Resolve Devices and Printers Freezing Issues in Windows 10

Having trouble with the Devices and Printers window hanging or not opening on your Windows 10 device? Here are some effective ways to resolve this issue.

How to Fix "Devices and Printers" Hanging or Not Opening in Windows 10?​

1. Run the Printer Troubleshooter​

• Open Start Menu:
  • Click the Start icon on your taskbar.
• Search for Troubleshooting:
  • Type "troubleshooting" in the search bar and press Enter to open the Troubleshooting settings.
• Locate Printer Troubleshooter:
  • Click on Printer under the "Find and fix other problems" section.
• Run the Troubleshooter:
  • Click on Run the troubleshooter.
• Follow On-Screen Instructions:
  • Follow the instructions provided to detect and fix issues.

Running the Printer troubleshooter can help diagnose and fix various issues automatically, ensuring that your printer is set up correctly and any minor problems are resolved.

2. Perform a Clean Boot​

• Open Run Dialog Box:
  • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
• Open System Configuration:
  • Type "msconfig" and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.
• Selective Startup:
  • Go to the General tab and select Selective Startup.
  • Uncheck Load startup items.
• Hide Microsoft Services:
  • Switch to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services.
  • Click Disable all.
• Restart Your Computer:
  • Click OK and restart your computer.

Performing a clean boot helps in identifying if third-party applications or services are causing the issue.

3. Run SFC (System File Checker) Scan​

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
  • Press Windows + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows PowerShell (Admin).
• Run SFC Scan:
  • Type "sfc /scannow" and press Enter.
  • Wait for the scan to complete.

If SFC finds and repairs corrupted system files, it can resolve issues with system functionalities such as the Devices and Printers window.

4. Check and Start Bluetooth Support and Print Spooler Services​

• Open Services Window:
  • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
• Locate and Start Services:
  • Find Bluetooth Support Service and Print Spooler in the list.
  • Right-click each service and select Properties.
  • Set the Startup type to Automatic for both services.
  • Click Start if the service is not already running.
  • Click Apply and then OK.

Ensuring that these services are running and set to start automatically can help resolve issues related to the Devices and Printers window not loading.

5. Uninstall conflicting third-party applications​

• Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.
• Select any third-party app/driver related to Bluetooth and printers or downloaded around the same time the issue first appeared, and click on Uninstall.
  
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
• Finally, reboot the computer and check for improvements.

6. Update Printer Drivers​

• Open Device Manager:
  • Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu, and select Device Manager.
• Update Driver:
  • Expand the Printers entry, right-click on the connected printer, and select Update driver.
  • Choose Search automatically for drivers.
• Restart Your Computer:
  • Once the driver is updated, restart your computer.

Updating the printer drivers can help if the Devices and Printers window keeps freezing on Windows 10.

7. Clear and Reset the Print Spooler​

• Stop Print Spooler:
  • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
  • Locate Print Spooler in the list, right-click it, and select Stop.
• Clear Spooler Files:
  • Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
  • Delete all files in the PRINTERS folder.
• Restart Print Spooler:
  • Go back to the Services window, right-click Print Spooler, and select Start.

Clearing the Print Spooler can resolve issues with stuck or corrupted print jobs that might be preventing the Devices and Printers window from opening properly.

8. Modify the Registry (Advanced)​

• Open Registry Editor:
  • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type "regedit" and press Enter.
• Navigate to Key:
  • Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Print\Providers.
• Delete Key:
  • Locate Client Side Rendering Print Provider and delete this entry.
• Restart Your Computer.

Modifying the registry can directly influence how Windows handles printing services, potentially resolving issues with the Devices and Printers window not loading.

By following these steps, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve issues with the Devices and Printers window hanging or not opening on Windows 10.