Printer refuses to print?
“Driver is unavailable”, a printer stuck offline, or a model that stopped printing after a Windows upgrade - printer drivers age badly, and matching the exact model, Windows version and architecture by hand is where most people get stuck. A free scan does the matching for you.
For Windows PCs
What the free scan shows
- Printers installed on this PC
- The driver each printer is using now
- Available printer driver updates
- Nothing changes until you choose
Does any of this sound familiar?
“Driver is unavailable”
Windows shows the printer with a “Driver is unavailable” error and refuses to print.
Broke after upgrading Windows
The printer worked on the previous Windows version; after the upgrade it's offline or missing.
New PC, old printer
The installation disc is long gone and the model isn't offered by Windows Update.
Stuck in the print queue
Jobs pile up as “printing” and never come out - a corrupted or mismatched driver is a frequent cause.
A free scan can identify the installed hardware and show available driver information.
How it works
1. Scan
The application identifies the hardware installed on your PC and checks the current driver information.
2. Review
See the detected devices, the installed printer driver version and the updates available. Nothing changes during the scan.
3. Choose what to update
Review the results and decide which available updates you want to apply.
See the problem before deciding what to do
- The scan and results are free
- Nothing changes during the scan
- Review detected devices and available updates
- Decide whether you want to apply anything
A license is required only if you choose to apply the available updates.
Why automatic detection is useful when you don't know the exact driver
| Searching manually | Automatic detection |
|---|---|
| Find the exact printer model | Installed hardware is identified |
| Search by Hardware ID | No Hardware ID required |
| Compare versions and architecture | System and driver details are shown |
| Check devices separately | Multiple devices are checked together |
Frequently asked questions
▸Does this work for older printers?
The scan checks the printers connected to your PC and shows driver updates available from official sources. For older models the available driver may be an earlier package - you see the version and date before applying anything.
▸My printer is connected over Wi-Fi. Will it be detected?
Network printers already installed in Windows are visible to the system and can be checked. A printer that was never added to Windows should be connected or added first.
▸Does the printer need to be plugged in during the scan?
Yes - the scan looks at the devices Windows can currently see. Connect the printer (USB or network) before scanning so its driver state can be checked.
▸What exactly is downloaded?
The button downloads Outbyte Driver Updater, a Windows desktop application. The website itself does not scan your computer in the browser - the check runs in the application after you install and start it.
▸Will anything change without my permission?
No. Nothing changes during the scan. Driver updates are applied only after you review the results and choose what to update.
▸When is a license required?
The scan and results are free. A license is required only if you choose to download and apply the available updates. Current pricing and license terms are shown before purchase.
Supports Windows 11 and 10 · Uninstall anytime via Settings → Apps · If no updates are found, the scan still shows the current driver state of your devices.
Printer refuses to print?
Run a free scan to see the printer driver state of this PC before deciding what to update.
Outbyte Driver Updater is developed and distributed by Outbyte Computing Ltd. This website is an independent driver catalog and may earn a commission when a license is purchased through our links. This does not affect which drivers are listed or how driver files are verified. See the affiliate disclosure.