Find the queue that received the label job
Stop pressing Print while you diagnose the first job. Windows can keep separate queues for the same label printer, such as one added over USB and one added over Wi-Fi. Check the printer name you selected in the PDF or label app, then go to Start → Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners. Select that printer and choose Open print queue. If the job is missing, check the other queue and the source app before resending it. Microsoft guidance on viewing the print queue
| What you see | First action |
|---|---|
| One job is stuck behind another | Identify the first stuck job and cancel your copy of it. |
| Cancelling leaves the job in the queue | Check for shared use, then restart Print Spooler if authorised. |
| The queue is empty but the label did not print | Check the selected printer, connection and whether the printer has a media error. |
| The job clears but the printer outputs a blank or wrong-size label | Check the loaded roll, paper size and preview. |
| Other people's jobs are waiting on a work or shared printer | Contact the person who manages the queue before resetting it. |
Cancel your stuck label and any duplicate copies
In the selected queue, use the job name, owner and submission time to identify the label. Right-click your job and choose Cancel. If you pressed Print more than once, cancel those duplicate jobs as well. Allow the queue a moment to update and check whether later jobs now move. If the printer had already received a job, it may still print that label. Check the output before sending another copy. Microsoft guidance on cancelling stuck print jobs
Cancelling in Windows affects the print job. Postage already generated by a carrier or marketplace is managed through the source account. If the label is valid and still needed, reopen the original PDF or follow the provider's reprint steps. Keep one intended copy with the parcel and set aside the duplicates. Royal Mail guidance on printing and reprinting labels
Restart Print Spooler if cancellation fails
Print Spooler is the Windows service that manages queued print jobs on the computer. A restart can interrupt printing across that computer, including other queues. At work or on a shared PC, check who is using it and ask the administrator to handle a reset if needed. For a queue hosted by a print server, restarting the service on your own PC may leave the stuck server-side job in place. Microsoft documentation on shared print job management
On a PC you manage, open Services from Start, locate Print Spooler, right-click it and select Restart. If Windows requires administrator permission, use an authorised administrator account or ask the device administrator. Reopen the printer queue and try cancelling the affected job if it remains. Run a small test after the queue clears. Microsoft Print Spooler restart steps
Clear the spool folder only after cancelling and restarting fail
This last step discards pending jobs stored in that computer's spool folder, including jobs for other printers and users. Do it only when you manage the PC and have confirmed that its queued jobs can be discarded. Keep the original files so the intended jobs can be resubmitted later.
- Open Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Stop.
- In File Explorer, open
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERSon a standard Windows installation. Delete the files inside the PRINTERS folder. Leave the folder itself in place. - Return to Services, right-click Print Spooler and choose Start. Check that the service is running before testing.
- Reopen the selected queue and confirm the stuck jobs are gone. If access is denied or the queue belongs to a server, let the administrator check the host and permissions.
Microsoft's steps for clearing and restarting the spooler
Send one test label and check where it stops
Open a short test file in the loaded label size, confirm the printer queue and send one copy. Watch it enter the queue and leave, then check for a single physical print. If it sticks again, look at the printer's status and connection. For a USB printer, check the cable and correct queue. For a Wi-Fi printer, check whether the computer can reach it on the local network. When jobs reach the printer but the label comes out blank or off-centre, check the media, page size and settings for that fault.
If the sample works but the original PDF still hangs, open the saved PDF in a supported viewer and confirm you can preview the intended page. Start with one page and the right media preset. When the sample and PDF both hang, check the manufacturer's current driver for your exact model and Windows version, or run the printer troubleshooter in Get Help. Microsoft Windows printing support
Microsoft sources
Common questions
Where is the print queue for a label printer in Windows 11?
Open Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners. Select the exact printer and choose Open print queue.
Does cancelling a Windows print job cancel my postage?
The Windows queue controls the print job. Check the carrier or marketplace account to manage a postage transaction, reprint or refund.
Will restarting Print Spooler affect other printers?
Restarting the service can interrupt printing from queues on that computer. Clearing the spool folder discards pending jobs stored there, including jobs for other printers or users.
Why can I not stop Print Spooler or open the spool folder?
Windows may require administrator access. For a managed device or shared print server, ask the administrator who owns that computer or queue.
Why is the queue empty when nothing printed?
Check whether the job was sent to another queue, the app created a print job, and the printer has a connection or media error. Send one small test to the exact printer after checking.