Microsoft users recently faced a disruptive issue affecting USB printers on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Here’s a clear breakdown of what happened, why it mattered, and how it was resolved-so you can print with confidence again.
Table of Contents
What Was the Problem?
After installing the January 2025 preview updates (KB5050081 for Windows 10 22H2 and KB5050092 for Windows 11 23H2), some users noticed their USB printers began printing random, unreadable characters and network commands instead of normal documents.
The issue specifically impacted dual-mode USB printers that support both standard USB printing and IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) over USB. The problem was most likely to occur when the printer was turned on or reconnected after being disconnected.
Symptoms Included
- Printers outputting pages filled with random text, including headers like POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.1 and other protocol commands.
- Unexpected and unusable printouts, causing workflow interruptions and wasted resources.
How Did Microsoft Respond?
Microsoft quickly acknowledged the bug in their official release health dashboards. A temporary fix, known as a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), was rolled out in March 2025. This allowed enterprise administrators to deploy a group policy fix to affected devices. The final, permanent fix arrived with the March 25, 2025 security updates (KB5053643 and newer), and was reinforced by the April 2025 security update.
What Should You Do Now?
Check Your Updates
Make sure your Windows 10 or Windows 11 system is fully updated with the latest security patches from March 25, 2025 (KB5053643) or later.
Restart Your Printer
If you experienced issues, restart both your printer and PC after installing the updates.
Verify Print Output
Test your printer to confirm that documents are printing correctly and the random character bug is resolved.
Thanks to Microsoft’s prompt and effective response, Windows users can now enjoy reliable, hassle-free printing once again.