Windows has a new issue: printers may print on their own
Has your printer been acting strangely lately? By that, I mean printing pages even though you did not hit the print-button? Then it may be related to a new issue that Microsoft just confirmed.
The details:
- The issue affects all but the latest version of Windows. In other words, Windows 11, version 24H2 is not affected while Windows 11 version 22H2/23H2 and Windows 11 version 22H2 are.
- Printers that support USB Print and IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) over USB protocols are affected.
- Affected printers may print random text and data automatically.
The issue may occur after the installation of the January 29, 2025 preview update or any later updates that Microsoft released for the affected operating systems.
The printout may start with "POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.12", but this is not the case all the time. Microsoft says that it is likely that users experience the issue when the printer is powered on or reconnected to the Windows machine after disconnection.
The bug reports reveals that the issue is observed when the print spooler sends IPP protocol messages to the printer, as this causes the printer to print text unexpectedly. Clearly, this happens more often when the printer is connected or powered on.
Good news: While Microsoft is investigating the problem, it has issued a Known Issue Rollback. This resolves the issue automatically on non-managed devices over the course of days.
System administrators may need to become active regarding managed devices. Microsoft's bug report has instructions on how that is done using the Group Policy.
Here are the relevant links:
The process is the same. You need to install and configure the Group Policy using the provided download. This applies the Known Issue Rollback on the machine and should correct the experienced issue.
Closing Words
It is interesting to note that Windows 11, version 24H2 appears not to be affected by the issue. Usually, bugs are experienced in newer versions of Windows more often than in older, more established versions. This time, it appears to be the other way around.
Now You: do you use a printer? If you do, how it is connected to your devices?
Anonymous friends, if I most majestic Thanquol, was in control, things would be good-better around here again… no dumb AI generated articles. Those mindless no-thought articles seem to breed like rabbits.
The affected bug-printers write better than most agencies writings-rubbish anyway. Purge-purge, yes send back the AI-article-spewing maggot-things into the dark abyss.
At least Martin’s articles make sense, not some random set of words pulled from a corrupted social media feed sprinkled with random SEO links.
Vote with paws-feet, make stand, yes-yes, tell Martin’s overlords AI written-generated articles are dung and only attract worthless flies.
That was supposed to say: “[…] AI written-generated articles are dung and only attract worthless [plague] files. …”.
PS: My beef-witted assistant-scribe professional copiest-thing will be docked pay for that mistake. I wrote it with good-clearest words, crafted like greatest of masterpieces ever to grace. Using finest goose-quill. Maybe my scribe needs new eye-glasses for typing into compute box. 📜
Martin,
Where is your Microsoft monthly update article for march 2025? Have you stopped from publishing it?
I hope not!
Ladies and Gentlemen…
This is what you get when you use a piece of shit Operating System.
“You get what you fucking deserve!”
Stop joking around!
There is a missing 0 when mentioning the affected Windows versions. It says:
“…and Windows 1 version 22H2 are.”
It’s been more than two weeks. It still says Windows 1 version 22H2 instead of Windows 10 version 22H2.
For reasons related to some long-ago and forgotten suggestion, I keep the print spooler turned off unless using the printer. Appears it may help with a situation like this.
@martin
I do not know how much editorial control you have, but please make a effort to get rid of the excessive overcapitalization of the headlines by ‘agencies ghacks’.
It does not look better.
It does not improve readability, it makes it worse.
I have found another work-around, which is to pour a thin line of salt in a circle around the printer. Make sure there are no gaps in the circle. Coarse ground sea salt works best.
The same method acts as an anti-virus when applied completely around your laptop.
Windows 11 issues provide the feeling of what infinity may be.
This latest printer issue adds a touch of poltergeist with printer ghosts haunting the browser.
That’d be a great scenario for an audacious movie director, but a sad reality for users of the OS.
This is funny because for months I couldn’t keep my printer connected to my Windows PC’s. Every time I wanted to print I had to install the printer again. Now apparently some printers just randomly print without commands. Just more scratch your head stuff from the Windows team.
We have a WiFi connected printer but we keep it turned off unless we are actually printing something because for some idiotic reason the whole front of it lights up when it is powered on and we find the lights annoying.
Connected by copper wires, yes-yes… My printer does as I tell it always. I tell it print, and it does as I command, like most loyal of worker-slaves. My printer is not controlled be evil-spirit-bug, it doesn’t wake-up and print like agency AI tripe-words gone berserk, no, no.
I’d crush-smash it, if it was possessed like daemon-puppet, and it began typing bad words at random. Fix it good. I’d show it who is boss.
I control print – I have strong lucky talisman to protect from print-bugs. It’s called brains, yes, yes. Mostly half-wits keep printer on always or leave them exposed via network-thing.