It is quite common for users to run into errors related to printer connectivity on Windows PCs. So if you want to solve the ‘Can’t connect to printer’ error on your device running Windows 11, read the subsequent article.
The error that users can face on their computer with regards to their printer goes along the following lines – “Windows cannot connect to the printer, Error Operation failed with error 0x0000011b”. But don’t worry! The fixes for this error are relatively easy and won’t take much time at all. Take a look at each of the steps mentioned below carefully and follow them on your device.
Fixes for Connect to printer error on Windows 11:
1) Power cycle the printer:
The first and foremost thing you should do to solve the “connect to printer error” is to turn off the printer. Disconnect all the wires and unplug the printer from the power source. Wait for a few minutes and connect everything back. See if this solves the issue. If your PC still can’t recognize or connect to the printer, move on with the next method.
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2) Windows Update:
For this step, there are two scenarios that will both need different approaches. If you have recently updated your system and then started getting the error notification, you might have to roll back or uninstall that update. If it’s been a while since you updated your system, you will have to install all the available updates for your device.
To install an update, go to settings and click on ‘Windows update’. Install the update that is available. When your PC restarts, you should no longer have the “connect to printer error”.
To uninstall an update, click on ‘Update History’ and look for the most recent update installed on your device. Right-click on it and select ‘Uninstall’.
3) Registry Editor:
If changing the status of system updates does not do the trick, you might have to change a few things in the registry editor. Click on the search icon on the task bar and type in “regedit”. Click on ‘Registry editor’ and navigate using these directions- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > System > CurrentControlSet > Control > Print. Right-click on Print and select ‘New’ > ‘DWORD (32 bit)’. Name the new value as “RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled”. Also, you need to set the Value Data to ‘0’ before clicking OK. Once, these changes are made, restart your PC and try accessing your printer again. If the connect to printer error still persists, go to the next step.
4) Troubleshoot:
Windows has an in-built troubleshooter for various hardware components. Using it to troubleshoot the connectivity problems for your printer might help the situation. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Select ‘Printer’ and initiate troubleshooting. Let the scan complete and restart your computer.
I hope the fixes mentioned above for “connect to printer error” were able to help you. For more troubleshooting methods and fixes for errors related to Windows 11, visit ANDROIDGRAM.
