Epson is a renowned brand that produces high-quality printers known for their durability and excellent print performance. However, sometimes users may face issues with outdated or incompatible Epson printer drivers that could be causing problems such as slow printing, connection issues, or conflicts with other software. In such cases, it's important to remove old Epson printer drivers completely before installing a new one. This ensures that the system is clean and that the new driver can be installed without any conflicts.
In this guide, we will explain how to remove old Epson printer drivers completely, ensuring that no remnants of the old driver are left behind. Whether you’re upgrading your printer model, troubleshooting issues, or simply cleaning up your system, this process will help keep your computer’s print environment fresh and optimized.
Why Should You Remove Old Epson Printer Drivers?
Before diving into the steps to remove old Epson printer drivers, it’s important to understand why this is necessary:
Resolve Printer Issues: Sometimes, outdated drivers can cause issues like printing errors, slow performance, or even a complete inability to print. Removing old drivers ensures that any corrupted or conflicting files are cleared out.
Free Up Space: Old drivers take up valuable space on your computer. By removing unused drivers, you can free up storage and improve system performance.
Prevent Conflicts: Having multiple versions of drivers installed can lead to conflicts, where the printer fails to recognize the new driver or misbehaves during printing. Cleanly removing old drivers prevents this issue.
Prepare for New Driver Installation: If you're upgrading to a new printer or reinstalling the driver for your current printer, removing the old driver ensures that you can install the new one without interference.
Now, let’s walk through the steps on how to remove old Epson printer drivers completely from your Windows computer.
How to Remove Old Epson Printer Driver Completely on Windows?
Step 1: Uninstall the Epson Printer Driver from Devices and Printers
Open Control Panel:
Click on the Start menu and search for Control Panel. Open it from the search results.
Navigate to Devices and Printers:
In the Control Panel, go to Devices and Printers. Here, you will see all the printers connected to your computer.
Remove the Printer:
Find your Epson printer in the list. Right-click on the printer and select Remove Device. This will remove the printer from your system.
Confirm Removal:
Confirm that you want to remove the printer. The printer will now be removed from your list of devices.
Step 2: Uninstall Epson Printer Driver via Programs and Features
Go to Programs and Features:
In the Control Panel, go to Programs > Programs and Features. Here you will find a list of all installed programs and drivers.
Find the Epson Printer Driver:
Scroll through the list of programs and look for the Epson printer driver (it may be named something like Epson Printer Driver or the specific model name of your printer).
Uninstall the Driver:
Right-click on the Epson printer driver and select Uninstall. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation.
Restart Your Computer:
After the uninstallation process is complete, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.
Step 3: Remove Leftover Epson Printer Files (Optional)
Open the File Explorer:
Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
Navigate to the Printer Drivers Folder:
In File Explorer, go to the following directory:
C:\Windows\System32\spool\drivers.
In this folder, you may find leftover files related to the Epson printer driver.
Delete Epson Printer Files:
Look for any folders or files with the Epson name or related to the model of your printer. Right-click and delete any remaining Epson-related files.
Clear Print Spooler:
Sometimes, print spooler files can cause issues. To clear them, press Windows + R to open the Run dialog, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
Scroll down and find Print Spooler, right-click on it, and select Stop. Then, go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete any remaining print jobs.
After clearing the folder, go back to Services and right-click on Print Spooler again, selecting Start.
Step 4: Use the Printer Cleanup Utility (Optional)
Epson provides a utility tool called the Epson Printer Driver Removal Tool, which is designed to help remove all Epson-related printer drivers and files from your system. If you are having trouble manually removing the driver, this tool can help.
Download the Epson Printer Driver Removal Tool:
Go to the official Epson support website and search for the Printer Driver Removal Tool.
Install the Utility:
Download and install the utility on your computer.
Run the Removal Tool:
Open the Epson Printer Driver Removal Tool and follow the instructions to remove any remaining Epson drivers and files.
Restart Your Computer:
Once the tool has finished removing the printer drivers, restart your computer to ensure everything is fully cleared.
Step 5: Check Device Manager for Any Remaining Epson Drivers
Open Device Manager:
Right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager.
Expand the Printers Section:
In Device Manager, expand the Printers section and check if any Epson drivers are still listed.
Uninstall Any Remaining Epson Drivers:
If you see any Epson drivers still listed, right-click on them and select Uninstall device. Confirm the uninstallation.
Restart Your Computer:
After removing any remaining drivers, restart your computer to finalize the removal process.
Step 6: Check for Any Epson Software
In addition to the printer driver, Epson printers often come with additional software for scanning, maintenance, or management purposes. To fully remove all Epson-related software:
Go to Programs and Features:
Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features.
Uninstall Epson Software:
Look for any additional Epson software in the list (such as Epson Scan, Epson Easy Photo Print, or Epson Printer Utility), right-click, and select Uninstall.
Follow the On-Screen Instructions:
Uninstall each Epson-related software by following the prompts. Restart your computer after completing the uninstallation.
How to Remove Old Epson Printer Driver Completely on macOS?
If you are using a Mac, the process to remove old Epson printer drivers is slightly different but still straightforward.
Step 1: Remove Epson Printer from Printers & Scanners
Go to System Preferences:
Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.
Navigate to Printers & Scanners:
In System Preferences, click on Printers & Scanners.
Remove the Printer:
Select your Epson printer from the list and click the minus (-) button to remove it.
Step 2: Uninstall Epson Printer Drivers
Open the Applications Folder:
Go to your Applications folder and look for any Epson printer utilities or software.
Remove Epson Software:
Drag any Epson-related software (such as Epson Scan, Epson Easy Photo Print, etc.) to the Trash.
Delete Epson Printer Drivers:
In Finder, go to the following directory:
/Library/Printers/Epson.
Delete any remaining Epson printer driver files.
Empty the Trash:
After deleting the files, right-click on the Trash icon in the Dock and select Empty Trash to completely remove the Epson printer driver and software.
Step 3: Restart Your Mac
After removing the drivers and software, restart your Mac to complete the uninstallation process.
Conclusion
Removing old Epson printer drivers completely from your system is an essential step when troubleshooting printing issues, preparing for a new printer installation, or simply cleaning up your computer. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that all remnants of old drivers and software are completely removed, leaving your system ready for the installation of new drivers or software.