Printing out your documents on Windows 10 or Windows 11 should be an easy task. You need to open your document and click the Print option or press the Ctrl and P keys. Unfortunately, error code 0x0000011b may sometimes ruin your plans preventing you from connecting to your printer.
Follow the troubleshooting steps below to get rid of this annoying error code.
Fix Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer Error 11b
Uninstall Recent Windows Updates
If error code 0x0000011b started occurring after installing the latest Windows updates, uninstall them and see if this helps. Many Windows 11 users confirmed that uninstalling KBKB5005565 and KB5005568 fixed the problem.
- Launch Control Panel.
- Click on Uninstall a program.
- Then click on View installed updates.
- Select the latest updates and hit the Uninstall button.
Alternatively, you can also use Command Prompt to remove recently installed Windows updates.
- Click on the Search icon.
- Type cmd in the search field.
- Right-click on Command Prompt and launch the tool as an administrator.
- Then run the wusa /uninstall /kb: command. Enter the KB number right after the colon.
- For example, if you want to uninstall KB5004567, run the wusa /uninstall /kb:KB5004567 command line.
After uninstalling the updates, check if your computer can connect to your printer. If error 0x0000011b persists, install your printer using its IP address.
By the way, you may want to temporarily disable auto-updates. When you restart your computer, Windows will automatically download and install the latest updates, triggering error 0x0000011b again.
Manually Add the Printer Using Its IP Address
- Go to Settings.
- Select Bluetooth and Devices.
- Scroll down to Printers and Scanners.
- Then click on the Add device button to add a printer or scanner.
- Click on the link that says the printer you want to add is not on the list.
- Go to Add a printer using a TCP/IP or hostname.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and manually insert the printer’s IP address.
- Hit Next to connect your computer to your printer.
- Print a test page to check if your printer works as intended.
Disable Print Spooler RPC Encryption
To fix error code 0x0000011b, Microsoft says you should disable the print spooler privacy settings on both the Client and Print Server. When the RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled Registry key is set to 1, Windows automatically encrypts RPC communication with network printers and print servers. Disable this option to get rid of error code 0x0000011b.
- Launch the Registry Editor.
- Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print. - Right-click on the Print key and select New→ DWORD-32 bit Value.
- Name the new key RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled.
- Double-click on the new key and set its value to 0 (zero).
- Restart your computer, and check if it connects to your printer.
Conclusion
To fix error code 0x0000011b when printing on Windows 11, uninstall all the recently installed updates, especially KBKB5005565 and KB5005568. Then, manually add the printer using its IP address. If the error persists, disable Print Spooler RPC encryption.
Did you manage to solve the problem? Which of these solutions worked for you? Let us know in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this guide on social media.
Linda Lawrie says
Registry by itself did not fix the issue. However, stopping and starting the print spooler (or restarting I guess) on the host computer did.
Thanks! (previous comment can be removed)
Linda says
Registry edit did not help for us.
Gitau says
Worked very fine, thanks
Khalid says
I did by disabling the spooler, couldn’t find the updates and some old updates can’t be uninstalled!
thank you so much!
Guvnor says
Worked on this for days with no luck and this RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled fix worked a charm! Thank you for this.
Behnam says
That Registry Edit Fixed my Long Term Issue.
Paul says
The registry edit fixed the problem for me.
Akhil Krishnan says
That registry edit fixed my long term issue.
LeAnn says
WHY SHOULD WE UNINSTALL WINDOWS UPDATES? Can the smart people at Windows not just anticipate that this will happen, and work smarter?
Hyacinth Nnaemeka says
Thanks for sharing
The registry key option fixed it
Helped me solved a lingering problem where am supporting
Karel Sama says
Yeah I would say thanks alot for the solution. Just Edit the registry and it worked
Tormod says
Just doing the Registry editor fixed it for me, thanks It took me ages to find this fix, you the man
Have book mark your page.
