How to Fix Error 740 While Installing a Printer on Windows 10 or 11

Printers can be annoying enough without Windows errors joining the fray. Here's how to fix error 740 on Windows 10 or 11.

Like its predecessors, Windows 11 is not free from bugs and issues. The Microsoft official community forum is full of users complaining about new errors every other day. One such issue is error 740, which pops up when users try to install a printer on their Windows 11 device.

As per our research, it can occur due to a number of reasons such as generic inconsistencies, lack of sufficient permissions, and corrupt drivers. Regardless of what might be causing the issue in your case, the troubleshooting methods we have listed below can help you get rid of this error for good.

1. Reconnect Your Printer

If Windows fails to recognize your printer or cannot seem to install it, then the first thing you should do is remove the printer from the device and reconnect it. There may be a temporary glitch within the system leading to this error, and reconnecting the printer can help you get rid of it.

If you are using a wired printer, carefully remove the wires and then reconnect them. In case you are using a wireless printer, you will have to disconnect it from the router.

If reconnecting the printer does not fix the problem, move to the next method below.

2. Install the Printer Wizard With Administrative Privileges

One of the most common reasons behind the error 740 on Windows is the lack of administrative privileges. A fix that helped quite a few users in resolving this issue was installing the printer wizard manually as an administrator. You can try this method even if you are using an administrator account already.

In this method, we will be using Command Prompt to achieve this.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Press Win + R together to open Run.
2. Type cmd in Run and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt with administrative rights.
   
3. Inside the Command Prompt window, type the command below and press Enter.

   rundll32 printui.dll,PrintUIEntry /il

   
4. Once the command is executed, close Command Prompt and see if the printer is successfully installed.

If not, try disabling the User Account Control prompt first and then try the steps above. Here is how you can do that:

1. Press Win + R together to open Run.
2. Type useraccountcontrolsettings in Run and click OK.
3. In the following window, drag the bar to Never Notify and click OK to save the changes.
   

Once the printer is installed, make sure you change the UAC settings to their normal state since this service helps protect your system from unwanted changes and malware.

3. Run the Printer Troubleshooter

Another effective fix that can help you fix issues related to the printer is running the printer troubleshooter.

This troubleshooter is developed by Microsoft to look for issues within the system that might be preventing you from installing or using printers on Windows. If the troubleshooter successfully finds an issue, it will notify you and suggest fixes that you can apply via the troubleshooter.

Below is how you can run the printer troubleshooter on Windows:

1. Press Win + I together to open Windows Settings.
2. Choose System from the left pane.
3. Click on Troubleshoot on the right side of the window.
   
4. In the following window, look for the Printer troubleshooter. If you cannot locate it, click on Other troubleshooters.
   
5. You should see a list of troubleshooters in the next window. Locate the Printer troubleshooter and click on the Run button associated with it.
   
6. The troubleshooter will now begin scanning the system so hang in there. If any issues are identified, the troubleshooter will notify you and recommend fixes. In that case, click on Apply this fix.
7. If no problems are found within the system, click on Close the troubleshooter and see the next method below.

While you are at it, you can also try running other troubleshooting utilities that are built into Windows. Two of the most effective tools that can help you fix the issue at hand are SFC and DISM. Their working is almost similar to that of the troubleshooter, but you need to run them via Command Prompt.

4. Reinstall the Printer Drivers

Your printer drivers might also be outdated or corrupt, preventing the system from completing the printer installation process.

The fix is simple; we will first try updating the drivers and if that does not work, then we will reinstall them.

Here is how you can do that:

1. Open Run by pressing Win + R.
2. Type devmgmt.mscin Run and click Enter.
3. In the Device Manager window, look for the Printers section and expand it.
4. Right-click on your printer driver and select Update driver from the context menu.
   
5. Choose Search automatically for drivers and wait for the update process to complete.
   

Once done, check if the problem is now fixed. If not, go ahead with reinstalling the printer driver.

1. In the Printers section of the Device Manager, right-click on your printer driver and choose Uninstall device.
   
2. Click Uninstall again to proceed.
   
3. Once the driver is completely uninstalled, install the latest version from the printer manufacturer’s website.

Hopefully, this will fix the issue for you.

5. Update Your Windows

Another factor that might be leading to the error at hand is the outdated operating system version.

Outdated Windows can lead to quite a lot of issues, especially compatibility issues with hardware. If you have been lazy about installing the latest Windows updates, then we highly recommend installing all the pending updates immediately.

This will not just help you fix the issue at hand but also prevent problems in the future from occurring.

Install Your Printer Without Any Issues

By following the methods listed above carefully, you should be able to install the printer successfully on your Windows 11 device. To prevent any printer-related issues from occurring in the future, make sure you keep the printer drivers updated.

In case you are still unable to uninstall the printer driver, consider contacting the printer manufacturer and reporting the problem to them. The support will help you identify the cause of the issue and suggest relevant fixes to resolve the error.