How to fix printer error 0x00000520 in Windows?

Error 0x00000520 is Windows error 1312, ERROR_NO_SUCH_LOGON_SESSION: your PC has no signed-in session on the PC that shares the printer. It is a sign-in problem, not a broken printer. Open \\HostName in File Explorer, sign in with that PC's user name and password, then add the printer again.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What "Windows cannot connect to the printer, error 0x00000520" means

The box reads "Windows cannot connect to the printer." with the detail "Operation failed with error 0x00000520." below it. It appears in the Add Printer wizard when you add a printer that another computer shares, by double-clicking it under Network or by typing \\HostName\ShareName.

0x00000520 is a hexadecimal number. In decimal it is 1312. Microsoft's list of system error codes names it ERROR_NO_SUCH_LOGON_SESSION with the text "A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated." For printing it means that your PC tried to open the share on the other PC, but there was no signed-in network session to use.

• Zeros do not matter. 0x520, 0x000520 and 0x00000520 are the same error 1312.
• It is not the printer. The code comes from Windows before any data reaches the printer. Ink, paper, cables and the printer's own firmware are not involved.
• File sharing can still work. On Microsoft Q&A, a user with a Windows 10 host and a Windows 11 client reports that shared folders kept working while every printer failed with 0x00000520 after an update. Fix 4 covers that case.

Why Windows cannot connect to the printer with 0x00000520: causes, ranked

Microsoft does not publish a printer article for this code. The ranking below follows from what the code means, from Microsoft's documents on shared printers, print RPC and SMB guest access, and from what users report on Microsoft Q&A.

How to fix error 0x00000520: eight fixes in order

Fix 1 to Fix 3 solve the sign-in problem behind most cases. Fix 4 is for Windows 11 clients where files work but printers fail. Fix 5 and Fix 6 reset the connection and the sharing settings, and Fix 7 and Fix 8 avoid the failing route altogether.

Fix 1. Sign in to the sharing PC in File Explorer first, then add the printer

5 minutesLow riskFor everyone, and first for a new PC, a new user account or a PC that has never printed to this share.

Error 1312 says there is no signed-in session on the host. Opening the host in File Explorer creates exactly that session with a real user name and password, and Windows reuses it when the printer connects.

1. On the PC that shares the printer, press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl and press Enter. Note the Computer name.
2. On your PC, open File Explorer, type \\HostName in the address bar and press Enter. Use the name you noted.
3. When Enter network credentials appears, type a user name of the host PC as HostName\UserName, or the email address of its Microsoft account, and its password.
4. Tick Remember my credentials and select OK. The host's shared folders and printers appear.
5. Double-click the printer in that window, or add it in Printers & scanners with Select a shared printer by name and \\HostName\ShareName.

Microsoft's own advice for shared printers is the same: use the same Microsoft account or local account on both PCs, or enter the host's user name and password when asked.

Fix 2. Save or replace the host's sign-in in Credential Manager

5 minutesLow riskThe sign-in prompt never appears, the host's password changed, or you used another account on the host before.

Windows uses the credential saved for a host name without asking again. An old or wrong entry, or none at all, leaves the printer connection without a valid session, which is what 0x00000520 reports.

1. Press Win + S, type credential manager and open Credential Manager in Control Panel.
2. Select Windows Credentials.
3. Under Windows Credentials, look for an entry with the host's name or IP address. Expand it and select Remove if it is old.
4. Select Add a Windows credential.
5. In Internet or network address, type the host name, for example HostName. In User name type HostName\UserName or the Microsoft account email, then the Password, and select OK.
6. Restart your PC and add the printer again by \\HostName\ShareName.

The same in Terminal: list saved entries, delete the old one, add a new one (you are asked for the password)

cmdkey /list
cmdkey /delete:HostName
cmdkey /add:HostName /user:HostName\UserName /pass

Fix 3. Give the account on the sharing PC a real password

10 minutesLow riskThe PC that shares the printer starts without a password, uses only a PIN, or has password protected sharing turned off.

Windows does not allow network sign-in to a local account with a blank password, and current Windows 11 Pro clients refuse guest connections. Without a usable account on the host, no session can be created, so the printer connection fails.

1. On the sharing PC, open Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options.
2. Under Password, select Add (or Change) and set a password for the account you will use from other PCs.
3. Or create a separate local account with a password only for printing: Create a new user account to test a problem.
4. Open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings and keep Password protected sharing turned on under All networks.
5. On your PC, sign in to \\HostName with that account as in Fix 1, or save it as in Fix 2.

