How to Check Print History in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Do you ever wonder who printed what or when a document was printed on your Windows 11 PC? Whether you’re managing a home printer or overseeing office printing activities, checking your print history in Windows 11 can save you time and prevent unnecessary waste.

Unfortunately, Windows 11 doesn’t show print history by default — but with a few simple settings and tools, you can enable it, track it, and even view detailed print job logs.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to check print history in Windows 11 step-by-step, including how to:
✅ Enable print logging in Windows 11
✅ View print history from Event Viewer and Print Queue
✅ Use third-party tools for advanced tracking
✅ Troubleshoot if the print history isn’t showing

Why Check Print History in Windows 11?

There are several reasons you might want to check your print history on Windows 11:

• 🧾 Monitor Printing Activity: Keep track of what’s being printed, especially in a shared office or home network.

• 💰 Control Printing Costs: Prevent unnecessary or duplicate prints that waste paper and ink.

• 🔍 Recover Lost Documents: Find out what documents were printed recently if you’ve lost the file.

• 🔒 Ensure Data Security: Detect unauthorized print jobs that could indicate security risks.

Windows 11 doesn’t keep permanent records of printed documents automatically — so to view or manage print history, you’ll need to turn on print logging manually.

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⚙️ How Windows 11 Handles Print History

By default, Windows 11 keeps only temporary print job information — meaning once a document finishes printing, its record disappears.

However, Windows has built-in tools that let you enable print history and view logs anytime you want. The main tools include:

Let’s go step by step on how to turn this feature on.

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🛠️ How to Enable Print History in Windows 11

Before you can check your print history, you need to enable print job logging. There are two ways to do this:

### 1. Enable Print Logging in the Print Queue

Here’s how:

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type control printers and press Enter.

3. Right-click your printer and choose Printer Properties.

4. Go to the Advanced tab.

5. Check the box next to Keep printed documents.

6. Click Apply, then OK.

✅ What this does:
It allows Windows to keep a record of completed print jobs, which you can view later in the Print Queue.

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2. Enable Print History via Event Viewer

For a more detailed, permanent record, use the Event Viewer:

1. Press Windows + S, type Event Viewer, and open it.

2. In the left pane, navigate to:

   Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → PrintService → Operational


3. Right-click Operational and select Enable Log.

✅ What this does:
Windows will now start saving all print job events — including when they start, complete, or fail — in the Event Viewer.

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🔍 How to View Print History in Windows 11

Once logging is enabled, you can view print history through various methods.

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1. View Print History in Event Viewer

Here’s how to check print logs:

1. Press Windows + S, type Event Viewer, and open it.

2. Navigate to:

   Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → PrintService → Operational


3. On the right-hand side, you’ll see a list of print events.

You can sort or filter these logs by:

• Date and Time

• Document Name

• User Name

• Printer Name

• Status (Printed, Failed, or Canceled)

💡 Tip: Double-click an event to view more details about the print job — including the file name, printer used, and timestamp.

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2. Check Recent Print Jobs from the Print Queue

This method shows your most recent print tasks.

1. Press Windows + R, type control printers, and hit Enter.

2. Right-click your printer and choose See what’s printing.

3. You’ll see a list of documents waiting or recently printed.

If you enabled “Keep printed documents,” completed jobs will remain visible until you delete them manually.

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3. View Completed Print Jobs in Printer Properties

To view completed jobs:

1. Open Control Panel → Devices and Printers.

2. Right-click your printer → Printer Properties.

3. Go to the Advanced tab and ensure Keep printed documents is checked.

4. Now, open the See what’s printing window — you’ll see past print jobs listed.

You can even print the same document again by right-clicking it and choosing Restart.

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🧰 Using Third-Party Tools to Track Print History

If you want more detailed reports, there are excellent third-party utilities to help manage print logs.

Here are some top picks:

💡 Tip: These tools are ideal for office environments or shared PCs where tracking printing activity is essential.

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🧹 How to Clear Print History in Windows 11

If your print log becomes cluttered or you want to maintain privacy, you can clear the print history.

Method 1: Clear Print Queue

1. Open Run (Windows + R) → type services.msc → hit Enter.

2. Scroll to Print Spooler, right-click it → select Stop.

3. Navigate to:

   C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS


4. Delete all files in this folder.

5. Return to Services and Start the Print Spooler again.

Method 2: Clear Event Viewer Logs

1. Open Event Viewer.

2. Go to:

   Applications and Services Logs → Microsoft → Windows → PrintService → Operational


3. Right-click Operational → select Clear Log → confirm.

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🧩 Common Problems and Fixes

Here are some common issues users face when checking print history — and how to fix them:

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🗂️ Summary of Key Steps

✅ Once these are enabled, you’ll always have access to past print jobs — even after a reboot.

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🏁 Conclusion

Checking print history in Windows 11 is simple once you know where to look. By enabling print logging in Printer Properties or through Event Viewer, you can easily track every document printed from your device.

Whether you’re monitoring office printers, verifying completed jobs, or troubleshooting failed prints, this guide gives you all the tools you need to stay in control.

Keep your print logs organized, review them regularly, and clear them when necessary — and you’ll never have to wonder, “What did I print last week?” again.

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❓ FAQs

1. Does Windows 11 automatically save print history?

No. By default, Windows 11 doesn’t keep print history. You must enable “Keep printed documents” or Event Viewer logging to save records.

2. How can I see who printed a document on a shared printer?

Enable print logging in Event Viewer. Each log entry includes the username of the person who initiated the print job.

3. Can I recover deleted print history?

Once logs or history are deleted, they cannot be recovered unless backed up by third-party software.

4. How do I disable print logging again?

In Event Viewer, right-click the Operational log under PrintService and select Disable Log.

5. Is there a way to export print history?

Yes. In Event Viewer, right-click the log and select Save All Events As… to export the data as an .evtx file for analysis or backup.

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✅ Key Takeaway:
To check print history in Windows 11, enable logging via Printer Properties or Event Viewer, then view logs anytime to monitor what’s being printed, by whom, and when. Perfect for both home users and office administrators who want to stay informed and efficient.