Microsoft seems to have bad luck when it comes to printing issues and bugs in Windows. Some users are reporting their network printers disappearing after updating to Windows 11 2022 update, and now Microsoft has confirmed another issue.
According to a new post in the official Windows 11 Health Dashboard documentation, systems running Windows 11 2022 (22H2) Update may have issues detecting all features of printers using the Microsoft IPP class driver or the universal print class driver. If the operating system cannot connect to the printer, it defaults to a standard feature set. Once the connection is restored, a bug prevents Windows from accessing specific features. Microsoft says the issue can cripple the printers’ ability to use color, duplex or two-sided printing, paper size and type settings, resolutions, and more.
A printer itself isn’t a fun or the most stable device, so naturally users won’t be happy to see the Windows 11 2022 update cripple most of its features. Microsoft has applied a compatibility hold to help keep users sane, which means affected systems won’t receive the Windows 11 2022 update until Microsoft finds a fix for the issue.
Microsoft says Backup is currently blocking the update on all computers using the Microsoft IPP Class Driver or Universal Print Class Driver. You won’t get the Windows 11 2022 update even if your printer is working fine. The company is working on more precise targeting and will provide more information in the future. Meanwhile, users can work around the issue using the official workaround:
To mitigate protection and allow your Windows device to upgrade to Windows 11, version 22H2, you can remove any printers using the Microsoft IPP Class Driver or Universal Print Class Driver that you have installed. Once you have removed all affected installed printers, you should be able to upgrade to Windows 11, version 22H2. Please note that if no other protection affects your device, it may take up to 48 hours before the upgrade to Windows 11 is offered. Restarting your device and checking for updates might help it deliver sooner.
If you have a printer installed that only allows default settings, you can alleviate this problem by removing and reinstalling the printer. For instructions, see Download printer drivers in Windows.
The bug only affects client versions of Windows 11 2022 Update (2022), so users of the initial version or Windows 10 need not worry about this problem.
