Solved Missing Spooler, Print to PDF, XPS

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

I just had the system built last month and installed Windows 11. I don't do much printing so I installed my old Brother printer that I use on my previous system but the drivers didn't work. According to online Brother assistance the Windows 10 drivers worked with the earlier builds of Windows 11. I think trying the different suggestions for using the Windows 10 drivers may have caused the problem.

Device Manager doesn't have any printers, Print to PDF, or XPS. I just found out how to get Print queues back and it has Root Print Queue.

How do I get these reinstalled?

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

Hi there, welcome to the forum.

Just telepathically trying to extract the Model of your Brother printer, from your thoughts

Thank you for doing a great job filling out your specs. Not many do that.

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

My apologies, it's a Brother MFC-J615W. It's about 14-15 years old and I'm using it on my Windows 10 systems.

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

Yeah, wow I thought my old Brother was old. 2010 for the Brother MFC-J615W

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

Out of interest, if you go into Settings > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Optional Updates
Is there anything in there for Brother?

garlin · Jul 28, 2025

This support page claims their driver is compatible with W11.
Drivers | Downloads | MFC-J615W | United States | Brother

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

When you downloaded and ran the drivers, did you connect the printer via wireless or did you use USB?

On this page, if you scroll down you will see that your MFC-J615W is in the list for Windows 11 Supported Printers
- Microsoft Windows 11 Support Statement (Inkjet Printer) | United States | Brother
  
  support.brother.com
- Clicking on Download for that printer will take you to the driver page with Windows 11 pre selected

The page also states that:

Depending on your model, you may not be able to connect your Brother machine to a Windows 11 computer using a USB cable. A Windows 11 update distributed by Microsoft in December 2021 will solve the issue.

I don't see your printer listed, but that's not to say it wont have issues with USB connected setup

Rerun the setup Printer Driver & Scanner Driver for Local Connection and connect via wireless
- Printer Driver & Scanner Driver for Local Connection

Also, on this page below, there are tools like the Wireless setup helper if you need them.
- Downloads | MFC-J615W | United States | Brother
  
  support.brother.com

I am not sure why it didn't work right from get go, depending on how you asked the setup to connect your MFC-J615W

Here is the Facts & Troubleshooting page for your printer
- FAQs & Troubleshooting | MFC-J615W | United States | Brother

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

@antspants My parents bought it for their computer at home and for the fax. They didn't do much printing, Dad passed away in 2014 at 83 and Mom just turned 92. It still works great and I reconnected it to my older Windows 10 systems.

I checked the Optional Updates and there's nothing there for Brother. They stopped supporting the printer at least 5 years ago.

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

@garlin That was one of the drivers I tried and it installed the fax, but it made the printer a COM1 Port. The date on the driver is 2013 and they stopped supporting the printer soon after.

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

I'll leave you with post number 7.
Follow the post, it has options.

Cheers

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

P.S.

The printer is still supported, as stated in the support list, regardless that there are no new driver updates. As is my old BROTHER HL-2270DW which also hasn't had driver updates for many years and still works.

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

@antspants I tried that driver with a USB connection. When it didn't work I went to the page you pointed out and I saw the list without my printer. When I followed the links in the FAQs & Troubleshooting, the models were all much newer and there's no way to tell if any would work, or what they would do.

I'll take a look at how to set it up wireless, hopefully tomorrow, I haven't done that before. It's my first computer with wireless capability and I haven't used it yet since all the wires were already in place from my previous system.

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

@antspants @garlin The greater issue is that in every search, FAQ , help topics, and forum, no one can tell me how to fix my problem. Everyone only talks about printer drivers for a printer but refuses, or perhaps, don't know how to, repair or reinstall the Microsoft Print to PDF that magically disappeared. After 4 years, no one knows how to solve this even though plenty of people ask about it.

I could get by if I could get the Print to PDF back, which is part of Windows 11, since the printer is working in the other room with a Windows 10 system. I only print 1-5 pages per week and I could just pop a pdf file on a flash drive or email it to myself to print it out.

garlin · Jul 28, 2025

Print to PDF is an optional Feature you have to enable. There used to be a 24H2 bug where it didn't work, but that was solved by the July 2025 Monthly Update.

Add or Remove Microsoft Print to PDF Printer in Windows 10

How to Add or Remove Microsoft Print to PDF Printer in Windows 10

www.tenforums.com

tinutuva · Jul 28, 2025

@garlin Thank you. It didn't work a few weeks ago but it did just now.

antspants · Jul 28, 2025

For wireless setup, see page 24

Brother MFC-J615W Advanced User's Guide

tinutuva · Aug 3, 2025

@antspants , @garlin Thank you for all your help.

tinutuva · Aug 3, 2025

I just finished all the installations and set-ups, I had family fly in Tuesday for 2 days but they stuck got from the storm and couldn't fly out until today.

After I followed Post #14 Microsoft Print to PDF was working so I could change margins and page set ups for .docx, xlsx, & pdf files.

After I followed Post #7, I went to asus.com & downloaded all the current drivers, even the ones I already had installed, just in case. I installed all of them today then checked Device Manager and everything was there except the scanner.

I did a quick search on how to set up wireless for the printer, followed the instructions to connect it to my wireless router, and it connected to my computer automatically even though though my computer is still wired to the router.

Then I installed the Full Driver & Software Package, mfc-j615w-inst-C1-usa.EXE, that I downloaded from their site, and the scanner appeared in Device Manager under Imaging Devices as Brother MFC-J615W LAN.

Everything works great!!!!

Thanks again.

tinutuva · Aug 20, 2025

Update:

Each time I either turn either the printer or computer off, then turn both on and try to print it doesn't print. Here are some of what I've seen:

1. Once the printer had to be reconnected to the router even though the router said it was active.
2. The printer is missing from Device Manager, the scanner might be there.
3. Settings => Bluetooth & devices => Printers & scanners says the printer is offline.
4. Troubleshooting is not available.

Solutions:
For #1 : Go to Menu on the printer and reconnect the WiFi.

Everything else follow the instructions for
1. Printer Driver & Scanner Driver for Local Connection;
2. Wireless Setup Helper;
3. Network Connection Repair Tool.

If you downloaded and saved them to a folder it should only take 5 minutes.

Once I had to remove the drivers and then follow the 3 steps above.

tinutuva · Sep 17, 2025

Final Evaluation:

I've been using an Excel file as a test.

When everything is fine and I go to print, the Printer Status says Ready.
When I turn off the printer, it says Offline.
When I turn the printer back on, it still says Offline and I have to repeat the procedure in the previous post.
When I leave the printer on, even for days while it's in sleep mode, it still says Ready.
Even if the computer restarts, it still says Ready.

Conclusion:

I leave the printer on and let it sleep until I need to print.

Solved Missing Spooler, Print to PDF, XPS

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