Fix 4. Windows 11: match the print connection settings of both PCs

15 minutesRead the warningShared folders on the host open fine, only printers fail, and one side runs Windows 11 22H2 or later. Needs an administrator.

Since Windows 11 22H2, Microsoft says print connections between PCs use RPC over TCP by default and named pipes are off. If the host's firewall blocks those ports, or an older host expects named pipes, the printer fails while file sharing keeps working.

1. On the sharing PC, check that no third-party firewall blocks incoming TCP port 135 and ports 49152 to 65535 from your local network. Microsoft names a firewall as the most common cause.
2. Try the printer again. If it works, stop here.
3. If the host is older and cannot be changed, open Terminal (Admin) on your Windows 11 PC and run the command below.
4. Restart your PC and add the printer again by \\HostName\ShareName.

Client: connect to shared printers with RPC over named pipes (1 = named pipes, 0 or not set = RPC over TCP)

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcUseNamedPipeProtocol /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

When the host is the Windows 11 PC and the client is older, the host must also listen on named pipes. Our guide to error 0x00000709 explains every combination of these settings.

Fix 5. Restart Print Spooler on both PCs and add the printer again by its share name

10 minutesLow riskThe printer worked before and then stopped, or an old entry of the printer is still on your PC.

A spooler that holds an old connection keeps using a session that no longer exists, which is the literal meaning of 1312. A restart on both PCs and a fresh connection by the current share name make Windows open a new session.

1. On your PC, remove the old printer in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. On Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
2. On the sharing PC, press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
3. Right-click Print Spooler and select Restart. If it is stopped, double-click it, set Startup type to Automatic and select Start.
4. Do the same on your PC.
5. On the sharing PC, open the printer's Printer properties, then Sharing. Check Share this printer and note the Share name.
6. On your PC, select Add device, then Add manually, choose Select a shared printer by name and type \\HostName\ShareName. On Windows 10 select Add a printer or scanner, then The printer that I want isn't listed.

The same restart in Terminal (Admin): Restart-Service -Name Spooler. More on services: Check and restart Windows services.

Fix 6. Set the network to Private and turn on sharing on both PCs

5 minutesLow riskThe sharing PC does not appear under Network, or \\HostName does not open from your PC.

On a Public network profile Windows hides the PC and blocks sharing. Without a reachable host, Windows cannot build the session the printer needs. Microsoft lists network discovery and file and printer sharing as required for shared printers.

1. On both PCs, open Settings > Network & internet and select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then the connected network.
2. Under Network profile type, select Private network. Do this only on a home or work network you trust.
3. Open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings.
4. Under Private networks, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing. On Windows 10: Network and Sharing Center > Change advanced sharing settings.
5. Check that both PCs are on the same local network, then open \\HostName again.

Fix 7. Connect through a Local Port with the printer's share path

10 minutesLow risk\\HostName\ShareName opens in File Explorer, but adding the printer keeps failing with 0x00000520.

A Local Port named \\HostName\ShareName turns the shared printer into a local printer that sends jobs to the share. Your PC uses its own driver and its file sharing session, so the shared printer connection that fails is skipped.

1. Install the printer maker's driver on your PC first. General driver steps: Update, roll back or reinstall a driver.
2. Open Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers and select Add a printer, then The printer that I want isn't listed.
3. Choose Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings and select Next.
4. Select Create a new port, choose Local Port in the list and select Next.
5. In Enter a port name, type \\HostName\ShareName and select OK.
6. Pick the driver you installed, give the printer a name and print a test page.

Fix 8. Add a network printer by its IP address instead of through another PC

10 minutesLow riskThe printer has its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, so it does not need a PC to share it.

A printer with its own network port can take jobs from every PC directly. No sign-in to another Windows PC is needed, so there is no session that can be missing and 0x00000520 cannot occur.

1. Find the printer's IP address on its control panel or on a network settings page it prints.
2. Open Printers & scanners, select Add device, then Add manually. On Windows 10 select Add a printer or scanner, then The printer that I want isn't listed.
3. Choose Add a printer using an IP address or hostname and select Next.
4. Type the address, let Windows find the driver or install the maker's driver, and print a test page.
5. Remove the old shared printer entry so apps stop using it.

Still getting 0x00000520? Where the real cause is written

The error box does not say which account or which PC failed. These checks show it, and they are what support will ask for.

