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How to Fix Excel Freezing When Printing to a Konica Minolta Printer
Question details
The user is experiencing application freezes when attempting to print an Excel spreadsheet to an IP-connected Konica Minolta printer.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel, Konica Minolta Printer
- Device & OS
- Windows 11
- Scenario
- Sending a print job from Excel to a Konica Minolta printer connected via an IP address.
- Observed behavior
- Excel becomes completely unresponsive during the print process. Terminating the 'Print driver host' process restores functionality, but standard repairs and reinstallations of Excel do not permanently solve the issue.
Ensure you have administrative privileges on your Windows 11 computer to install new printer drivers, and save any open workbooks to avoid data loss.
Install the Compatible Konica Minolta PCL6 Driver
Updating to a specific driver version resolves compatibility conflicts between Windows 11, Excel, and the Konica Minolta printer.
Often, the default driver or a PostScript driver struggles to interpret Excel's complex spreadsheet formatting over an IP connection, leading to a spooling crash. Switching to the PCL6 CommonDriver fixes this communication error.
Visit the official Konica Minolta support website and download the CommonDriver version 1.0.7.0 (or the newest available version) equipped with the PCL6 driver.
Run the downloaded executable file and follow the on-screen prompts to install the new PCL6 driver on your Windows 11 system.
Go to Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Select your Konica Minolta printer, click 'Printer properties', navigate to the 'Advanced' tab, and select the newly installed PCL6 driver from the dropdown menu.
End the Print Driver Host Process
Use this method to safely unfreeze Excel without losing your unsaved work when a print job crashes.
Export the Workbook to PDF (Workaround)
If you cannot update the drivers immediately, converting the file to a PDF bypasses Excel's direct printing module entirely.
Print Spreadsheets Smoothly with WPS Office
If Microsoft Excel continues to crash due to stubborn printer driver conflicts, switching to WPS Office can bypass the issue. WPS Spreadsheet offers a highly compatible, lightweight environment that processes print jobs efficiently and is far less prone to spooling freezes on Windows 11.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite for Windows.
- 2. Open Your Spreadsheet: Right-click your existing .xlsx file, select 'Open with', and choose WPS Spreadsheet.
- 3. Print Without Freezing: Click the Print icon or press Ctrl + P to send your document securely to your network printer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Excel specifically freeze when printing to my network printer?
This happens due to a communication failure between Excel's complex print spooling module and the specific Konica Minolta printer driver over an IP connection. When the driver fails to process the layout data, the background print process hangs, causing Excel to lock up.
What is the 'Print driver host for applications' process?
It is a core Windows process (splwow64.exe) designed to bridge 32-bit applications with 64-bit operating systems and printer drivers. If a 64-bit driver crashes during a print job, this host process freezes, taking the application (like Excel) down with it.
Should I use PCL6 or PostScript drivers for printing spreadsheets?
For typical office documents like Excel spreadsheets, PCL6 (Printer Command Language) drivers are highly recommended. They process standard text and tables faster and are generally more stable on Windows operating systems compared to PostScript, which is better suited for high-end graphic design.
