How to Uninstall a Printer Driver Completely on Windows and Mac

Published September 28, 2026. Written by William Elward, founder of Castle Ink.

Quick answer

Removing a printer from Windows settings does not remove its driver. To uninstall a printer driver completely on Windows: remove the printer in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, then open Print Server Properties > Drivers, select the driver and choose Remove driver and driver package. Also uninstall the brand's software under Settings > Apps. On a Mac, remove the printer in System Settings > Printers & Scanners and, if needed, use Reset printing system. Restart before reinstalling.

When should you uninstall a printer driver?

• Windows says "Driver is unavailable". See Printer driver is unavailable.
• The printer prints gibberish, stalls, or shows as offline after a Windows update.
• You replaced a printer and the old one keeps reappearing.
• You want to switch from the brand's full software to a basic driver.
• Support told you to do a "clean reinstall."

Not sure what a driver does? See What is a printer driver?

Windows 11 and 10: full removal in 4 steps

Step 1: Remove the printer

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners).
2. Click the printer, then Remove and confirm.
3. Repeat for any duplicates, such as "Copy 1" or the fax version of the same printer.

Step 2: Uninstall the brand's software

1. Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
2. Search for the brand (HP, Canon, Epson, Brother).
3. Uninstall the printer software, for example the HP printer software or Brother's full driver package. You can keep apps you still use, like HP Smart.

Step 3: Delete the driver package

1. Press Windows + R, type printui /s /t2, and press Enter. This opens Print Server Properties on the Drivers tab.
2. Select the printer's driver (it may appear twice, for x64 and ARM64 or different types).
3. Click Remove, choose Remove driver and driver package, and click OK, then Delete.

"Driver is in use" error? Restart the Print Spooler and try again: press Windows + R, type services.msc, right-click Print Spooler and choose Restart. See How to restart the print spooler. If it persists, make sure no printer (including hidden duplicates) still uses that driver.

Step 4: Restart and reinstall

Restart the computer. Then download the latest driver from the manufacturer's support site for your exact model and operating system, or let Windows add it automatically. Step-by-step: How to add a printer in Windows.

Advanced: remove a driver with the command line

If the steps above fail, open Terminal (Admin) and run pnputil /enum-drivers to list driver packages. Find the printer's Published Name (for example oem42.inf), then run pnputil /delete-driver oem42.inf /uninstall /force. Double-check the name first; this removes whatever package you specify.

Mac: remove a printer and its driver

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Select the printer and click Remove Printer (or the − button on older macOS).
3. To remove the driver files, open Finder, press Shift+Cmd+G, go to /Library/Printers/, and move the brand's folder to the Trash. Only remove folders for printers you no longer use.
4. Still having problems? Control-click the printer list and choose Reset printing system. It removes all printers and queued jobs.
5. Restart and add the printer again. Most modern printers work with AirPrint and need no separate driver. See How to add a printer to a Mac.

After reinstalling: quick checks

• Print a test page. Use our free printer test page.
• Set the correct printer as default so jobs don't go to an old entry.
• If the printer still shows offline, see Why does my printer keep going offline?

Common questions

Will uninstalling the driver stop my printer from accepting compatible ink?

No. Cartridge acceptance is controlled by the printer's firmware, not the computer driver. Note that installing new manufacturer software can offer firmware updates; decline them if you use compatible cartridges. See Printer firmware updates and third-party ink.

Do I need the manufacturer's driver at all?

Often not. Windows and macOS include built-in drivers that handle basic printing for most modern printers. The full software adds scanning tools, ink monitoring and maintenance utilities.

Why does my old printer keep coming back?

Windows can re-add network printers automatically. In Printers & scanners, turn off Let Windows manage my default printer, and remove the printer while it's switched off.

Does reinstalling a driver fix ink cartridge errors?

Rarely. Cartridge errors come from the printer, not the computer. See Ink cartridge not recognized. Need new cartridges? Use Find ink by printer.

Related guides

• Printer driver is unavailable
• How to add a printer in Windows
• How to cancel a print job
• Printer is in an error state
• Printer troubleshooting center

About the author: William Elward is the founder of Castle Ink and has written about printers, ink cartridges, and printing technology for more than 20 years.