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HP Smart Tank 7301 Printer Driver Not Working?

HP Smart Tank 7301 Printer Driver Not Working?

When your HP Smart Tank 7301 doesn't print, appears offline, or does not react to a command to print stamps or documents logical issues repeated problems appear due to driver's network connection.

Although these problems can be aggravating, they most often boil down to a very straightforward solution.

This exhaustive guide varies from some straightforward checks to more complex driver fixes so that your HP Smart Tank 7301 runs smoothly once more. It doesn't matter whether you are on Windows, macOS or connected wireless; this guide will help you have the hardware problems step by step.

What To Do If HP Smart Tank 7301 Not Printing

Prior to delving into the solutions, you need to simply realize the causes of printing problems. The most common reasons include:

✅ Damaged or obsolete printer driver — This is the software that allows your computer to communicate with the printer.

✅ Print queue that is stuck – A print job that has been queued can prevent all other documents from printing.

✅ Network connectivity issues — If the printer and computer are not connected to same Wi-Fi network, it fails printing.

✅ Wrong printer settings: The wrong default printer or port is selected.

✅ Stopped Print Spooler service (Windows only): Print jobs are managed by this service so if it crashes, printing stops.

✅ Hardware or ink problems - No blame, no paper jam, or defect printhead, everything can create challenges in print.

✅ Non-Working Printer Driver After Windows/macOS Updates – At times updates for operating system create a hindrance in the working of the printer.

Technician Insight:

If HP smart app detects the printer but Windows/macOS is unable to print, there can be driver issue. If the app cannot find your printer at all, go to network troubleshooting first.

Read More: Install HP DeskJet 4255e Printer on a New Computer

Step 1: Fundamental Checks Before Troubleshooting the Driver

These are a few quick checks that you should conduct prior to reinstalling the driver, to dismiss easy problems.

1. Verify the Printer’s Physical Status

  • Is the printer powered on? Look for any lights or error messages.
  • Are there any paper jams? Open the printer and remove jammed paper.
  • Are the ink tanks full? Low ink can prevent printing.
  • Is the printer in sleep mode? Use the power button to wake it up.

2. Quickly restart your printer, computer, and router.

Temporary glitches can be solved with a simple power cycle:

  • Switch off the printer and disconnect from power for a minute.
  • Restart your computer.
  • Reboot your Wi-Fi Router( Wireless).
  • Connect the printer back and power it up.
  • Let it initialize for sometime ( 1-2 min )

Why this works:

Restart is going to erase any temporary memory issues and reconnect the network connections.

3. Verify the Connection (Wi-Fi or USB)

For Wireless Printing:

  • Is the printer and computer on the same Wi-Fi- network? (Check in HP Smart app or printerSettings.
  • Is the Wi-Fi signal strong? If necessary, you can move the printer farther off from the router.
  • Has the Wi-Fi password recently changed? If so, reconnect the printer.
  • Is a VPN active? Temporarily disable it, because it may be blocking your local printing.

For USB Printing:

  • Is the USB cable is connected correctly? Try a different port.
  • Is the cable damaged? Test with a new USB cable.
  • What setting is detected in Device Manager (Windows) or System Report (Mac)?

Technician Tip:

The first piece of information you can take from it is that if it works via USB but not Wifi, the problem lies in the network. If it also doesn't work with USB, then the driver or hardware is likely the issue."

Step 2: Clear the Print Queue(If you have stuck jobs in your print queue this can prevent printing.)

The most common reason for failure printing license is a stuck print job. A corrupted document in the queue may stop new jobs printing regardless of whether or not the driver is functional.

If you always use a computer with Windows, this article may help you.

  1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners
  2. Click on your HP Smart Tank 7301.
  3. Click Open print queue.
  4. Canceling All Pending Documents (right-click → Cancel)
  5. The worthy printer menu data available to you is:
    • "Pause Printing" is unchecked.
    • "Use Printer Offline" is unchecked.
  6. You can reboot the system and attempt to print again.

If the queue won’t clear:

  1. Disable the Print Spooler service (Gateway); not explained in Step 4.
  2. Now manually delete the stuck ones from C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
  3. Restart Print Spooler and try printing its.

List of Contents:How to Flush the Print Queue on macOS

  1. Head to System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
  2. Select your HP printer.
  3. Click Open Print Queue.
  4. Delete all pending jobs.
  5. Reboot the Mac and see if printing works again.

If the queue is frozen:

  • Delete a printer from Printers & Scanners
  • Reinsert and try printing.

Step 3: Restart the Windows Print Spooler (An Error Occurred)

The Print Spooler, which is a Windows service that orderly prints jobs. It can appear as offline or not responding if it crashed.

Restarting the Print Spooler

  1. Press Windows + R, enter services. msc, and press Enter.
  2. Scroll down the list: locate Print Spooler
  3. Right-click → Restart.
  4. Try printing again.

