If you right click on a printer and delete it, this doesn’t remove the printer driver from the machine. Sometimes when working with print servers and testing multiple drivers there will be times when you need to completely remove a driver package from the machine so you can install a new or different one.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 has a tool called the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) built into windows which you will use to remove the drivers.
Step #1
Reboot the machine and login as “Administrator”.
Step #2
Go to the start menu and start typing MMC, you will see the Microsoft Management Console shortcut appear in the start menu; click on it.
MMC - Remove Print Driver
MMC
Step #3
Go up to the file menu and select Add/Remove Snap-in…
MMC - Add/Remove Snap-in...
Step #4
Then scroll down in the list and select the “Print Management” snap-in and then hit “Add”.
MMC - Print Management
Step #5
At this screen you are going to want to select “Add the Local Server”, hit Finish, and then hit ok.
MMC - Add the Local Server
Step #6
Then you can scroll down to your computer name, select the drivers tree and then right click on the driver you want to remove and select “Remove Driver Package”.
MMC - Remove Driver Package
Step #7
Make sure you reboot your machine before trying to add new or different print drivers.
Tags: Printer, Windows 7, Windows 7 Beta, Windows Vista
Hey there everyone i was just introduceing myself here im a first time visitor who hopes to become a daily reader!
Hey everyone just wanna say hello and introduce myself!
Why hello swain forum people! I just wanted to set up myself here as this looks like a very interesting forum! I myself am interesting in things like writeing and computer repair so if anyoune needs serve forgive me remember! I also Suffer from Sciatica so if you aslo include this disease cause to me have knowledge of so we can share out some stretches!
Tried, didn’t work. No “Print Management” option exists in the snap in section on this computer (Windows 7 64 bit Home Premium). No obvious way to remove printer drivers for Win 7 home premium short of reinstalling Windows from scratch.
I got the same problem… No “Print Managemt” (Windows 7 64 bit Home Prmium)
Any suggestions out there?
I have the same issue. no printer management option in MMC for 64-bit Win 7. need to completely uninstall multple drivers. Need help!
The way to do this in Win7 is by highlighting an already installed printer, most likely Microsoft XPS Document Writer, and you’ll notice a new option at the top of the window “Print Server Properties”. Viola! Then just choose the drivers tab and remove all necessary drivers. Remember to clear any pending documents from your queue prior to removal.
Thanks Aramis for the useful tip. Alas, I am running into “the specified printer is in use” error message even though both PC and printer have been freshly rebooted and there are no print jobs sent.
[...] Most people suggest using Print Management in the Microsoft Management Console; alas, the former isn’t even listed as a snap-on in my version of Windows that came with this free Lenovo Nettop. And it seems like I’m not the only one facing this annoyance. [...]
I have done all you described and the specified printer driver is currently in use error reamins.
The printer in question no longer exists on the system. I have restarted the spooler. I am logged on as the local admin. All to no avail.
Sorry, forgat to mention I am running Windows 7 Professional and the original printer install was using A 2003 server with a Group policy and Printer Management. The system is not connected to the network and the policy has been removed.
For Win Vista, one has to make sure that their print spooler is still running.
I couldn’t get a list of of the drivers because my print spooler wasn’t running.
Once I had it running I could see the print drivers for all printers installed both locally and network.
However, I was still not able to remove driver packages, without having first deleting the printers from my printers list ( mind you am referring to network printers).
Was able to install new printer and all is working well.
Really annoying. And typical of Microsoft. Drop key and critical operational functions and features from Windows without telling anyone, and while keeping them as “documented features”.
MS claims “Print Management” is part of all Windows 7 versions. Clearly not, as so many people are stating, including my experience. Attempting to run it via the winsxs folder fails, because it’s not installed.
Cannot add it through mmc either, doesn’t exist.
Therefore, you cannot properly manage printers. Cannot remove printer drivers once installed – the are there for life, or until you reset your machine to an older backup.
The ACTUAL Solution, finally:
run command prompt AS ADMINISTRATOR
enter:
> printui /s /t2
Remove the drivers you no longer need.
Reboot.
As for the “printer driver is currently in use” error, I figured out how to get around that:
In Devices and Printers, right click on the printer, and select “printer properties” in the context menu
Select the “Ports” tab in the Properties window
Click the “nul:” checkbox, so there is no real port being used by the printer.
Click “OK” to save the settings.
At this point I was able to remove the printer using Spyder’s “printui /s /t2″ command.
@DrakeE – Thank you for your comment, that is great information! I will edit blog post and add this to it. I will give you and Spyder credit. Thanks!
Thanks for giving these information.I want these steps to remove window7 printer driver.It really helps me a lot.
Huge help! Thank you!!!
Thanks a whole bunch I have been searching for at least 4 weeks. It has done the job. I am so grateful!
@Patrick. Your welcome! Glad I could help
Great article! Helped me remove a nagging printer that wouldn’t go away!
You are very welcome!
hmm…I ran cmd as an administrator & even tried to null the printer, however I keep getting the error that I can’t delete the printer
Help?
@Alex… did you reboot the PC first?