

Follow these best practices:

✅ Keep drivers updated

✅ Avoid sending large batches of print jobs

✅ Restart the printer occasionally

✅ Update Windows regularly

✅ Clear failed jobs immediately

✅ Maintain a stable network connection

These habits reduce future queue issues.

Quick Troubleshooting Checklist

✅ cancel pending jobs
✅ restart printer
✅ restart print spooler
✅ clear spooler files
✅ restart computer
✅ check connection
✅ update drivers
✅ reinstall printer
✅ test another document
✅ check communication issues
✅ run troubleshooter

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Brother printer jobs stuck in queue?

The most common causes are failed print jobs, spooler errors, driver issues, and communication failures.

How do I clear a Brother printer queue?

Open the print queue, cancel all jobs, and restart the print spooler service.

What is the Print Spooler?

The Print Spooler is a Windows service that manages communication between your computer and printer.

Why won’t my print queue clear?

Corrupted print jobs or spooler errors often prevent the queue from clearing normally.

Should I reinstall my Brother printer?

Yes. Reinstalling the printer often fixes recurring queue and communication problems.

Final Thoughts

Brother print queue problems are usually caused by software, driver, or communication issues rather than hardware failure.

Most users successfully fix stuck print jobs by:

• clearing the queue
• restarting the print spooler
• restarting the printer
• updating drivers
• reinstalling the printer

Start with the simplest fixes first.

If the queue continues getting stuck, deeper driver or network troubleshooting may be necessary.

Following the steps above will resolve the majority of Brother printer print queue problems and restore normal printing performance.