Microsoft Excel is a top-notch spreadsheet application, boasting a wide range of features. Whether you want to perform calculations, analyze data, organize information, create charts, or automate tasks, this noted app can live up to your expectations with aplomb. Unfortunately, for some users, Microsoft Excel is crashing or freezing repeatedly when printing on Windows 11. To help you resolve the printing issue, I’ve jotted down the 11 most effective solutions to bring Excel back on track. Keep reading to…
How to Fix Windows 11 Excel Crashing or Freezing When Printing
It’s worth pointing out that the printing issue is quite common on Windows 11. It tends to stem from various reasons such as –
- Outdated printer drivers
- Corrupted Excel files
- Misconfigured print settings
Luckily, there are some effective fixes that can help restore Excel’s stability and ensure smooth printing again.
1. Update Your Printer Drivers
Note that outdated or corrupted printer drivers can often cause Excel to freeze when attempting to print. Therefore, I’d recommend you update the printer drivers as it ensures compatibility with Windows 11 and Excel’s latest updates.
- To begin, press Windows + X and choose Device Manager in the menu.
- Click on the tiny downward arrow to expand the Printers section.
- Now, right-click your printer and choose the Update driver option in the menu.
- Then, select Search automatically for drivers to let Windows find and install the latest version.
- Once your drivers have been updated, be sure to restart your PC.
2. Print as PDF First
Converting to PDF can be handy in bypassing printer driver conflicts.
- So, open Excel on your PC → Hit the File menu and choose Print.
- Choose Printer and click Microsoft Print to PDF → Save the file.
- Once that’s one, try printing the PDF.
3. Clear Excel Cache
Accumulated temporary files are one of the biggest culprits that slow down or crash Excel during printing.
- Press Win + R to launch the Run dialog.
- Then, type %temp%, press Enter → Delete temporary files → Restart Excel and try printing again.
4. Repair Microsoft Office
Keep in mind that if Excel files or core components are corrupted, there is a high chance that the program may crash during printing. Hence, it would be helpful to repair the Office in order to replace/fix missing files.
- Head over to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Find Microsoft Office and click the three dots button next to it.
- Select Modify in the menu.
- Choose Quick Repair, or go for Online Repair if the problem persists.
5. Check for Windows and Excel Updates
Microsoft keeps unleashing patches to fix bugs or random issues. Therefore, updating the software and the problematic app would be the right way to go.
- Navigate to Settings on your Windows device> Windows Update > Check for updates.
- In Excel, open File > Account > Update Options > Update Now to get the latest app updates.
6. Clear the Print Spooler
Be warned that a jammed or corrupt print queue can stop Excel from processing print jobs properly. Thus, I’d suggest you clear the print spooler to refresh the print system.
- Press Windows + R to reveal the run dialog > type services.msc, and hit Enter.
- Locate Print Spooler, right-click it, and choose Stop.
- Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files.
- Next up, return to the Services section and Restart the Print Spooler.
7. Disable Add-ins in Excel
Problematic add-ins have a long history of interfering with Excel’s printing process and causing freezes. Try disabling them to help isolate the culprit.
- Open Excel and head over to File > Options > Add-ins.
- At the bottom, choose COM Add-ins and click Go.
- Uncheck all add-ins and restart Excel. If the problem is fixed, re-enable add-ins one by one to find the issue.
8. Change Default Printer
Excel tends to face the crashing issue if the default printer is offline, unsupported, or malfunctioning.
- Press Win + I to launch the Settings app and choose Bluetooth & Devices in the left sidebar > Printers & Scanners.
- Now, set a different printer as the default.
- After you have changed the default printer, retry printing.
9. Use a Different Printer or Print to PDF
Should the issue persist, try testing an alternate printer or printing to PDF to figure out the issue.
- To get going, press Ctrl + P in Excel.
- Under Printer, choose Microsoft Print to PDF or another available printer.
- If Excel prints successfully, your main printer’s drivers or settings might be causing the crash.
10. Run Excel in Safe Mode
No luck as yet? Running Excel in Safe Mode allows you to start it with minimal drivers and no add-ins. As a result, it will let you determine if third-party components are causing the issue.
- On your PC, launch the Run dialog (Windows + R) > type excel /safe, and press Enter.
- Now, try to print your document to find out if the issue is gone. If it works fine, a plugin or startup file may be at fault.
11. Reinstall Microsoft Office
If nothing has managed to restore the printing functionality to Excel, a fresh installation can be the right answer. For those unfamiliar, a fresh installation is very effective for fixing deeply corrupted files or registry issues that might be causing Excel crashes.
- To get going, press Win + I to bring up the Settings app > Apps > Installed Apps.
- Find the Excel app and hit the triple-dot menu next to it.
- Choose Uninstall Office in the menu and confirm.
- After that, restart the PC and reinstall the latest version of Microsoft Office.
Wrapping up…
Excel crashing or freezing while printing in Windows 11 can be frustrating, but it usually points to software conflicts, outdated drivers, or corrupted settings. By updating your printer and Excel, clearing the print spooler, and disabling problematic add-ins, you can easily bring Excel back to normal. If nothing works, consider repairing the Office or reinstalling the printer drivers entirely. With these fixes, your printing tasks in Excel should run smoothly again without unwanted interruptions.
