Canon Printer Filter Failed? – (Proven Solutions)

Have you ever tried printing and your Canon printer filter failed? You’ve come to the right guide!

What does filter failed mean on Canon printer? This error occurs when your printer drivers or computer’s system cannot process the data correctly, especially if the printer’s software has bugs or glitches. 

To fix the Canon printer filter failed error on your computer, you need to connect your printer properly. You can also remove the printer from your computer’s device and add it again.

Let’s start fixing this error!

How to Fix Filter Failed on Canon Printer – 8 Quick Solutions

In this guide, we’ll show you the different solutions to fix the filter failed Canon printer error. We’ve arranged these from the easiest to the most complex for an efficient fix.

#1: Verify Your Paper Size Settings Before Printing

One of the easier fixes to fix the Canon printer filter failed problem is to check your paper size settings before printing.

If the paper size you selected in your print dialog does not match the paper it detects on the tray, your printer driver will fail to process the data correctly.

To verify your paper size settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the document you want to print.
2. Go to File, then the Print option.
3. In the print dialog box, click on Show Details.
4. Look for the Paper Size section or drop-down.
5. Check if the option selected matches the paper in the tray.
6. Click Print once you’re ready.

Note: If the paper size is incorrect, you must click on the drop-down menu and choose your print size.

#2: Plug on a Different USB Port if Your Canon Printer Filter Failed

A faulty or incompatible USB port will cause the printer filter failed error to appear.

This happens when the port you’re using to connect your printer to the computer is not working correctly or does not support your printer.

If other USB ports are available, you want to check if moving your printer resolves the issue.

1. Switch off your printer.
2. Disconnect it from your computer’s USB port.
3. Locate a different USB port on your computer.
4. Plug your printer into the new port.
5. Turn your printer On.
6. Wait for your computer to recognize your printer.

Pro Tip: We recommend connecting your printer to a USB port connected directly to the motherboard rather than a hub or an extension.

#3: Remove and Add Your Printer to Your Computer

If changing USB ports does not resolve the issue, the problem lies with your printer settings or preferences.

Some of these will get corrupted or go missing, which causes them to malfunction. You want to reset these settings, and the quickest way to do that is to remove your printer.

Follow these steps to remove your printer on your Windows computer:

1. Open your computer’s Settings, then Devices.
2. Go to Printers and Scanners.
3. Find your Canon printer from the list and select it.
4. Click on Remove Device.
5. Wait for it to be removed from your system.
6. Select the Add a printer or scanner option.
7. Your computer will scan for connected devices.
8. Click on your Canon printer to add it.

Follow these steps for Mac:

1. Go to the Apple menu, then System Preferences.
2. Select Printers and Scanners.
3. Find your Canon printer from the list.
4. Click the minus (-) button at the bottom to remove your printer.
5. Wait for your computer to remove it.
6. Click the plus (+) button.
7. Select your Canon printer to add it.

After removing and adding your printer, you want to print again to check if the issue is resolved. If not, try the workaround below.

#4: Save Your PDF Files as TIFF Before Printing

One workaround that works if you’re experiencing this issue is when you’re printing a PDF file.

There are compatibility issues between the format and your driver, which prevents it from printing your file.

You’ll need to change the file format to TIFF to avoid this, as most printers support it.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Open the PDF file you want to print and change file formats.
2. Go to File, then select Print.
3. Click the PDF drop-down menu in the print dialog and choose Open PDF in Preview.
4. On the Preview app, choose File, then Save As.
5. In the Save As dialog, choose TIFF as the new format.
6. Type the name of the file and click Save.

After changing the file format, you need to open the new TIFF file and print it. Make sure that you adjust any other settings for a clear print.

Tip: At this point, we’re entering advanced solutions territory, so make sure you follow the steps carefully.

#5: Remove Your Old Printer Drivers

If your printer drivers become outdated or corrupted, it will cause your machine to malfunction.

