How to Fix Printer Error 0x0000011b in Windows 10

Printing is an essential function for both personal and professional use, and encountering errors can be frustrating.

One common error that Windows users often face is while printing is Printer Error 0x0000011b with message “operation failed with error 0x0000011b”.

In this short tutorial, we will guide you through a step-by-step process to fix Printer Error 0x0000011b and get it back working normally. 

What does the error 0x0000011b mean? Why am I seeing this?

Error 0x0000011B is most commonly seen in the home or small business networks. Since this error happens when a computer tries to connect to a printer over a network, you can assume that two computers cause the error at the same time. The first is the client computer, from which you wish to print, and the second is the host computer, on which the printer is placed.

This problem is frequently triggered by various Windows upgrades on the client machine. Some Windows upgrades that are designed to fix printer vulnerabilities have recently been reported as making it harder to connect to network printers.

Follow these steps to resolve the ‘Windows cannot connect to the printer’ issue. If you get the problem ‘Operation failed with error 0x0000011B in the network,’ you’ll need to do certain actions on both the client (where you wish to access the printer) and the host (where the printer is) (where the printer is installed).

To solve this issue, follow the procedures listed below in the right order.

Manually Checking Client and Host side

On the Client Side:

You must check for error before implementing the solution. Follow the steps below to get started:

Go to the Network page and double-click the printer link to connect with the printer.

If you see the error message shown below, take the procedures outlined in the sections below to resolve the issue.

On the Host Side:

All of these procedures must be carried out on the computer on which the printer is installed.

In the taskbar search box, type registry and then select ‘Registry Editor’ in the search results.

Navigate to the following location in the Registry Editor window:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print‘ then right-click in the empty spot and choose ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value‘ from the ‘New’ sub-menu.

• To confirm, rename the DWORD value to ‘RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled’ and hit the ‘Enter’ key.
• Choose ‘Modify’ from the choices when right-clicking the newly formed DWORD value.
• Make sure the Value data is set to ‘0’ in the Edit box, then click the ‘OK’ button. Close the Registry Editor at the end.
• In the taskbar search box, type services and then click ‘Services’ in the search results.
• Locate and right-click the ‘Print Spooler’ service in the list of Services, then select ‘Restart’ from the menu.
• Allow the Print Spooler service to restart before proceeding. Close the Services window at the end.
• After restarting the computer, go to the instructions listed below.

From the Client Side:

These instructions should be followed on the computer where you are attempting to connect to the printer but are receiving the error ‘Windows cannot connect to the printer.’ Problem with Error 0x0000011B:

• In the taskbar search box, type ‘control’ and pick ‘Control Panel’ from the results.
• Click the ‘Programs and Features’ option in the Control Panel box.
• Click the ‘View installed updates link on the Programs and Features page.
• Choose the Windows update that was recently installed from the list of installed Windows Updates and click the ‘Uninstall’ option.
• To enable the removal of the selected update, click the ‘Yes’ option.
• Allow time for the Windows Update to be removed.
• To implement the changes, click the ‘Restart Now’ option.
• Go to the Network page and double-click the printer link to connect with the printer when the computer has successfully restarted.
• Wait for the computer’s printer installation to finish.
• The print queue window is now visible.

That’s all there is to it; you’ve resolved the “Windows cannot connect to the printer” issue. Error: “In network, the operation failed with error 0x0000011B.”

Uninstall Recent Windows Updates

If you’re getting error number 0x0000011b after applying the latest Windows updates, try uninstalling them and seeing if that helps. Uninstalling KBKB5005565 and KB5005568 addressed the problem for many Windows 11 users.

• Start up the Control Panel.
• Select Uninstall an application from the drop-down menu.
• Then select View installed updates from the drop-down menu.
• Select the most recent updates and click Uninstall.

You may also use Command Prompt to uninstall any previously installed Windows updates.

• Select the Search icon from the drop-down menu.
• In the search field, type cmd.
• Launch Command Prompt as an administrator by right-clicking on it.
• Then type wusa /uninstall /kb: at the command prompt. After the colon, type the KB number.
• Run the wusa /remove /kb:KB5004567 command line, for example, to uninstall KB5004567.

Check whether your computer can communicate to your printer after you’ve uninstalled the updates. Install your printer using its IP address if error 0x0000011b continues.

You might wish to turn off auto-updates for the time being. When you restart your computer, Windows will download and install the newest updates, which will cause issue 0x0000011b to occur once more.

Disable Print Spooler RPC Encryption

The print spooler privacy settings on both the Client and Print Server should be disabled to repair problem number 0x0000011b, according to Microsoft.

Windows automatically encrypts RPC connection with network printers and print servers when the RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled Registry value is set to 1.

• To remove error code 0x0000011b, disable this setting.
• To begin, open the Registry Editor.
• HKEY LOCAL MACHINESystemCurrentControlSetControlPrint is the location to look for.
• Select New DWORD-32 bit Value from the right-click menu on the Print key.
• RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled is the name of the new key.
• Set the value of the new key to 0 by double-clicking on it (zero).
• Check to see whether your computer connects to your printer after restarting it.

Manually Add Printer using IP Address

• Go to the Settings menu.
• Bluetooth and Devices should be selected.
• Printers and Scanners may be found at the bottom of the page.
• Then, click the Add device button to add a printer or scanner.
• The link that states the printer you wish to add isn’t on the list should be clicked.
• To add a printer using a TCP/IP or hostname, go to Add a printer using a TCP/IP or hostname.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to manually enter the IP address of the printer.
• To connect your computer to your printer, select Next.
• Print a test sheet to see if your printer is working properly.

Conclusion

Error 0x0000011B is a very common printer error. It occurs because of network updates. Occasionally, you will encounter this error during a printing operation with a network-shared printer. It can be resolved immediately. Follow the straightforward solutions outlined in this post.

Uninstall any recently installed updates, notably KBKB5005565 and KB5005568, to repair problem number 0x0000011b while printing on Windows 11. Then, using the printer’s IP address, manually add it. Disable Print Spooler RPC encryption if the issue continues. Also, to repair the printer’s driver, try installing Windows Update.

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