Any of the renowned printers including Canon, Epson, and HP can sometimes get blocked due to a bad certificate issue. This problem can occur in android, windows, and even Mac.
So, how to fix the printer blocked bad certificate issue?
To fix the printer block bad certificate issue, repower the printer by pulling off and on the power cable. Resetting the print spooler cache and updating the printer driver. In Mac, resetting the printer system and using Airprint can help. In android, try factory resetting the phone. Using the HP Smart app for HP printers can work.
Keep reading this article if you have a step-by-step guideline for all of these fixes.
How To Fix Printer Blocked Bad Certificate Issue
Different devices require different methods to resolve the bad certificate issue. Also, there is no fixed method you can try. You have to go through all the methods gradually until the solution is fixed.
Method | Feasible for |
Repowering The Printer | Android, Windows, Mac |
Reset Print Spooler Cache | Android, Windows, Mac |
Driver Update | Windows, Mac |
Reset the Printer System | Mac |
Use AirPrint | Mac |
Factory Reset the Phone | Android |
Use The HP Smart App | Android & HP Printers |
Uninstall & Reinstall The HP Smart App | Android & HP Printers |
Method 1: Repowering The Printer. Printer Blocked Bad Certificate Issue
You should start with basic troubleshooting first. Turn off your printer and pull out the power cable. Wait for a minute. After that, install the power cable back and turn on the printer.
If you are using the printer via smartphone, try powering it off and on. If you are using a PC, restart that as well. Now try to print again.
Sometimes, rebooting the devices solves many internal problems automatically. That’s why this method can be effective. If not, go to the next method.
Method 2: Reset Print Spooler Queue
The excessive cache can sometimes block the printer’s activity and cause a bad certificate issue. So, if your printer says a bad certificate, you can try cleaning the print spooler cache and try printing again.
Here’s how to clean the printer spooler cache in android.
Step 1: Go to the settings option in your Android.
Step 2: Scroll down and tap on “Apps” or “Application”.
Step 3: Choose the “System Apps Settings” or “Show System Apps” option.
Step 4: Scroll down and locate the “Print Spooler”: option. Press on that option.
Step 5: Go to “Clear data” and choose “ Clear Cache”. And then try printing.
To clear the spooler queue in Windows 10 and 11, you can follow one of the two methods described below.
CLI Method:
Here’s how to perform CLI methods for clearing the spooler queue.
Step 1: Tap the “Start” button
Step 2: On the search bar enter “Command”.
Step 3: From the “Command Prompt” choose “Run as administrator”.
Step 4: On the box type “net stop spooler” and hit the “Enter” button.
Step 5: Now on the box, type del “%systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\* /Q” and press “Enter”.
Step 6: Again type “net start spooler” then tap “Enter”. The process of clearing the spooler queue is done. You can exit the tab now.
GUI Method:
If the CLI method doesn’t work on your computer, you can try the GUI method as described below.
Step 1: Press the Windows+R button together and the “Run” dialogue box will come up.
Step 2: on the text box, type “services.msc” and hit the “Enter” button.
Step 3: Scroll down to locate the “Printer Spooler” option. Right-click on this option and choose “ Stop”.
Step 4: While keeping the service window open, again press the Windows+R buttons.
Step 5: On the box, type “%systemroot%\System32\spool\printers\” and click “OK”.
Step 6: Press the Control+A button together to select all.
Step 7: Hit the “Delete” button.
Step 8: Again, right-click on the “Print Spooler” option from the service window and choose “Start”. ‘
To clear the print queue on Mac, follow the steps below.
Step 1: From the Apple menu, select “System Preference”.
Step 2: Click on the “Printers” option.
Step 3: Click on the printer name you are using from the left pane. And click on the “Open Print Queue” option from the right pane.
Step 4: Select and cancel all the printer activities one by one.
Now, the cache is cleared. If clearing the cache doesn’t fix the bad certificate issue, go to the next method.
Method 3: Driver Update. Printer Blocked Bad Certificate Issue
An outdated driver can cause this bad certificate issue. So, you can update the printer driver and check if the printer works. If you any time face a printer validation error, this method can fix that issue.