How to Clear Print Spooler Manually (If Restart Fails)

  1. If the Print spooler is running, then you need to Stop it (Right Click → Stop).
  2. Open File Explorer and go to:

C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS

  1. Remove every files from this folder (not the folder).
  2. Restart the Print Spooler (Right Click → Start)
  3. After Setup finished — Restart your PC and try printing.

Technician Note:

"If Print Spooler keeps crashing, wait we have record of 1 print job which may corrupted Print case. This problem can usually be resolved by clearing the spooler folder.

Step 4: Uninstall HP Smart tank 7301 driver and Try Again

If clear the queue and restarting spooler does not make your printer work, probably it is a corrupted driver. The most effective solution is to make a clean reinstallation.

Download the Right Driver

⚠️ Always download from HP official site (not 3rd party sites).

  1. Go to HP Support.
  2. Search for HP Smart Tank 7301
  3. Select your operating system (Windows/macOS).
  4. Download the complete software suite (not just the base driver).

Why the full package?

  • Scan, maintenance tools and advanced settings
  • It helps communicate the printer with computer properly.

Delete the Old Driver

On Windows:

  1. Go to Settings →Apps→Installed apps
  2.  Find the The HP Smart Tank 7301 utility and uninstall
  3. Go to Devices and Printers (Control Panel)
  4. Remove the HP printer from your system: A) Right-click the HP printer.
  5. Restart your computer.

On macOS:

  1. Go to system settings → Printers & Scanners
  2. Open it again and select HP printer → Click Remove Printer.
  3. Open Applications and delete HP software.
  4. Restart your Mac.

Update the New Driver

  1. Run the downloaded HP installer.
  2. Follow the on-screen instructions.
  3. Select either Wireless or USB based on your connection.
  4. Allow the installer to search for the printer.
  5. Finish up the installation and reboot your machine.
  6. Confirm it works by printing a test page.

Technician Tip:

Choose a USB connection at first, then if the installer cannot find your printer switch to Wi-fi.

Step 5: Fix “Printer Offline” or “Not Responding Error”

The printer is showing as "offline" after you reinstall the driver? Verify this settings:

On Windows:

  1. Open Control Panel → Devices and Printers
  2. Right-click the HP printer → click Printer properties
  3. Go to the Ports tab.
  4. Make sure the proper port is selected (usually WSD or TCP/IP for wireless).
  5. Disable "Enable bidirectional support" (unless printing is already unsuccessful).
  6. Select the printer and set as default (right click → Set Default Printer).

On macOS:

  1. Go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners.
  2. Choose the HP printer → Options & Supplies.
  3. To see whether you have chosen the right model, go to the driver tab.
  4. If necessary, remove and re-add the printer.

Why this happens:

  • Windows/macOS could be submitting print jobs to the wrong port.
  • Switch to printer offline whenever there is a network change (new router, IP update).

Step 6: Fix Wi-Fi and Network Issues

The network probably caused an issue if the printer cannot be found by the HP Smart app.

1. Reconnect the Printer to Wi-Fi

  • Open the HP Smart app.
  • Click on Print Settings -> Wireless Setup Wizard.
  • Choose your Wi-Fi network and input the password.
  • It might take 1-2 minutes for the printer to connect, so wait until it connects.

2. Check Router Settings

  • Are you running the printer over the same network as your PC?
  • Is "Client Isolation" enabled? (Disables device-to-device communication.)
  • Does the Wi-Fi band (2.4GHz vs 5GHz) become problematic? (Note: Some printers also only work at 2.4GHz.)
  • Did the IP range of the router change? (Printer might require a fixed IP.)

3. Reset the Printer’s Network Settings

  • Head over to the printer control panel.
  • Go to Network Settings → Reset the Network Options.
  • Reconnect to wi-fi using HP Smart app

Technician Note:

“If the printer connects but does not print, ensure that firewall or antivirus is not blocking it”

Step 7: Test Print from Various Applications

Reinstall the driver and try printing from multiple apps to ensure that it is not an app-specific issue.

Recommended Test Pages:

✔ Page de test Windows (Propriétés → Imprimer une page de test)

✔ Notepad/TextEdit (Simple text file)

✔ PDF Reader (for readers like Adobe Acrobat or Preview)

✔ Microsoft Word/Excel

✔ Web browser (Chrome, Edge, Safari)

If printing works in some apps, but not others:

  • The print settings in the app are not properly set up.
  • The document may be corrupted.
  • Adjust printer preferences (paper size, quality)

Step 8: Troubleshoot for Ink, Paper and Hardware Error

If the printer appears to take jobs but no printing occurs, the issue might be hardware based.

