Printer not working with Windows 11? This could be why

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Ditch USB connections or Windows 11, at least for the time being, warns Brother

Printer
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Japanese manufacturer Brother has warned users that many of its printers may not work with Windows 11 when connected via USB.

BleepingComputer points to an article in Brother’s support section that clearly points out that updating to Windows 11 could throw all sorts of errors, preventing Microsoft’s newest operating system from communicating with Brother printers connected via USB.

Brother states that the issue impacts both inkjet and laser printers in its portfolio, with BleepingComputer pegging the number of impacted printers to over 90. 

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Brother is reportedly investigating the issue and working on a resolution, though the company hasn’t published a timeline for resolving the issue. 

Show stopper

In addition to failing to detect USB connected printers, Brother states that users might also face issues while changing the settings of their USB connected printers, or perhaps will be unable to connect multiple printers via USB. 

Even if detected, Brother warns that the USB connected printers might fail to communicate with various printing tools and utilities in Windows 11.

While Brother works to solve the issue, it suggests that affected users explore other mechanisms for hooking up their Brother printers to Windows 11, perhaps through the network.

For its part, Microsoft hasn’t yet publicly acknowledged the issue, though BleepingComputer suggests that the software giant may place a safeguard hold on computers hooked up to a Brother device in order to prevent them from upgrading to Windows 11.

Microsoft is reportedly already investigating eight other issues, and has already placed safeguard holds for them. 

Microsoft has been grappling with printer-related issues ever since the discovery, and the subsequent botched fixes of the printer-spooler vulnerabilities collectively known as PrintNightmare, and it appears that it’s printing woes will linger for a little longer.

Via BleepingComputer

Mayank Sharma
Mayank Sharma

With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’s TechRadar Pro’s expert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.