To update the driver,
- Go to your printer’s manufacturer’s website and download the latest version of the driver. Make sure the driver is compatible with your printer’s model.
- Launch the driver and install it.
Method 4: Reset the Printer System. Printer Blocked Bad Certificate Issue
If you are using a Mac to print and facing a bad certificate issue, resetting the printer system can help. Resetting the system can also help when your Mac is unable to verify the printer.
Here’s how to reset the printer system on Mac.
Step 1: From the “system Preference” option, go to “Printers & Scanners”.
Step 2: Right-click on the printer you want to use and select “Reset printing System”.
Step 3: Click “Reset”.
Step 4: Go to the finder and from the menu, click on “Go”.
Step 5: Select “Go to Folder” and type “Library”.
Step 6: Locate the printer folder and open the folder.
Step 7: Click on your printer’s folder and drag it down to trash.
Step 8: Empty the trash.
Method 5: Use AirPrint
Bad certificate issues on Mac can be avoided by using AirPrint. AirPrint will let you print documents without having a printer driver. But you have to make sure your printer supports AirPrint. If it does, here’s what you have to do.
Step 1: Select “Finder” from the menu and choose “Preferences”.
Step 2: Locate the Macintosh HD icon under the “Show these items on the desktop” title. Click on that icon.
Step 3: Go to the “Library” option and select “Printers”, find the printer’s folder and drag the folder to the trash, and empty the trash folder.
Step 4: Now, go to “Printers & Scanners”.
Step 5: Select the printer you are using from the left pane. And click on the (-) button below.
Step 6: connect your printer to the Wi-Fi. Make sure the PC is connected to the same network.
Step 7: Again go to “printers and Scanners” and select your printer from the list by clicking the (+) button at the bottom of the left pane.
Step 8: You will see a “Use” option with a selection bar. There should be “Select Secure AirPrint”. If not, from the arrow button, select “Secure AirPrint”.
Step 9: Click on the “Add” button below.
Method 6: Factory Reset the Phone. Printer Blocked Bad Certificate Issue
If you are using the printer from android, factory resetting the phone can solve the printer-blocking issue. To factory reset the phone, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Go to the settings option.
Step 2: Locate and select “General & Backup” then tap “Reset”.
Step 3: Select “Reset the Device”.
Step 4: Select the “confirm” or “Ok” button for confirmation.
Note that factory resetting will delete all of your phone data. So, you should keep a backup of all the important data on your phone including pictures, videos, contacts, and other documents.
Method 7: Use The HP Smart App
If you are having this issue with HP printers while trying to print from android, try using the HP Smart app.
- Download the HP Smart app from Google Play.
- Install it on your phone and try printing through this app.
If you are already using the HP smart app and having this problem, try to uninstall the app. And then reinstall it. This will help update the app to the latest version and fix if there were any bugs in the system.
If you still can’t solve the issue by trying all these methods, consult with your printer’s dealer. You might have an expired printer certificate that can be updated by the manufacturer.
Although you will get a message saying the certificate is expired, you should still consider this option.
FAQs: Printer Blocked Bad Certificate
What Is A Printer Certificate?
A printer certificate is a digital certificate in a printer device’s server. This certificate ensures secure communication between the printer and other devices on a network. Having an SSL certificate for every printer device is mandatory. And it should be signed by a trusted root certificate authority.
How Do I Install A Printer Certificate?
To obtain a printer certificate, you have to create a certificate on the printer or printer device server. And submit it to a trusted certification authority (CA) for processing. The CA will then verify the information and issue a certificate. It is a complicated process, so you should consult the dealer.
Why Is It Saying My Printer Is Blocked?
The main reason for a printer to be blocked is jammed paper in the printer. The printer can also be blocked if the cartridges are not properly installed and don’t have enough ink or toner. It can also happen due to software problems and expired printer certificates.
Conclusion: Printer Blocked Bad Certificate
Here goes all the solutions and information on printer blocked bad certificate problems. Hopefully, this article will help you solve the bad certificate issue.
However, if the certificate is expired, you should obtain a new one immediately to keep your information secured.
All the best with your printer problem. Goodbye!