How to Repair ‘Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer – Error 0x0000011b’ on Windows PC

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There are already a large number of inexpensive network printers available. A network printer does not require a physical cable to connect and print. We can print any document or share it wirelessly with the printer. However, when we connect the printer to a Windows PC, sometimes an error code 0x0000011b (failed operation) appears.

This doesn’t allow us to connect to the printer, which means we can’t print documents, which is very annoying. In this article, we have described the best ways to solve this problem and print important documents without problems.

What does printer error 0x0000011b mean?

Error code 0x0000011b is related to a network printer that appeared after updating some patches such as KB5005627, KB5005652, KB5005563, KB5005573, KB5005565, and KB5005613 in different editions and versions of the Windows operating system released by Microsoft to fix the vulnerability in the print queue. The vulnerability was not fixed unless an administrator manually created an additional parameter in the registry. So with the updates, Microsoft started automatically creating this parameter in the registry, leading to a massive error 0x0000011b.

In addition, with the August 10 patch KB5005652, Microsoft removed the default option to run the printer on the network without administrator rights. This causes error 0x0000011b when a user without sufficient rights tries to connect to a printer on the same network. They cannot install the printer driver over the network/server. In this article, you will learn how to solve “Windows cannot connect to the printer; operation failed with error 0x0000011b” on a Windows computer.

What causes printer error 0x0000011b?

Error 0x0000011B usually occurs on networks used at home or in small offices. Since this error occurs on a computer that is trying to connect to a printer over a network, we can immediately assume that the cause of this error extends to two computers. The first computer is the client computer where you are trying to access the printer, and the second computer is the host computer where the printer is installed.

On the client computer, this error is usually caused by certain Windows updates. Recently, it has been found that some Windows updates, which are supposed to fix security gaps in printers, make it difficult to connect to network printers. On the host computer, this error can be caused by certain registry values and problems with the print spooler.



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How to resolve printer error 0x0000011b

Launch the Printer Troubleshooter

  1. Open the Start menu and type “Control Panel” into the search bar. Click on the Control Panel icon when it appears in the search results.
  2. Under the “Hardware and Sound” section, click on “View devices and printers.”
  3. Right-click on your printer’s icon and select “Open Queue.”
  4. Click on the “Printer” drop-down menu and select “Pause Printing.” This will temporarily halt all print jobs in the queue.
  5. Click on the “Start” button and then type “troubleshoot” into the search bar. Click on the “Troubleshoot printers” option when it appears in the search results.
  6. The Troubleshooting Wizard will now launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the troubleshooting process.

Depending on your printer’s make and model, you may need to download and install updated drivers or perform other steps to get your printer up and running again. However, the troubleshooter should be able to walk you through any necessary steps.

Install any pending updates

It’s important to keep your Windows computer up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Here’s a simple guide on how to install any pending updates:

  1. Click on the Start menu and select settings.
  2. In the settings menu, click on Update & Security.
  3. In the Update & Security menu, click on Windows Update and then select Check for Updates. If there are any updates available, they will be downloaded and installed automatically.
  4. Your computer will now be up to date with the latest security patches and updates.

Adding a network printer via a local port

Another way around error 0x0000011b when installing a network printer on a Windows PC is to add the printer manually through the local port.

  1. Go to Control Panel > Devices and Printers.
  2. Click Add Printer.
  3. On the next screen, click The printer you want is not in the list.
  4. Select Add a local printer or a network printer with manual settings, and click Next.
  5. Click Create New Port and select Local Port from the drop-down menu. Click Next.
  6. Specify the port name on the screen in one of the following formats and click OK:
    • \\ComputerName\SharedPrinterName
    • \\ComputerIPAdress\SharedPrinterName
  7. On the next screen, select the network printer model and click Next.
  8. After the printer installation is complete, print a test page to test the printer, and you are done.

Remove updates KB5005565 and KB5006670

Since the 0x0000011B network printing problem often occurs after installing security updates KB5005565 or KB5006670, uninstall them from your Windows computer. Proceed as follows:

  1. In Windows Update, click View Update History, then select Remove Updates.
  2. Select update KB5005565 (or KB5006670) from the list of installed updates and click Remove.
  3. Restart your computer.
  4. Install the network printer.
  5. Prevent the remote update from being reinstalled with third-party software.



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Frequently Asked Questions

You can make sure that error 0x0000011b no longer occurs when you try to use your home or network printer by going into your Windows update history and removing the Microsoft Windows Security Update (KB5005565) for your entire workgroup.

The 0x0000011b error code is a Windows-specific error code that indicates that there is a problem with the way your computer is trying to connect to a printer on your network. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including outdated drivers, incorrect IP addresses, or security updates that have been applied to your computer.

  1. Check if your printer is an undefined device and update the drivers.
  2. Uninstall the printer and reinstall it.
  3. Temporarily disable antivirus security software.
  4. Check the printer's default settings.
  5. Perform a Windows update.
  6. Delete files from the spooler and restart the spooler service.