HP Printer Not Working on macOS 27? How to Fix It

Your HP printer worked on macOS 26. After the macOS 27 update, jobs sit in the queue, the printer shows as offline, or the Mac says the software is unavailable. The printer is fine. The problem sits in how macOS 27 treats HP's driver software.

This guide covers the three causes in the order you should check them, with the exact menu paths.

Why did my HP printer stop printing after the macOS 27 update?

Two things break at the same time. HP's driver packages for some models still target macOS 26, and macOS 27 blocks the HP system extensions the older packages try to load. The result is a printer listed in System Settings and never printing.

A reply in an HP Community thread from mid-August 2026 said LaserJet drivers existed only for macOS 26 and an update was a month or two away. This matches a new install: HP's installer finishes, then nothing prints.

Check these signs:

• The print queue shows "Waiting" or "Paused" and never moves.
• Printers & Scanners lists your printer with a warning or says the driver is unavailable.
• A message in Privacy & Security mentions a system extension from HP Inc.
• HP Smart finds the printer but printing from other apps fails.

How do I allow the blocked HP system extension?

Open System Settings, click Privacy & Security, and scroll to the bottom. If macOS blocked HP's software, you see a message saying a program tried to load new system extensions signed by "HP Inc." Click Allow, enter your Mac password, then restart.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. Click Privacy & Security in the sidebar.
3. Scroll to the Security section at the bottom.
4. Click Allow next to the HP Inc. message and authenticate.
5. Restart your Mac when prompted.

If the message is missing, reinstall the HP software once, then return to this screen right away.

Next, check file permissions. Still in Privacy & Security, open Full Disk Access and then Files & Folders. Turn on any HP entry you see, including HP Smart and HP Easy Start. Without these, an app prints blank pages or fails with no error.

How do I switch to the AirPrint driver?

Remove the printer, then add it again and choose AirPrint or Secure AirPrint in the Use menu. AirPrint is built into macOS, so it needs no HP driver and works with most current HP inkjet and LaserJet models. Check your model's spec sheet for AirPrint support.

1. Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners.
2. Select your HP printer and click the minus (-) button, then confirm Remove.
3. Click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax.
4. Pick your HP printer from the list. Wait for the Use menu to fill in.
5. Open the Use menu and choose Secure AirPrint if you see it. Choose AirPrint if you do not.
6. Click Add.

Print a test page from TextEdit. If it prints, you are done. Keep HP Smart installed for scanning and ink or toner status, and let macOS handle the print queue.

Skip any generic PostScript or PCL driver in the Use menu unless your office IT team told you to pick it. Older generic drivers often fail on a fresh macOS release.

If the printer does not appear in the Add list at all, the Mac cannot see it on your network. Confirm both devices use the same Wi-Fi network and turn off any VPN. Our guide to printers disappearing after macOS Tahoe covers the Local Network permission, which still applies on macOS 27.

How do I reset the printing system on a Mac?

Reset the printing system when the queue is stuck or the printer list shows duplicates. This removes every printer and print job from your Mac, so note your printer names first. You add them back afterward.

1. Open System Settings and click Printers & Scanners.
2. Control-click (or right-click) any blank space in the printer list.
3. Choose Reset Printing System and click Reset.
4. Enter your Mac password.
5. Restart your Mac.
6. Add your HP printer again using the AirPrint steps above.

A reset clears corrupted queue files left over from the upgrade. It also removes the old HP driver entry from macOS 26, which is the entry most likely to block printing.

How do I know the fix worked?

Print a one-page document from TextEdit and watch the queue. Open the printer's queue from Printers & Scanners by clicking your printer, then Open Print Queue. A working setup shows the job for a second or two and clears it.

Test two more cases before you call it fixed:

• Print a PDF from Preview. This confirms the AirPrint path handles files from outside apps.
• Print from a browser. Safari and Chrome use separate print dialogs, and a blocked permission shows up here first.

If the first test prints but the next day fails, restart the printer. Many HP models drop off Wi-Fi after a few days of sleep, and the Mac then shows the printer as offline. Hold the power button for ten seconds, wait for the Wi-Fi light to turn solid, and try again.

What if only one app fails to print?

If TextEdit prints and another app does not, the printer works and the app is at fault. Update the failing app first. For Microsoft Office, open any Office app, choose Help, then Check for Updates.

If a PDF fails to print, open it in Preview and print from there. On the Print dialog, click the PDF drop-down menu only if you need to save a copy. Preview uses the same AirPrint path as TextEdit, so a success there confirms the printer setup is correct.

What about scanning and HP Smart?

Scanning uses a separate path from printing. HP Smart handles it on macOS 27 for most inkjet models, and macOS handles it for others through Image Capture.

• Open HP Smart from the Mac App Store, sign in or skip sign-in, and select your printer.
• If HP Smart says it cannot find the printer, delete the app, restart, and install it again from the App Store.
• If scanning still fails, open Image Capture in Applications, select your printer on the left, and scan from there.

HP Smart needs the same Local Network permission as AirPrint. Open System Settings, click Privacy & Security, then Local Network, and turn on HP Smart.

Quick checklist

Run these in order and stop when printing works:

1. Restart the printer and the Mac.
2. Allow the HP Inc. extension in Privacy & Security, then restart.
3. Turn on HP entries under Full Disk Access and Files & Folders.
4. Remove the printer and add it back with AirPrint or Secure AirPrint.
5. Reset the printing system and add the printer again.
6. Scan with HP Smart or Image Capture.

When a driver arrives, HP lists it on the support page for your exact model under the macOS 27 download. Install it only if you miss a feature. The AirPrint setup works without it.