Canon Printer Cannot Delete Print Job

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If your Canon printer cannot delete a print job, the issue is usually due to a stuck print queue, communication error, or a problem with the print spooler service on your computer. This can prevent new documents from printing until the job is fully cleared.

This guide walks you through how to forcefully delete a stuck print job on Windows and macOS.

1. Cancel the Print Job from the Queue

Windows
  1. Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers
  2. Right-click your Canon printer > See what’s printing
  3. In the print queue window:
    • Right-click the stuck job > Cancel
    • If it doesn’t cancel, proceed to force stop the spooler (see step 2)

macOS
  1. Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
  2. Select your Canon printer
  3. Click Open Print Queue
  4. Select the print job and click X or Delete
  5. If that doesn’t work, continue with a restart and system reset

2. Forcefully Clear the Print Queue (Windows)

Stop the Print Spooler and Manually Delete Jobs
  1. Open Services:
    • Press Windows + R, type services.msc, press Enter
  2. Find and right-click Print Spooler > Stop
  3. Open File Explorer and go to: 
    C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
  4. Delete all files in that folder (these are the stuck print jobs)
  5. Go back to Services, right-click Print Spooler > Start
  6. Open the print queue again – the stuck job should be gone

3. Reset the Printer

Hard Reset
  1. Turn off the Canon printer
  2. Unplug it from the power source
  3. Wait 30–60 seconds
  4. Plug it back in and power it on
  5. Try printing or canceling again

4. Use the Command Line (Advanced – Windows)

Clear Queue via Command Prompt
  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
  2. Run these commands one by one: 
    net stop spooler
del /Q /F /S "%systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*.*"
net start spooler

This will stop the spooler, delete all stuck jobs, and restart the service.

5. Reset Printing System (macOS)
  1. Go to System Settings > Printers & Scanners
  2. Right-click anywhere in the printers list (or Ctrl + Click)
  3. Select Reset printing system
  4. Confirm, then re-add your Canon printer by clicking the + button

This removes all printers and queues, which can fix unremovable jobs.

6. Reinstall the Printer Driver

Sometimes a corrupted driver causes the queue to misbehave.

Steps for Windows and macOS:
  1. Remove the Canon printer from your system
  2. Visit Canon’s Support Site
  3. Download and install the latest printer driver for your model
  4. Re-add the printer and try printing again

7. Check for Printer Hardware Status

If the job is cleared from your computer but still stuck in the printer’s internal memory:

  • Press Stop, Cancel, or Reset on the printer’s physical buttons
  • Power cycle the printer
  • Some models display a job list – delete jobs manually if shown

8. When to Contact Canon Support

Contact Canon support if:

  • The print job cannot be cleared after multiple resets
  • Jobs persist even after spooler cleanup and printer reinstallation
  • The printer’s screen shows repeated errors (e.g., “Processing” forever)

This may indicate a firmware issue or hardware malfunction that requires professional service.

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