Error 0x0000011b: Windows cannot connect to the printer

Moderate≈ 15-30 min

Quick answer

Error 0x0000011b (“Operation failed”) appears when a Windows PC tries to connect to a printer shared by another PC or a print server. It surfaced after the September 2021 Windows updates that enforce stronger authentication on printer RPC connections (CVE-2021-1678). Microsoft’s fix is to install current Windows updates on both PCs, then restart.

Basic checks first

  • The message reads “Operation failed with error 0x0000011b” when you choose Connect on a printer shared by another computer.
  • The printer is attached to, or installed on, another Windows PC or a print server, and your PC reaches it over the network.
  • Both PCs are connected to the same local network.
  • You know whether Windows installed updates shortly before the error started (in the Microsoft Q&A reports, sharing “worked yesterday”).
  • You can sign in with the same account on both PCs, or you know the host PC’s username and password.

Step-by-step by operating system

01Update both PCs, not just oneRun Windows Update on the PC that shares the printer (or the print server) and on every PC that connects to it. Microsoft’s KB4599464 page says all client and server devices need the January 12, 2021 Windows update or a later one, and that a client without it cannot print when it connects to a server that enforces the new authentication level.
02Restart after updatingMicrosoft lists a restart of the device or of the spooler service as required for this printer authentication change. Restart both PCs before you try to connect again.
03Check the printer is shared on the host PCOn the PC the printer is connected to: Start › Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners. Select the printer, then Printer properties. On the Sharing tab, select Share this printer, note the Share name, then Apply and OK.
04Confirm you can reach the host PCOn your PC, open File Explorer and type \\ComputerName (the host PC’s name) in the address bar. If the host is not accessible, fix the network or name resolution first. When prompted, enter the host PC’s username and password, or use the same Microsoft or local account on both PCs.
05Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharingStart › Settings › Network & internet › Advanced network settings › Advanced sharing settings. Turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing, and save the changes.
06Remove the printer and add it again by nameOn your PC, open Printers & scanners, select the shared printer and choose Remove, then restart. Select Add device; when the printer isn’t listed, choose Add manually › Select a shared printer by name and enter \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName.

Fixes by connection type

Shared from another PC (workgroup)

This is the setup in the Microsoft Q&A thread: one PC wired to the printer and shared with a second PC. Update and restart both PCs, then add the printer again as \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName.

Print server (domain)

Microsoft’s order for administrators: update every client and the server first, then enforce the stronger authentication on the server with RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled = 1. A client without the January 12, 2021 update or later cannot print through the server once enforcement applies.

USB on the host PC

When the printer is cabled to the host PC, the 0x0000011b failure is in the network connection between the two PCs, not in the cable. Check that you can open \\ComputerName from File Explorer on your PC.

Differences by brand

All brandsMicrosoft’s KB4599464 change and the Microsoft Q&A reports concern the Windows printer connection between client and server (the remote Winspool interface), and none of them name a printer brand. Start with the Windows steps on both PCs.

Decision tree

Did sharing work until a recent Windows update?That matches the Microsoft Q&A reports from September 2021. Microsoft’s guidance is to keep every client and server on the January 12, 2021 update or later, so update both PCs and restart them before trying anything else.
Can you open \\ComputerName from File Explorer on your PC?If not, fix the network or name resolution first, and turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing. If you can, remove the printer, restart, and add it again by \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName.
Is a print server in a domain involved?In the Q&A thread, an administrator with a Windows Server 2016 Core print server and Windows 10 clients hit the same error. Microsoft’s documented path is to update all clients and the server, then keep Enforcement mode (RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled = 1) on the server.
Both PCs are updated and restarted and it still fails?Community answers set RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled to 0 on the host PC. Microsoft marks 0 as “Not recommended” because your devices are not protected. Back up the registry first, treat it as temporary, and set the value back to 1 once every PC is updated.

Frequently asked questions

What is printer error 0x0000011b?

It is the code in “Operation failed with error 0x0000011b”, which Windows shows when a PC cannot connect to a printer shared by another PC or a print server. Reports began in September 2021, after Microsoft’s updates started enforcing a higher authentication level on printer RPC connections to fix CVE-2021-1678.

How do I fix “Windows cannot connect to the printer” 0x0000011b on Windows 11 or Windows 10?

Install current Windows updates on the PC sharing the printer and on the PC connecting to it, and restart both. Then follow Microsoft’s shared printer checklist for Windows 11 and 10: share the printer on the host, check \\ComputerName opens, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing, and add the printer manually by \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName.

Is the regedit fix for “Windows cannot connect to the printer” 11b safe?

The community workaround adds the DWORD RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled = 0 under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print on the host PC, then restarts the Print Spooler. Microsoft lists the value 0 as “Not recommended” because it turns off the protection and leaves devices unprotected. Microsoft also warns that incorrect registry changes can cause serious problems, so back up the registry first and switch the value back to 1 when all PCs are updated.

Should I uninstall KB5005565 to fix 0x0000011b?

Some users in the Microsoft Q&A thread removed KB5005565 (or KB5005573 on a print server) and could print again, and one reported a new problem afterwards. Microsoft’s own guidance goes the other way: install the January 12, 2021 update or a later one on all client and server devices.

Why does my print job disappear from the queue without printing?

In the Microsoft Q&A thread, the job appeared in the queue with a blank status, vanished after about a minute and nothing printed, on the same PC that then failed with 0x0000011b. Fix the connection to the shared printer first, using the steps on this page.

Do I need to restart after changing RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled?

Yes. Microsoft says a restart of the device or of the spooler service is required for the change to take effect.

PrinterErrors editorial team

Last updated · Content is independent and not sponsored by any manufacturer.

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