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November 18, 2022Seeing a printer driver is unavailable error on Windows 11? The message is pretty clear—your printer drivers are missing, corrupt, or just aren’t working as expected.
epson printer driver is unavailable windows 11
If this happens, there’s usually a clear-cut reason why. If you’ve recently updated your PC, a new driver may prove incompatible with your printer. A driver might be missing entirely, making it impossible for your printer to work properly.
You can fix this error message in a few different ways—even a quick restart might solve it. If it doesn’t, however, you can give these more complex troubleshooting tips a try.
Check Windows Update
It should go without saying, but keeping your system up to date is essential to ensure your PC has the latest security, stability, and usability fixes. If there is a critical Windows bug that’s causing the printer error, Microsoft could have a fix available for it.
To manually check for Windows updates, use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to launch Settings. When Settings opens, go to Windows update > Check for updates and install anything it recommends.windows update
Your PC may restart to complete the update process, so make sure to close any important apps first.
Update Your Printer Driver
Printer drivers usually come with important bug fixes and feature upgrades. If you’re using an older driver, it could be causing a printer driver is unavailable message on your Windows 11 PC.
Thankfully, you can quickly check for driver updates, but you’ll need to download the latest version of the driver from your printer manufacturer’s support website. A quick Google search for the printer make and model should help you find this.
Once you’ve downloaded the driver files, follow these steps:
Use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + R to launch the Run dialog.
In Run, type devmgmt.msc and click OK.devmgmt fix printer driver is unavailable on windows 11
When Device Manager opens, expand the Printers section, right-click the printer, and select Update driver.update driver device manager
When the Update Drivers wizard opens, select Browse my computer for drivers, and follow the on-screen instructions to install the driver you downloaded.update wizard search PC
If that doesn’t work, relaunch the update wizard, but this time choose Search automatically for drivers. Follow the wizard’s instructions if it finds a driver update.auto check fix driver unavailable on Windows 11
If you can’t select your printer driver files, your printer manufacturer may offer them with an automatic installer (usually with a .exe file extension). If that’s the case, run the file—the new driver should install automatically.
Uninstall Your Printer Driver
Unfortunately, the printer driver is unavailable error might appear if you’ve recently updated your driver. Not every printer driver is compatible or bug-free. There’s also the possibility that your existing driver is corrupted and required replacing.
If this happens, you can try removing the driver and reinstalling it to try and resolve the issue. To uninstall and reinstall a printer driver on Windows 11, use the following steps:
Press the Start button, type device manager, and choose the top result.device manager windows 11 start menu
When Device Manager opens, expand the Printers section, right-click your device, and select Uninstall device from the menu.uninstall fix printer drive is unavailable on windows 11
When the confirmation window appears, check the Delete the driver software for this device option and click the Uninstall button.verify uninstall driver
Restart Windows 11 to apply the changes—Windows should reinstall the correct driver during the startup process.Restart Hold Shift
Run the Printer Troubleshooter
Windows 11 has built-in troubleshooters for various hardware devices—including one for a printer.
To run the printer troubleshooter on Windows 11, follow these steps:
Click Start and open Settings.
When Settings opens, navigate to System > Troubleshoot.system Troubleshoot
In the Options section, click Other troubleshooters.other troubleshooters
Find the Printer option and click the Run button next to it.printer fix printer driver is unavailable on Windows 11
The printer troubleshooter will start looking for problems and attempt to fix them automatically.fix printer driver is unavailable on Windows 11
Better Printing on Windows
If you’re getting a printer driver is unavailable error on your Windows 11 PC, one of the fixes described above should get it working. Typically, you can get it up and running by updating or reinstalling the printer’s current driver.
It’s also worth noting that if you have a plug-and-play printer, you can unplug the USB cable, plug it back in, and re-run the setup wizard. If it doesn’t work, try a different port or troubleshoot USB on Windows 11.
