Google Drive print queue “Converting…” forever — force system print pipeline
Joe B.
Reviewed for technical accuracy
Specialities: Google Drive & Docs printing, Chrome print preview, Windows Print Spooler, macOS system dialog, PDF pipeline
Drive/Docs “Converting…” stuck — use system print dialog (Ctrl+Shift+P / ⌥⌘P), clear print queue, bypass Chrome preview
Technician
• Are you printing from drive.google.com, Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, or the Drive PDF viewer?
• Browser/version (Chrome/Edge/Brave) and OS (Windows or macOS)?
• Does the Windows/macOS print queue show the job stuck, or does Chrome’s print preview never finish loading?
Technician
The fix: 1) Bypass Chrome preview and use the system print dialog. 2) If the queue is stuck, clear the spooler. 3) Optional: download and print with the native PDF viewer as a fallback. We’ll do this step-by-step.
Technician
• In Chrome on Windows, press Ctrl+Shift+P.
• On macOS, open the Chrome print sheet, then click “Print using system dialog” or use ⌥+⌘+P.
Select your printer and send the job. This routes through the system print pipeline directly and often avoids the “Converting…” hang seen in Drive/Docs. (Admins also use a policy/flag to disable Chrome preview.)
Technician
1) Press Win+R, type
services.msc → Enter.2) Right-click Print Spooler → Stop.
3) In File Explorer go to
C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS and delete all files (this clears stuck jobs).4) Back in Services, right-click Print Spooler → Start.
5) Try printing again via the system dialog you opened with Ctrl+Shift+P.
This flushes the “Converting…” job so new jobs don’t get blocked behind it.
Technician
• Click Download in Drive → open the file in the system PDF viewer (Adobe Reader/Edge PDF) and print from there.
• In Docs/Sheets, if “Preparing preview” spins, try System dialog again or export to PDF first (File → Download → PDF) then print the download.
• Temporarily disable ad-block/PDF extensions, then refresh. Extensions can interfere with the preview/canvas that Drive/Docs uses to generate print data.
Technician
• In Chrome’s print sheet click “Print using system dialog…” (or press ⌥+⌘+P).
• If Docs preview still hangs, use File → Download → PDF, open in Preview and print from there.
• Update Chrome and remove stale printers from System Settings → Printers & Scanners to avoid driver conflicts.
Technician
Technician
• Huge PDFs, embedded fonts, or transparency — system dialog or downloaded PDF fixes this.
• Extensions that hook the print preview — test in an Incognito window with extensions disabled.
• Outdated drivers — update vendor driver or switch to the Windows Class/PostScript driver.
• Stuck queue — clear spooler as above. For one-off prints, try “Print as image” in Adobe Reader.
Technician
Quick answer: the accepted fix
Accepted fix when the Google Drive print queue shows “Converting…” forever: open the system print dialog (Windows Ctrl+Shift+P / macOS “Print using system dialog…”), then if a job is stuck, stop the Spooler, clear ...\spool\PRINTERS, and start it again. If preview keeps spinning, download the file and print from the system PDF viewer.
Why Drive/Docs gets stuck on “Converting…” or “Preparing preview”
Chrome’s print preview must rasterize the page. Large spreadsheets, images, or PDF transparency can stall that step. Add-ons can also block the preview canvas. For reliability, force the system print pipeline (system dialog), or export/download and print with the native PDF engine. If Windows shows “Converting…”, clear the print queue so new jobs aren’t blocked.
How to verify printing works after the fix
Open a small test PDF in Drive and press Ctrl+Shift+P to send it via the system dialog. If it prints, the preview layer was the bottleneck. Next, try the original file but download & print from the system PDF viewer. If both succeed, you’ve permanently bypassed the “Converting…” path and stabilized printing from Google Drive and Google Docs.
Drive “Converting…” — quick troubleshooting tips
Bypass Chrome preview, clear the queue, and print through the OS.
Quick path: system print dialog → clear Print Spooler if stuck → download & print in the native viewer → test with extensions off and update printer drivers. This resolves most Google Drive print queue stuck cases across Windows and macOS.
Disclaimer: This information is AI-generated and intended for general guidance only. For advice specific to your environment, please consult a verified expert on Whizz-Tech before making decisions.
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FAQ
How do I force Chrome to use the system print dialog?
On Windows press Ctrl+Shift+P to open the system print dialog. On macOS choose “Print using system dialog…” from Chrome’s print sheet (or press ⌥⌘P). This bypasses Chrome’s built-in print preview and often fixes the Drive “Converting…” hang.
What’s the fastest fix when Drive/Docs is stuck on “Preparing preview”?
Use the system print dialog, or click Download and print with the system PDF viewer. If Windows still shows “Converting…”, clear the print queue by restarting the Print Spooler and deleting the files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS.
Will clearing the Windows Spooler delete my printers?
No — it only purges stuck print jobs. You’re stopping the Print Spooler, deleting temporary job files, then starting the service again. Your installed printers remain intact.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help — Print stuck on “Loading/Preparing preview” (workarounds)
- Google Chrome Enterprise Community — Jobs stuck in queue; use system dialog (Ctrl+Shift+P)
- Microsoft Support — Clear print queue & restart Print Spooler
Filed under: Print queue & spooler (Windows/macOS)
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