Using incompatible drivers will cause this, so you want to ensure you’re using the latest ones made for your printer. 

You want to remove your old drivers completely before installing the latest ones to fix this.

Here’s how you do it:

For Windows:

1. Go to your computer’s Control Panel.
2. Click on Programs and Features.
3. Select the Canon printer driver you want to remove.
4. Click on the Uninstall option.

You will need to find programs related to your printer and uninstall them. To do this, you want to uninstall all apps that start with “Canon” to ensure they won’t have any saved configurations when you reinstall the driver.

For Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu, then System Preferences.
2. Go to Printer and Scanners.
3. Click your Canon printer from the list.
4. Select the minus (-) button to uninstall your printer.
5. Restart your computer and print again.

Tip: We recommend restarting your computer after successfully uninstalling your printer driver.

#6: Delete Residual Files and Folders from your System

Sometimes, even after uninstalling the drivers, you won’t be able to remove all of them completely.

Some files and folders will still affect your printer whenever you reinstall your drivers. To cover this, you want to remove any residual files left in your system.

Follow these steps for Windows to remove these residual files:

1. Open File Explorer on your computer.
2. Click on This PC.
3. Go to the search box in the top right corner.
4. Type “Canon” and press Enter.
5. Wait for your computer to search all files that have Canon in them.
6. Select all the files and folders, and press Delete on your keyboard.

Note: We recommend emptying your Recycle Bin to delete these files and folders permanently.

For Mac:

1. Open the Finder app on your computer.
2. Select Go, then Go to Folder.
3. Type /Library/Printers in the dialog and click Go.
4. Find the folder named Canon, and drag it to Trash.
5. Do this for /Library/Caches, /Library/Preferences, and /Library/Application Support.

There are times when Administrator permission will be required for you to delete files, simply grant it or enter your password.

#7: Install the Latest Drivers for Your Canon Printer

After removing outdated or corrupted drivers, you also want to replace them with the latest ones.

This ensures that your printer communicates with your computer properly whenever there’s a print job. Get and install the latest drivers to get your printer to work without issues.

For Windows:

1. Go to the Canon’s Support website at usa.canon.com/support.
2. Type your printer model in the search box, and press Enter.
3. Click on Software and Drivers.
4. On the Type drop-down, choose Drivers.
5. Click Download on the latest driver for your printer.
6. Open the downloaded file and install the printer.

For Mac:

1. Visit the Canon Support website at usa.canon.com/support.
2. Type your printer model in the search box.
3. Click Software and Drivers.
4. Choose Drivers on the drop-down menu.
5. Find the latest CUPS Printer Driver for your model.
6. Click the Download button.
7. Open the file to install the printer.

The Canon Support website automatically identifies your computer’s operating system to provide the appropriate options.

If you’re using a Windows computer, you won’t see the drivers for Mac and vice versa.

#8: Reset the Printing System on Your Computer

If none of the above solutions work, you will need to reset the printing system of your computer.

Doing this will delete all your printers with their settings and preferences. This will allow you to set them up again from scratch.

Here’s how you do it for Windows:

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R.
2. Type services.msc.
3. Scroll down and find the Print Spooler service.
4. Right-click on it and select Stop.
5. Wait for 30 seconds.
6. Right-click on it again and select Start.

For Mac:

1. Click the Apple menu, then System Preferences.
2. Go to Printers and Scanners.
3. Right-click on any printer or scanner icon.
4. Choose Reset Printing System.
5. Click OK to confirm.

Tip: Ensure your account has administrator privileges, or enter your admin password.

If none of these solutions resolve your issue, you’re likely dealing with a more technical problem that needs more advanced steps. Contact Canon Support so their team can help you fix this error.

Quick Recap

The Canon printer filter failed error indicates an issue with your settings or drivers, and it’s unable to print successfully. Check if you’re using the latest drivers or remove any residual files and folders of your old drivers to avoid incompatibility issues. 

If you’re looking for more Canon troubleshooting guides, visit our blog!

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