If you’re not on Windows 11 yet, take a look at installing a printer on Windows 10. You can also share a printer if you have more than one PC using it.
CLICK TO COMMENTRELATED ITEMS:HERO, MICROSOFT, WINDOWS 11
HOW-TOHow to Change a Drive Letter on Windows 11 & 10
ByBrian BurgessLast Updated on February 27, 2022
Using multiple drives on your PC? You might want to change the drive letter on Windows to make it easier to manage. This guide will show you how.
Windows will assign drive letters dynamically to removable storage devices as you plug them in. In most cases, it automatically progresses through the alphabet (sans A and B) with your main drive using the drive letter C. However, you might want to change a drive’s letter for easier management.
Whether it’s an external or internal storage drive, you can change a drive letter on Windows 11 or Windows 10 using the steps below.
Change a Drive Letter on Windows 11 via Settings
Before you change a drive letter on Windows, there are a couple of things to note about this process. First, you shouldn’t try to change your local C: drive letter, as it’s where Windows and most of your apps run from. Changing the main drive letter will result in Windows not booting, and apps won’t run at all.
With that in mind, changing a drive letter on Windows 11 is a straightforward process if you’re using the Settings up. To get started:
Click the Start button and choose the Settings icon.Start Settings Windows 11
When Settings opens, navigate to System > Storage.change a drive letter on windows 11
Scroll down the Storage section, expand the Advanced storage settings option, and click on Disks & volumes.disks and volumes change a drive letter on windows 11
In the Disks & volumes section, scroll down and click the drive you want to change.
Next, click the Properties button.Drive Properties
Under the Volume Data section, click the Change drive letter button.change drive letter
When the Change Drive Letter window appears, click the dropdown menu.change a drive letter on windows 11
Choose the letter you want to use from the menu and click OK. In this example, we’re changing an external USB drive from F to D.select drive letter windows 11
That’s it. The new drive letter will take effect and will display with the letter you selected for it. The change happens right away and you’ll see it reflected in File Explorer and throughout the Windows 11 experience.
new drive letter file explorer
How to Change a Drive Letter on Windows 10 and 11 Using Disk Management
You can also use the Disk Management tool to change your drive letter. This method works with both Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs.
To change a drive letter on Windows 11 or Windows 10 using Disk Management:
Click the Start button or press the Windows key and type disk management.
Select Create and format hard disk partitions from the results at the top.search change a drive letter on windows 11
Alternately, you can right-click on Start or hit Windows key + X and choose Disk Management from the menu.disk management power user menu
When the Disk Management window opens, right-click on the drive you want to change and select Change Drive Letter and Paths from the menu. For example, we are changing a removable USB drive from D to F.change a drive letter on windows 11
Click the Change button on the window that comes up.change button
Next, make sure Assign the following drive letter is selected and choose the letter you want from the dropdown menu.
Once you’ve chosen the drive letter, click OK.ok change a drive letter on windows 11
Finally, click Yes on the warning message that appears.warning message
At this point, your drive’s letter on Windows will change, and it should open in File Explorer to view its content. You may need to restart your PC for the change to take effect, however.
The new drive letter will show up in Disk Management and anywhere else that shows the drive letter, like in This PC, for example.drive letter change This PC
If you change the removable drive letter, it should stay the same on the computer you change it on. For example, if you take it to a different computer, Windows will assign it a different letter than the one you gave it. After renaming a drive, a new letter will most likely be assigned if you plug in other external drives in a different order.
Managing Disk Space on Windows
Windows 11 and 10 have some useful tools for managing drive space. For instance, you can limit disk space used by the Recycle Bin or free up space with Cleanup Recommendations on Windows 11. You might also want to configure Storage Sense on Windows 11.
There are many ways to free up disk space on Windows 10 too. You can delete old system restore points to free up space or learn how to delete the Windows.old folder to free up GBs of space. reference link = install epson printer on mac