How to Check Print History in Windows 11: A Detailed Guide

Ever printed an important document and then couldn’t remember if it actually went through? Or maybe you share a printer at work and want to track who printed what? That’s where checking your print history in Windows 11 comes in handy.

By default, Windows doesn’t save every single print job forever—it only shows the current print queue. But don’t worry, you can enable print logging to keep track of all your past print jobs. In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything step by step.

Table of Contents

Why Would You Want to Check Print History?

Before diving in, let’s look at why keeping a print history can be useful:

Track personal usage – See what you’ve printed recently.
Workplace monitoring – Admins can monitor printer usage.
Troubleshooting – Find out if a document was successfully printed or got stuck.
Re-printing files – Easily re-send a lost or failed print job.

Understanding the Print Queue vs. Print History

Print Queue – Shows documents currently waiting to print. Once completed, they disappear.
Print History – A record of past print jobs, but you need to enable it manually in Windows 11.

So if you want a permanent record, you’ll have to turn on logging.

Method 1: View Active Print Queue

If you just want to see what’s being printed right now:

Press Windows + R, type control printers, and hit Enter.
Right-click your active printer and select See what’s printing.
A window will open showing all current and pending print jobs.

👉 But remember: once the job is done, it vanishes unless logging is enabled.

Method 2: Enable Print History in Event Viewer

Windows has a hidden logging feature via the Event Viewer. Here’s how to turn it on:

Steps to Enable Print History

Press Windows + S and search for Event Viewer, then open it.
In the left panel, expand: Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > PrintService
Right-click Operational and select Enable Log.
From now on, Windows will log all print jobs.

How to View Print History in Event Viewer

Go back to PrintService > Operational.
Here, you’ll see a list of past print jobs with details like:
- Document name
- Printer used
- Time and date
- Whether it was successful or failed

This method is great for detailed monitoring.

Method 3: Enable Print Logging in Printer Properties

Some printers let you log jobs directly via their settings.

Steps

Open Control Panel and go to Devices and Printers.
Right-click your printer and select Printer properties.
Look for a Security or Advanced tab (depends on printer model).
Enable Keep printed documents or similar option.

Once enabled, print jobs will remain in the queue until you manually clear them.

Method 4: Use Windows PowerShell for Print History

For advanced users, PowerShell can display print logs.

Command

Press Windows + S, type PowerShell, and run it as admin.
Enter the following command: Get-EventLog -LogName "Microsoft-Windows-PrintService/Operational" | Format-List
This shows detailed print job logs.

Method 5: Use Third-Party Print Logging Software

If you need detailed reports and tracking, third-party software may be the way to go. Some popular tools include:

PaperCut – Great for office environments.
Print Logger – Tracks usage and generates reports.
Printer Guard – Provides advanced monitoring features.

These tools give way more control than Windows’ built-in logs.

Clearing Print History in Windows 11

Maybe you want to clean things up. Here’s how:

Open Event Viewer.
Right-click Operational (under PrintService).
Select Clear Log.
Choose Save and Clear (to back it up) or Clear (to delete).

What to Do If Print History Is Not Working

Sometimes logs don’t show up properly. Try these fixes:

Make sure Operational Logging is enabled in Event Viewer.
Restart the Print Spooler Service:
1. Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Find Print Spooler, right-click, and restart it.
Update your printer drivers from the manufacturer’s website.

Tips for Managing Print History

Turn on logging only if you really need it—it can take up space over time.
Use third-party tools if you share a printer in an office.
Clear logs regularly if privacy is important.

Conclusion

Checking your print history in Windows 11 can save you time, prevent confusion, and help manage shared printers. While the print queue only shows current jobs, enabling Event Viewer logs or using third-party software gives you a full record of past prints. Whether you’re troubleshooting, monitoring usage, or just curious, Windows 11 offers multiple ways to keep track.

FAQs

1. Does Windows 11 automatically save print history?
No, by default it only shows the print queue. You must enable logging in Event Viewer.

2. Can I see who printed a document on a shared printer?
Yes, Event Viewer logs usually show the username of the person who printed it.

3. Will enabling print logging slow down my computer?
Not really. Logs are lightweight, but they can build up over time if not cleared.

4. Can I recover deleted print history?
No, once cleared, the logs are gone unless you backed them up.

5. What’s the easiest way for beginners to check print history?
Enabling logging in Event Viewer is the most straightforward method for most users.