What is Splwow64.exe?
This Windows native process is used to translate the print driver model of a 64-bit operating system and a 32-bit program. Issues associated with this executable are typically reported to occur if the executable is not closed automatically once the job is finished. After investigating this particular issue, it turns out that there are several different causes that might be responsible for causing this particular issue. Here’s a list of potential culprits: Now that you know every potential instance that might trigger this error, here’s a list of methods that other affected users have successfully used to fix the error popup associated with the SPLwow64 executable.
Method 1: Disabling Client-Side Rendering
Even though this issue is not limited to Xerox printers, it’s very common among users trying to run the 32-bit version of this executable on a 64-bit environment. If you’re encountering this issue because the Splwow64.exe is not automatically closed once the printing job is finished, you should be able to fix the problem by disabling the client-side rendering feature inside your printer’s Properties screen. This method was used by a lot of affected users and the majority of them have reported that once they have disabled the Render print jobs on client computers feature from the Sharing tab of their printer Settings, the error pop up went away permanently. If this looks like it could be applicable to your particular scenario, follow the instructions below to disable client-side rendering from the settings menu of your printer: In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 2: Deleting the Printer’s environment Registry Key Drivers
If the first method was ineffective in your case, the next thing you should do is delete a couple of problematic registry keys that might hold conflicting data that is triggering this SPLwow64.exe error popup. Several affected users dealing with the same kind of issue have reported that they were finally able to fix this problem by navigating to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\Windows x64\Drivers inside Registry Editor and deleting a couple of sub-keys prior to stopping the printer spooler and deleting the associated files. If you haven’t tried this method yet, follow the instructions below: In case the same problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 3: Running the Printer Troubleshooter
If none of the methods above have worked for you and you’re experiencing the issue on Windows 10, you should proceed by running the built-in printer troubleshooter included with Windows 10 and applying the recommended fix (if one is found). As some affected users have reported, if this issue is somehow caused by the printer spooler service or printer dependency, this utility might hold an automated fix capable of fixing the issue. Keep in mind that Microsoft regularly updates these troubleshooters with new automated fixes to tackle various situations where this issue might appear. If you’re still encountering SPLwow64.exe errors when performing some printer related tasks, follow the instructions below to run the Printer Troubleshooter and apply the recommended fix: In case the same issue is still occurring, move down to Method 4 below.
Method 4: Reinstalling every Printer Port
If none of the methods above have worked for you, it’s also possible to encounter this type of issue due to an improper/corrupted printer port that is affecting the connection between your computer and the machine – This is only applicable if your printer is not connected over a wireless network. Several affected users dealing with the same issue have managed to get the issue resolved by using Device Manager to delete every port created for this particular printer and reinstalling healthy new equivalents (either generic or dedicated). In case you don’t know how to do this by yourself, we’ve created a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the entire process: In case this problem is still occurring, move down to the next potential fix below.
Method 5: Updating the Xerox Global Print driver (if applicable)
Keep in mind that according to the market share, chances are SPLwow64.exe is primarily used by the Xerox Global Print driver that’s being used by a variety of printers and scanners. In case you are still seeing these types of SPLwow64.exe error pop-ups and none of the other instructions above have worked for you, chances are you are dealing with an outdated driver. Keep in mind that a couple of years ago, there was a surge of users encountering this issue due to a bad driver update that broke the functionality of this global driver on Windows 10. During that time, Xerox managed to resolve the issue swiftly by releasing a hotfix via a new iteration of that driver. If the reason why you are encountering this issue is a broken Xerox Global Print driver, follow the instructions below to install the latest version using the official channels:
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