How to Fix Printer Error 0x0000011B in Windows 11

Error 0x0000011B is a Windows printing error that occurs when you try to connect to or print on a network-shared printer. It is typically caused by security updates that enforce restrictive connections. While this can be frustrating, proven methods exist for restoring printing capabilities in shared environments.

This article contains several ways to fix printer error 0x0000011B, considerations for enterprise deployment, and commonly asked questions.

How to fix the printer operation failed error 0x0000011B

⚠️These methods require administrator privileges. (Read the prerequisites for 0x0000011B printer error solutions for details.)

Method 1: Add Registry fix to print host

⚠️Note: This method modifies important system settings on your Windows Registry. Before you start, perform a backup.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) is a protocol that makes service requests possible among networked devices. Certain Windows updates (e.g., KB5005565) have increased RPC authentication levels, restricting shared printer connections and causing error 0x0000011B.

Here’s how to disable RPC enforcement using the Registry Editor:

⚠️This fix reduces your security posture and is treated as a temporary solution. Only apply this method in trusted networks.

1. On the host machine, press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
2. Using the Registry Editor’s address bar, paste the following directory:
             HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print
3. In the right-hand pane, double-click on the RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled key to modify it.
   • If you don’t see RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled, right-click on an empty space in the right-hand pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) value. Name it RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled and hit Enter.
4. In the Value field, type 0.
5. Click OK.
6. Reboot the print host computer.

PowerShell alternative

You can also use PowerShell to get around RPC authentication by running the following command:

Set-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print” -Name “RpcAuthnLevelPrivacyEnabled” -Value 0 -Type DWord

Method 2: Connect using the local port

This method creates a local connection between the device and the network printer, bypassing RPC enforcement.

1. Press Win + R, type Control, and press Enter.
2. From the Control Panel (Icons view), navigate to Devices and Printers > View more devices > More devices and printers settings.
3. Click on Add a printer > The printer that I want isn’t listed.
4. Select Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings.
5. Click Next.
6. Choose Create a new port and set it to Local Port.
7. Once prompted, enter the printer’s network path in the following format:
                 \\<HostName>\<PrinterName>
   Where <HostName> is the name/IP address of your host computer and <PrinterName> is the display name of the shared printer on the host computer (e.g., \\OfficePC\HP_DeskJet).
8. When asked, install the correct printer driver.

Method 3: Revert affected update (not recommended for the long term)

⚠️Reminder: This fix compromises your security posture and must be treated as a temporary solution. Apply this method only in trusted networks or as a last resort.

You can uninstall the Windows update that introduced strict RPC authentication (e.g., KB5005565) to recover printing functionality. That said, important security patches will also be lost, potentially exposing your organization’s network to known vulnerabilities.

1. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates.
2. Find and uninstall the update you wish to remove on the host computer (e.g., KB5005565).
3. Return to the Windows Update screen and pause updates to prevent it from automatically reinstalling.

Method 4: Migrate to IP-based or print server deployment

For a long-term solution, consider transitioning to IP-based printing or dedicated print servers. This permanent fix not only increases stability through centralized management but also scales with your growth and eliminates error 0x0000011B.

1. Assess your current peer-to-peer (P2P) environment and document which printers are assigned to each user/department.
2. Select a print server solution:
   • Hardware (e.g., physical servers)
   • Software (e.g., dedicated Windows server, Linux CUPS server, etc.)
   • Cloud-based (e.g., Microsoft Universal Print)
3. Assign static IP addresses to your printers via their control panels/web interface.
4. Remove old P2P connections.
5. Add the printers to the new server using their IP addresses.
6. Install the correct drivers for each printer.
7. Set permissions and access controls (e.g., which user/department can print on which device).
8. Share printers over your network using the new print server.
9. Perform printing tests, monitor server print logs, and regularly update drive and server software.

Prerequisites for 0x0000011B printer error solutions

⚠️ If your printer operation failed with error 0x0000011B, consider your organization’s needs, capabilities, and resources before troubleshooting. If these methods aren’t suitable for your IT environment, you can always use a different printer or transfer your files to a working machine.

Administrator privileges

Before you attempt to troubleshoot error 0x0000011B, make sure you have administrator privileges on your system. Elevated rights will let you access system settings and save your changes. For instance, Windows will check for admin permissions when you try to manually configure printer sharing settings.

Discoverable printer

Ensure your printer is discoverable within your network to avoid connection errors like error 0x0000011B. To do this, check if the printer is powered on, connected to the same network, and that both the printing device and the client PC have network discovery.

Updated print spooler service

An out-of-date or corrupted print spooler management service can cause error 0x0000011B. Before troubleshooting, apply the latest Windows Update regarding spooler patches and restart the Print Spooler service.

Additional considerations for solving error 0x0000011b

Here’s how you can configure your Group Policy to include trusted printers in your Point and Print Restrictions manually:

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.
2. Using the Group Policy Editor’s left-hand pane, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers > Point and Print Restrictions.
3. In the right-hand pane, double-click on the Point and Print Restrictions policy.
   • Select Enable.
   • Add trusted print servers under Users can only point and print to these servers to modify it.
   • Set When installing drivers for a new connection to modify it, and When updating drivers for an existing connection to modify it to show/not show warning prompts.
4. Click Apply, then OK.
5. Restart the computer to apply changes.

If you’re still unable to print on the desired device, ensure that the Print Spooler is properly running on both host and client PCs. To check its status, simply open an elevated command-line shell (e.g., Command Prompt, PowerShell, etc.), and run the following code:

                                  sc query spooler

Printing over a shared network requires access to communication ports, which can be blocked by Windows Firewall as a preventative measure. While it’s not the most secure method, you can try temporarily disabling your firewall in a secured network to fix the 0x0000011b printer install error.

Resolving error 0x0000011B for seamless network printing

Quick solutions for error 0x0000011B help ensure continuous productivity within your enterprise. Although some fixes are safer than others, you can fully get around error 0x0000011b by moving away from peer-to-peer sharing and establishing a reliable printing server that can grow with your business.