How to fix “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “?

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When printing a test or PDF file, you may stumble upon the message “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “. It occurs, as a rule, due to the not entirely correct configuration of the printer connected to the computer on Windows. A similar message can be seen by users of all versions of Windows, from XP to Windows 10.

Causes “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “

Let’s take a closer look at why a similar problem can occur in the operation of the printer:

  • the account you are using does not have full access;
  • the printer driver does not work correctly;
  • the printer is not set as the default device;
  • Certain updates are missing in Windows 10.

Solutions “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “

Solution # 1 Update the printer driver

The first solution is to update the printer driver installed on your Windows OS. From time to time, drivers for some devices may not start working quite correctly, and therefore they need to be updated or even reinstalled. In order to update the driver for your printer, you will have to go to the official website of the device manufacturer and download the appropriate driver from the downloads section. For example, the page for downloading drivers for HP printers looks like like this… Once you’ve downloaded the installer, just launch it and follow the instructions on the screen.

Solution # 2 Printer as default device

Error “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “can occur if two or more printers are connected to your computer at the same time. In this case, you need to set the printer you want to use as the default device. To do this, do the following:

  1. press Windows + S;
  2. write down “Control Panel” and select the found result;
  3. select the category “Hardware and Sound”;
  4. go to the “Devices and Printers” section;
  5. right-click on the printer you need and select “Set as default”;
  6. close the window and restart your computer.

Once you are fully logged in, try using the printer again. The message “The printer is not active. Error code -30 “will not bother you.

Solution # 3 Reinstalling the USB Composite Device

Some users claim that they managed to get rid of this problem by reinstalling the USB Composite Device driver. So, unplug your printer from your computer and try these steps:

  1. right-click on Start and select “Device Manager”;
  2. open the section “USB controllers”;
  3. right-click on “Composite USB device” and select “Remove device”;
  4. repeat this with each composite USB device and restart your computer;
  5. reconnect the printer to your PC and follow the instructions on the screen.

When your PC starts up, Windows will scan for available devices in the system and automatically install drivers for them. Just make sure you have a reliable internet connection at this point. The message “The printer is not active. Error code -30 ”should not appear. Well, if this does not help, then you can try to install all the updates for your Windows from the “Update and Security” section of the settings. Some users say that their error disappeared after updating Windows.

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