Windows 8.1 update makes printers disappear in devices

One my machines recently updated to windows 8.1 and now the all the printers and possibly other devices are no longer shown in devices and printers.

The printer works fine and I can see all the printers if I go into device manager or look at printers in notepad or word.

I seen a few fixes online but none of them so far have helped.

How are you connecting to the printers and other devices? Do you leave everything on 24/7? Have you tried power cycling everything?

They are usually on 24/7 but even the old printers that were still listed are gone as well. I've tried restarting and completely shutting down and it hasn't fixed the issue.

It may be that with the last update, Microsoft purged a bunch of old drivers.

Set it to not update Drivers under Devices. Then see if you can install the old drivers again.

I installed the new printer after the update with the latest drivers, the thing is you can see the printer everywhere else just not in printers and devices.

I tried accessing devices from the app menu as well as control panel but there was nothing different.

If you are seeing the printer in Device Manager, but not Devices & Printers, you may want to try purging any associated software and download any updated software for the printer from the manufacturer website. There is no real science to these types of issues. It is more just trial and error.

Yep my HP laser printer is missing but it shows in in printers and works fine.

Steve C said:

Yep my HP laser printer is missing but it shows in in printers and works fine.

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Depending on how you have it connected to the network. Windows could just be connecting through the HP JetDirect. It really depends on how you have the printer connected, whether it is as a Network connected printer or a USB to the computer.

My brother actually shows up on my network as a Cups Printer and the actual Wifi connection. Instead of just footing the bill for a printer with iOS printing capabilities and Google Internet printing. I got a Lantronix Print Server for the iOS devices. It drives Windows 10 nuts sometimes, because it finds it as a Network connection, the actual printer itself through wifi and the shared printer in the Lantronix CUPs.

I have a HP P1005 Laserjet printer connected via USB on USB virtual printer port USB001. I found a rather convoluted solution to this problem. The key is to ensure all instances of the printer are deleted, install the correct driver and then add the printer within the Devices & Printers windows. I did the following:

1. I ran printmanagement.msc (in Win7/8/8.1 Pro and above) and deleted all instances of the "invisible" printer and all instances of its drivers that occur in the window under the Custom Filters-All Printers & All Drivers folders. Also, I removed the driver package for the offending printer. This should ensure all traces of the offending printer are removed.
2. Next, I installed the latest printer driver for the printer. In my case the printer still did not appear in “Devices and Printers” but otherwise worked. I noted the printer port connection for the printer then ran printmanagement.msc again and deleted all instances of the "invisible" printer and all instances of its drivers that occur in the "printmanagement.msc" program window under the Custom Filters-All Printers & All Drivers folders. However, I left the driver package for the offending printer to ensure the correct driver remained on the system.
3. I then connected the printer and selected Add Printer in the "Devices and Printers" window. The printer should appear as an icon. However, in my case I had to manually install the printer using the correct driver to printer port USB001.

I said it was a convoluted process but the printer now appears under “Printers” & “Printers and Devices” and operates correctly!

If you are only installing the driver. Windows is still going to look at it as a HP JetDirect and let the Laser handle everything.

You have to also install the Software and set it up that way, so that it properly shows up.