• What to send to support: both Windows versions and builds, the share path, the account you sign in with, the cmdkey /list output without passwords and any PrintService errors with their time.
• On a work PC: printers, accounts and print RPC settings are often set by Group Policy or a print server. Ask your administrator, because a change you make may be undone at the next sign-in.
• Is it hardware? No. If the printer prints a test page on the PC it is attached to, the printer is fine and the problem is the sign-in or the connection.

How to keep error 0x00000520 from coming back

The error returns when the host password changes, when a new PC or user joins without a saved sign-in, or when Windows 11 updates tighten network rules. A few habits keep it away.

Frequently asked questions

What does error 0x00000520 mean?

It is Windows system error 1312, ERROR_NO_SUCH_LOGON_SESSION: "A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated." With printers it shows as "Windows cannot connect to the printer" when you add a printer that another PC shares. Your PC had no valid signed-in session on that PC. Sign in to \\HostName in File Explorer first (Fix 1), or save the host's account in Credential Manager (Fix 2).

Is 0x0000052e the same as 0x00000520?

No, but it is a close relative. 0x0000052e is error 1326, "The user name or password is incorrect." Windows reached the host and sent a sign-in, and the host refused it. Check the user name format: HostName\UserName or the Microsoft account email. Use the password rather than the PIN, and replace the saved entry in Credential Manager (Fix 2). 0x0000052f (1327) means an account restriction, such as a blank password; give the account a password (Fix 3).

Why did 0x00000520 start right after a Windows update?

Updates changed two things that affect shared printers. Windows 11 22H2 and later connect to shared printers with RPC over TCP by default, which a firewall or an older host can block while file sharing still works (Fix 4). Windows 11 Pro also refuses guest connections by default, and 24H2 requires SMB signing, so a host shared without a password stops working (Fix 3). Removing the update is not needed; adjust the setting instead.

How do I fix 0x00000520 on Windows 10?

The same way as on Windows 11. Sign in to the host in File Explorer (Fix 1), save its account in Credential Manager (Fix 2) and make sure the host account has a password (Fix 3). The menu paths differ slightly, and each fix gives both. Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so it gets no new fixes. A Windows 10 PC that shares a printer to Windows 11 clients often needs Fix 4.

Can I fix 0x00000520 without an administrator account?

Often yes. Fix 1 and Fix 2 save a sign-in for your own user and need no administrator rights on your PC. You do need the user name and password of an account on the sharing PC. Fix 4 and installing a printer driver for Fix 7 need an administrator. On a work PC, printers and accounts are usually managed centrally, so ask IT before changing anything.

Is 0x00000520 a fault of my printer?

No. The code comes from the Windows sign-in step between two PCs, before any page reaches the printer. Ink, paper, cables and firmware are not involved. Print a test page on the PC the printer is attached to: if that works, the printer is fine and the problem is the account, the saved credential or the network settings. Updating the printer driver alone does not fix a missing sign-in.

What is "printer not activated error code 20"?

It is a different message, not a form of 0x00000520. It is not a Windows shared printer error and has no 0x code. This page covers only "Windows cannot connect to the printer" with error 0x00000520 when you connect to a printer shared by another PC. We could not confirm the cause of "error code 20" from a vendor source, so we do not give steps for it here.

I searched in Spanish, Indonesian, Vietnamese or Thai. Does this page apply?

Yes, if your screen shows 0x00000520. Searches such as "como soluciono este error", "error apa ini", "masih error", "masih kendala", "solusi terbaik", "kosong", "không được", "cách sửa lỗi này", "štampač" and "แก้ยังไง" lead here. The code is the same in every Windows language, and only the menu names are translated. Start with Fix 1. If it still fails, follow the chooser table above the fixes.

Should I turn off password protected sharing to get rid of the error?

No. Without password protected sharing, the host relies on guest access, and Microsoft says current Windows 11 Pro clients refuse guest connections by default. Microsoft also recommends against turning insecure guest logons back on. The lasting fix is an account with a password on the sharing PC (Fix 3), saved once on each client (Fix 2). It keeps the share protected and works on every current Windows version.

Nothing on this page worked. What else can I try?

Take the shared route out of the picture. If the printer has Wi-Fi or Ethernet, add it by its IP address on every PC (Fix 8). If it only has USB, connect it to your PC directly for a test. Then collect both Windows builds, the cmdkey /list output and the PrintService log as shown in the "still not fixed" section and send them to your IT team or Microsoft support.