Printer Driver Won't Delete in Windows 11? Complete Fix
Remove stuck, old or unused printer drivers from Windows 11 using Print Server Properties, Print Spooler, PowerShell and Windows driver-store tools.
Published: July 10, 2026
Printer Driver Won't Delete in Windows 11
Windows can sometimes refuse to remove an old printer driver even after the printer itself has been deleted.
This can happen when a printer queue still references the driver, the Print Spooler is using the driver, or the driver package remains installed in the Windows driver store.
- Remove Stuck Printer Driver
- Restart Print Spooler
- Remove Old Driver Package
Why Won't Windows Delete the Printer Driver?
A printer driver may remain installed because Windows still considers the driver to be in use.
Common causes include:
- An existing printer queue still uses the driver
- The Windows Print Spooler has the driver loaded
- A pending print job is still in the queue
- The printer driver package remains in the driver store
- An old printer installation was not completely removed
1. Open Print Server Properties
Windows includes Print Server Properties for viewing and removing installed printer drivers.
Press Win + R and use:
Open the Drivers tab and locate the old or unwanted printer driver.
If Windows allows it, remove the driver and its package from here.
2. Stop the Windows Print Spooler
If the printer driver is still in use, the Windows Print Spooler may be keeping the driver loaded.
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator and run:
This temporarily stops Windows printing services.
Important
Printing will not work while the Print Spooler service is stopped.
3. Check for Stuck Print Jobs
Pending or corrupted print jobs can prevent printer components from being removed correctly.
After stopping the Print Spooler, check the Windows spool folder if troubleshooting requires clearing a stuck print queue:
Only clear pending print-job files when you are intentionally troubleshooting a stuck print queue.
Do not delete unrelated files from the Windows spool directories.
4. Restart the Print Spooler
After completing the appropriate troubleshooting step, restart the Print Spooler:
Windows printing services should now start again.
5. Check Printer Drivers with PowerShell
PowerShell can list installed printer drivers directly.
Review the driver names carefully before removing anything.
To display useful driver information:
6. Remove a Printer Driver with PowerShell
If the old driver is no longer being used by a printer queue, PowerShell can remove it.
Replace the Driver Name
Replace PRINTER DRIVER NAME with the exact driver name returned by Get-PrinterDriver.
Do not copy the example name literally.
7. Find the Printer Driver Package with PnPUtil
If the printer driver package still exists in the Windows driver store, PnPUtil can help identify it.
Locate the correct printer driver package and note its published name, which normally appears in a format such as:
Verify the provider, class and original driver information before removing any package.
8. Remove an Old Driver Package
Once the exact unwanted package has been positively identified, Windows PnPUtil can remove it from the driver store.
Use the Correct OEM INF
Replace oemXX.inf with the exact published driver package name identified on your PC.
Removing the wrong driver package can affect another device.
Recommended Printer Driver Removal Order
- Remove the old printer from Windows Settings.
- Check Print Server Properties.
- Remove the printer driver if Windows allows it.
- Stop the Print Spooler if the driver remains locked.
- Check for stuck print jobs.
- Restart the Print Spooler.
- Use Get-PrinterDriver to verify installed drivers.
- Use Remove-PrinterDriver when appropriate.
- Use PnPUtil only after identifying the exact driver package.
- Restart Windows and reinstall the correct printer driver if required.
Windows Printer Driver Troubleshooting
This guide can help with closely related Windows printer problems such as a printer driver that won't uninstall, printer driver stuck in Windows 11, old printer driver won't delete, printer driver in use, Print Spooler driver problems and old printer packages remaining in the Windows driver store.
Printer Driver Won't Remove
If Windows reports that a printer driver is being used, first check whether another printer queue still references the same driver.
Old Printer Driver Still Installed
Removing a printer device does not always remove the associated driver package. Print Server Properties, PowerShell and PnPUtil provide additional ways to inspect the remaining driver.
Windows 11 Printer Driver Stuck
Restarting or temporarily stopping the Print Spooler can help when Windows printing components are preventing a driver from being removed.
Printer Driver Removal Safety
Do not randomly delete INF packages from the Windows driver store.
Always confirm the driver provider, device class and published INF name before using PnPUtil to remove a driver package.
Create a restore point or have the correct replacement driver available when working on an important production computer.
Printer Driver Removal Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I delete a printer driver in Windows 11?
Windows may still be using the driver through a printer queue, the Print Spooler or another installed printer.
How do I open Print Server Properties?
Press Win + R and run printui /s /t2 to open Print Server Properties directly on supported Windows systems.
How do I list printer drivers with PowerShell?
Use Get-PrinterDriver in an elevated PowerShell window to display installed printer drivers.
How do I remove a printer driver with PowerShell?
After confirming the driver is no longer required, use Remove-PrinterDriver with the exact driver name.
What is oemXX.inf?
Windows assigns published names such as oem12.inf to third-party driver packages stored in the Windows driver store.
Can I reinstall the printer after removing the driver?
Yes. After the old driver has been correctly removed, restart Windows if necessary and install the current compatible printer driver.
Related UniTech LK Printer Troubleshooting Guides
Watch the Complete Printer Driver Removal Video
Watch the complete 7 minute 17 second UniTech LK tutorial showing Windows printer driver troubleshooting and removal steps.
Watch on YouTube