"Driver is unavailable" next to a printer means Windows has the printer on its list but cannot load a working driver for it - because the driver is corrupted, too old for this Windows build, or missing entirely. The printer itself is usually fine. Work through the fixes in order; most cases end at step 2 or 3.
Quick answer
Remove the printer (Settings, then Bluetooth & devices, then Printers & scanners, select the printer, Remove), then reinstall it: run Windows Update first, plug the printer back in, and let Windows add it. If the status returns, download the full driver package from the maker's support page and install that instead of the automatic one.
A driver written for an older Windows build stops loading after an upgrade - common for printers more than a few years old.
Budget lasers like the HP LaserJet 1018 or P1102 do the page processing on the PC - a generic driver cannot replace their specific package.
A failed update or interrupted installation leaves broken driver files that Windows refuses to load.
Windows sometimes pairs the printer with a near-match driver that then fails to start.
For HP models, the HP Smart app from Microsoft Store plus the full driver package covers nearly every case - and HP's page detects the right package for your model automatically.
services.msc, find Print Spooler, right-click and Restart it.C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, start the spooler again.If you do not know the exact model, several devices need attention at once, or the manual route did not find a match - Outbyte Driver Updater identifies your installed hardware automatically and updates the drivers from official sources, with a backup before every change. The scan and diagnosis are free.
Download Driver Updater Downloads Outbyte Driver Updater for Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7. Free 2-day trial, no credit card required.No - it is a software condition on the PC. The same printer typically prints fine from another computer, which you can use as a quick test.
The update either replaced the driver with an incompatible version or invalidated the old one. Reinstalling the current full package from the maker (method 3) - or rolling back the Windows update if printing is urgent - resolves it.
Often not: try the Windows Update driver list inside the Add printer wizard (method 4) - it carries drivers for many legacy models that the support pages no longer list. A generic PCL driver from the same list can also produce basic prints on non-host-based printers.