Aloise Ndengeri says
Excellent. thank you very much …..its now working after 6 months of always shifting the data cable and uninstalling security updates..the registry one is just genius
Soumen says
Registry editor helped, thanks a lot
Justin says
I never thought it would but I tried anyway and the registry change fixed it!
Eddie Gonzalez says
Thank you so much.
Disabling the Print Spooler RPC Encryption on host and remote computers with Reg edit worked!
KAS says
It works on registry method. Took weeks to solved this problem. Thanks for tips.
Bhavesh patel says
It’s working process
Thanks
Gaiyoor Shaikh says
Thanks alot for the tips ….
The error taken approx 1 hour.
SAYNEEL says
Amazing the registry fix is works for me also.
Md Nizam Uddin says
RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled this option work me….thanks
Michael ILOFF says
RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled=0 in both machines was the home run. It saved me!
Marcin says
Moderator, can you remove my last commant please? I typed it in wrong printer issue ;)
Marcin says
For me worked running Malwarebytes on the computer, sems there was soma malware couseing the issue
jay says
superbbb ! its worked
thanks
SB says
I did the registry fix on my print server, had my clients reboot and they can print again. Thanks!!
Kris Benzon says
By disabling RPC Encryptions in registry worked for me. Thank you very much for this!
Arif says
Wow i spend 4 hours to resolve this issue. Thks for this tips. Works greate!!!
Herry says
Disable Print Spooler RPC Encryption
It works…. thank you so much ^_^
John says
2 months I’v been poncing about with this issue, purchased USB Network printer adapter and every darrned thing, Thank you so much for fix, much appriciated :)
Greg says
Yes. Registry edit option worked for me. Great result.
Selaras says
I had this problem on my office for months and gave up on it, until now I tried to solve it again and your solution is the best! it works well thank you so much!!
Paterno says
Hello! I tried all the instruction but still I cannot connect to a network printer.
M'Lu McNeill says
Disabling the Print Spooler RPC Encryption solved the problem for me!!! You rock, this has been driving me crazy!!! I disabled this on both computers, (trying to connect to the shared printer is what was failing) and voila, its working!! Many thanks to you!
Steve says
Disabling the Print Spooler RPC Encryption solved the problem for me! Thanks so much!! None of the other solutions worked.
Ir. Mohamad Syafiq Senin says
Thank You So Much…
This Is Works For Me…..
Frank Rakoczy says
I, too, have been searching for the “Printer not connected” error. I finally found your solution on line and it also was the “Disable Print Spooler RPC Encryption” fix.
The printer had been connected until one of the Windows 10 udates fixed that.
Thanx for your help. (I can keep the rest of my 80 year old hair, which isn’t much.)
ganesh says
Best solution Use networking LAN connectivity printer .. i am always fed up in Microsoft product they release updates we sacrifice our energy for these types of stuff .
Stacy Bennett says
Finally, a fix that worked! Thank you!
Al says
Yes!! Disabling printo spooler on both machines and bam I could add the network printer. Every other “help” page said the obvious. Many thanks.
W D Fischer says
WOW! This worked for me! I had all but given up hope but this Reg Edit did the job after me pulling my hair out for months!
Thank You/Thank You/Thank You
ROCHEL BONNE ANNEE says
The last Is Maching for me (The regedit Editor…)
André Henrique says
Hello Shirley Dubbelman, how are you?
Where is this “Disable Print Spooler Privacy Settings” option? Is it a group policy? I’m using Windows 10, but I got the same problem in Windows 11 on other PCs
Shirley Dubbelman says
Hello, I did not seem to have either of the updates mentioned and wasn’t keen to start deleting windows security updates that weren’t mentioned.
I did the “Disable Print Spooler Privacy Settings” instead and this worked.
Thanks for the tip.
Titus Gunarto says
I used Disable Print Spooler RPC Encryption to solve the problem and it worked at first but, error 0x00000011b happened again after shutdown and turn it up again the day after