How to View Recent Print History

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The Print Queue lets you manage your printer's current print jobs.
Image Credit: Keith Brofsky/Photodisc/Getty Images

While you can view recently queued print jobs in your printer's queue, it does not provide a complete log of recently printed print jobs. In order to log a history of all print jobs in Windows, you must first enable logging in the PrintService folder of the Event Manager. Your print history is only available in the Event Manager for print jobs received after you've enabled logging. You can open the print queue for a specific printer in Devices and Printers.

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Step 1

Press "Windows" to open Windows Start, type "Run" and then press "Enter." Delete any text that appears in the field next to "Open."

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Step 2

Type "eventvwr.msc" into the field next to "Open" and then click the "OK" button to open Event Viewer.

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Step 3

Select |"Applications and Services Logs"|"Microsoft"|"Windows"|"PrintService"|. The PrintService folder contains administrative and operational controls for print services in Windows.

Step 4

Right-click "Operational" and then select "Enable Log." This command enables logging of all future print jobs and can be viewed anytime by returning to the PrintService folder in the Event Viewer.

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Step 1

Press "Windows" to open Windows Start, type "devices and printers" and then select "Devices and Printers" from the results. In Windows 8.1, you must select "Settings" and then "Devices and Printers."

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Step 2

Right-click the printer for which you want to view print jobs for and then select "See What's Printing." The print queue window opens for your selected printer.

Step 3

Scroll through the list of print jobs to view the jobs that are currently queued. This list contains recently queued print jobs that have not completed yet.

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