Microsoft has released updates to address a persistent printing issue that has been affecting Windows users since January 2025. The problem caused some USB printers to print random text and data, including network commands and unusual characters. The issue was resolved in the March 2025 non-security preview updates for Windows 10 (version 22H2) and Windows 11 (versions 22H2 and 23H2).
Users who do not install the optional updates will receive the fix with the cumulative updates during the April 2025 Patch Tuesday. Microsoft stated, “We recommend you install the latest update for your device as it contains important improvements and issue resolutions, including this one.
Earlier this month, Microsoft used Known Issue Rollback (KIR), a feature that reverses flawed non-security updates delivered via Windows Update, to address the problems temporarily.
Fixing USB printer error
Affected users reported seeing erroneously printed text starting with the header “POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.1,” followed by other Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) related issues. The problems often occurred when printers were turned on or reconnected after being disconnected. Microsoft acknowledged the issue, stating, “After installing the January 2025 Windows preview update (released January 29, 2025) or later updates, you might observe issues with USB-connected dual-mode printers that support both USB Print and IPP Over USB protocols.
You might observe that the printer unexpectedly prints random text and data, including network commands and unusual characters.”
In addition to the printing fix, Microsoft addressed another known issue causing connection errors on Windows 11 24H2 systems while restoring data from Backup & Replication servers or SMB network shares. This solution was also rolled out via Known Issue Rollback to enterprise customers and will be broadly available in a future Windows Update.
Photo by; Joshua Fuller on Unsplash