1. Verify Ink Levels

  • Open HP Smart app → Ink Levels.
  • If your printer is running low, you refill the ink tanks.
  • Perform an ink system reset (if supported in printer settings)

2. Check for Paper Jams

  • Make sure all printer doors are open, and remove any paper that has become jams.
  • Set paper correctly (not curled or wrinkled).

3. Run a Printhead Cleaning Cycle

  • Open the HP Smart app.
  • Navigate to Printer Maintenance → Clean Printhead.
  • Execute the cleaning cycle (taking few minutes)
  • Test print a page to check the quality.

If the printhead is clogged:

  • It requires some manual cleaning (with a lint-free cloth and distilled water).
  • If those don’t work, replace the printhead.

When to Contact HP Support

If all steps above fail, it may be a hardware issue. Contact HP Support if:

❌ Printer displays an error code for a long time such as 0x6100004a

❌ Printhead is damaged (faded print, missing colors).

❌ Printer makes odd noises (grinding, clicking)

❌ The ink system is not recognized or leaking

❌ After several attempts the printer will not turn on

Before calling support:

✔ Take note of the specific error message

✔ Write down the steps you have taken.

✔ Verify warranty status (as appropriate).

FAQs

1. HP Smart Tank 7301 installed drivers not printing?

The most common reasons are:

  • A stuck print queue.
  • Port set incorrectly in windows for the printer.
  • A corrupted driver installation.
  • Network mismatch (printer and computer are connected on different Wi-Fi networks).

Resolve: Empty the queue, reinstall driver and verify connection.

2. Conclusion How to resolve HP Smart Tank 7301 offline errors?

Possible causes:

  • It is not connected to the same Wi-Fi that my printer will be on.
  • [Windows] The Print Spooler service is stopped.
  • Printer IP Address changed (network issue)
  • The driver is outdated or not working correctly.

Fix:

  • Reconnect the printer to Wi-Fi.
  • Restart the Print Spooler (Windows).
  • Define a static IP to the printer.
  • Reinstall the driver.

3. HP Smart Tank 7301 Printing says Not Responding in Windows.?

This usually means:

  • The printer is in sleep mode.
  • The print queue is stuck.
  • The driver not talking well,
  • The USB/Wi-Fi connection is unstable.

Fix:

  • First wake the printer, long press the power button
  • Clear the print queue.
  • Restart the Print Spooler (Windows).
  • Reinstall the driver.

4. How to update HP Smart Tank 7301 Driver?

  • Go to HP Support.
  • HP Smart Tank 7301 Find
  • Comes with OS-compatible – just get latest Driver.
  • Uninstall older driver via Settings → Apps)
  • Now reinstall again the added driver and restart your pc.
  • Alternative: All to update automatically with HP Smart app.

5. Troubleshooting HP Smart Tank 7301 not printing document issue?

Possible causes:

  • Low or empty ink tanks.
  • Clogged printhead.
  • Incorrect paper type selected.
  • Driver or software issue.

Fix:

  • Check ink levels (refill when necessary).
  • Run a printhead cleaning cycle.
  • Choose Correct Paper Type From Print Settings
  • Reinstall the driver.

6. How To Connect HP Smart Tank 7301 Or HP Smart Tank All-in-One Printer With Wi-Fi?

  • Open the HP Smart app.
  • Select Wireless Setup Wizard under Printer Settings
  • Select your Wifi network and enter its password.
  • Hang on as the connecting printer now wait 1 to 2minutes for printer connection.

If it fails:

  • Restart the router and printer.
  • Move the printer closer to router
  • Check Wi-Fi interference (microwaves, cordless phones)

7. How to Fix HP Smart Tank 7301 Scan Not Working Issue?

Possible causes:

  • Scanner driver is missing.
  • USB/Wi-Fi connection issue.

Troubleshooting Error: HP Smart app unable to find scanner

Fix:

  • Step 2: Pinpoint Driver Updater ToolRemove all HP software (the entire suite contains scanner drivers)
  • Physical Connection Verification (i.e Wi-Fi or USB)
  • Restart the printer and computer.
  • Use a different scanner app (Windows Scan, macOS Image Capture).

8. Why my HP Smart Tank 7301 Disconnecting form Wi-Fi?

Possible causes:

  • Weak Wi-Fi signal.
  • Setting up any router settings (i.e. client isolation, band steering).
  • Printer firmware needs updating.
  • IP address conflict.

Fix:

  • To move the printer closer to your router.
  • Disable "Client Isolation" in router settings
  • Give your Printer a Static IP
  • Update the printer’s firmware.

9. How to Fix HP Smart Tank 7301 print job stuck issues?

Possible causes:

  • Corrupted print job.
  • Print Spooler service crashed.
  • Driver conflict.

Fix:

  • Cancel all jobs in the printing queue
  • Restart the Print Spooler (Windows).
  • Reinstall the driver.