Printers start speaking in tongues after Windows 11 update

Has your printer suddenly started spouting gibberish? A faulty Windows 11 23H2 update from Microsoft - rather than a ghost in the machine - could be the cause.

The update in question is KB5050092, a preview released at the end of January.

There were several known issues with this update, including problems with some Citrix software, but making USB printers speak in tongue is a new one.

According to Microsoft, the glitch can affect USB-connected dual-mode printers that support both USB Print and IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) over USB protocols.

Microsoft said: "You might observe that the printer unexpectedly prints random text and data, including network commands and unusual characters. As a result of this issue, the printed text often starts with the header 'POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.1' followed by other IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) related headers."

It's a peek behind the curtains of how printing protocols and drivers work that manufacturers might prefer users not to see.

"This issue tends to occur more often when the printer is either powered on or reconnected to the device after being disconnected," Microsoft added.

The problem happens when the printer driver is installed on the user's Windows device. The print spooler mistakenly sends some IPP protocol messages to the printer, which are then printed as unexpected text.

Considering how much printer consumables cost nowadays, and the antipathy some major printer makers feel toward both customers and third-party consumable manufacturers, users understandably don't want to waste precious ink or toner by printing nonsense.

Microsoft said: "This issue is mitigated using Known Issue Rollback (KIR)." IT administrators can also use a special Group Policy to deploy a KIR.

As for a longer-term fix, Microsoft said: "We are working on a final resolution that will be part of a future Windows update." ®