Fix printer error 0X0000086A: print queue already exists

This error is annoying but fixable

You try to add a printer, and Windows throws error 0X0000086A with the message “The print queue already exists.” It usually happens when you reinstall a printer you just removed, or when a previous install didn't clean up properly. The system thinks the printer is still there, so it blocks the new install.

The real fix: delete the printer and its driver

Skip the “run the troubleshooter” step — it rarely helps here. What you need to do is force Windows to forget the old printer completely.

1. Open Devices and Printers (search for it in Start).
2. Right-click the printer showing the error and select Remove device. If it's not there, skip this step.
3. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
4. Find Print Spooler in the list. Right-click it and choose Stop. Leave the window open.
5. Now open File Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS. Delete everything inside that folder. You might need admin rights — just click Continue if prompted.
6. Go back to the Services window, right-click Print Spooler again, and select Start.
7. Now open Print Management. Press Win + R, type printmanagement.msc, and hit Enter.
8. On the left, expand Print Servers > Drivers. Find the driver for your printer (usually matches the printer name). Right-click it and choose Delete. If it won't delete, check the checkbox “Remove driver and driver package” and confirm.
9. Close Print Management, restart your computer, and try adding the printer again.

That's it. The printer should install cleanly now.

Why this works

The error 0X0000086A isn't about the printer hardware — it's about Windows' internal printer database. When you install a printer, Windows creates a queue entry in the registry and a driver file in System32\spool\PRINTERS. If you remove the printer normally via Devices and Printers, Windows often leaves the driver files and registry keys behind. When you try to reinstall, the system sees the old queue name and says “nope, that name is taken.”

Step 4 (stopping the spooler) and step 5 (deleting the files) clear any pending print jobs and remove the queue files. Step 8 removes the driver package itself. That forces Windows to treat the printer as a completely new device on next install. The print management console is more thorough than Devices and Printers — it shows driver packages that the normal interface hides.

Less common variations of the same issue

Sometimes the error shows up even after you deleted the printer from Devices and Printers. This happens when a printer driver was bundled inside another package (like a Brother or HP all-in-one software). In that case, you need to:

• Uninstall the printer software from Apps & Features first.
• Then run the steps above.
• Use a dedicated removal tool from the manufacturer. For HP, download the HP Print and Scan Doctor and run the “Remove” option. For Brother, use their Brother Printer Driver Uninstaller tool. Canon has a similar IJ Printer Driver Removal Tool.

Another weird case: the error appears when you're trying to add a network printer and the queue name conflicts with a local printer that was once connected. The fix is the same — delete the local printer driver from Print Management.

I've seen this on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11 23H2 with HP LaserJet and Brother HL models. The fix is identical across versions.

How to prevent this from happening again

The root cause is lazy printer removal. When you want to uninstall a printer, don't just right-click and delete. Use the proper steps:

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Click the printer, then Remove device.
3. Now open Print Management as described above and remove the driver package.
4. Restart the print spooler one more time after that.

Also, avoid using the manufacturer's “quick install” wizard for reinstallation. Those often reuse old queue names. Instead, install the driver manually by downloading the basic driver from the manufacturer's site (not the full software suite). It gives you more control over the queue name and avoids conflicts.

If you regularly swap printers on the same PC, consider naming each queue with a unique suffix (like “HP_LaserJet_Office” instead of just “HP LaserJet”). That way, if you need to reinstall, you can choose a different name and skip the conflict entirely.