How to fix printing error 0x00000709 (Operation could not be completed) in Windows?

Error 0x00000709 is Windows error 1801, "The printer name is invalid": Windows could not use the printer under the name it was given. It appears in two places, when you connect to a printer another PC shares and when you set a default printer, and each has its own fix.

Facts checked on 14 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What "Operation could not be completed (error 0x00000709)" means

0x00000709 is a hexadecimal number. In decimal it is 1801. Microsoft's list of system error codes gives it the name ERROR_INVALID_PRINTER_NAME and the text "The printer name is invalid". Windows asked the print system to open or use a printer by its name, and the print system could not match that name to a printer it can reach.

That is why the box adds "Double check the printer name and make sure that the printer is connected to the network." The advice is rarely the answer. The name you typed is usually right; what fails is the connection behind it, or an old name that Windows keeps in your user settings.

Why Windows says the printer name is invalid: causes of error 709, ranked

Microsoft has one support article that covers 0x00000709 by number, about print servers reached through a DNS alias. The ranking below adds Microsoft's Windows 11 print documentation, its update notes and what users and administrators report on Microsoft Q&A. It runs from the common to the rare.

• Why the Windows 11 change comes first. Microsoft says that Windows 11 version 22H2 changed how computers talk during printing: clients use RPC over TCP by default, and a computer that shares a printer listens only on RPC over TCP. A blocked port or a mismatch leaves the client with this error.
• Why the default printer case is common. On Microsoft Q&A, moderators and users point to the Device value under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows. It holds the default printer's name, and when it names a printer that is gone, Windows refuses the new one.
• Why a 2021 update still matters. Microsoft's notes for KB5007253 say it fixed a known issue with error codes 0x000006e4, 0x0000007c or 0x00000709 when connecting to a printer shared on a Windows print server.

Error 0x00000709 on Windows 11 and Windows 10: what differs

The default printer case is the same on both systems; only the Settings paths differ. Shared printers are different. Since Windows 11 version 22H2 the print connection between computers runs over RPC over TCP by default, and named pipes, the older method, are switched off. Reports of 709 rose with that change.

How to fix error 0x00000709: eight fixes in order

Fix 1 to Fix 3 are for a printer that another computer shares, and they solve most cases. Fix 4 and Fix 5 are for the default printer. Fix 6 is for office print servers, Fix 7 and Fix 8 for what is left.

Fix 1. Remove the shared printer and add it again by the host's real name

5 to 10 minutesLow riskFor everyone who gets 709 with a printer that another PC shares. Do this first; it costs five minutes.

Error 1801 says the name did not lead to a printer. A connection saved under an old path, or a host that is asleep or not sharing, gives exactly that answer. Microsoft's own steps for shared printers end with removing the printer and adding it again by \\ComputerName\PrinterShareName.

1. On the host PC, print a test page to be sure the printer itself works there. Keep the host awake while you test.
2. On the host, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, then Printer properties. On Windows 10 open Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners and select Manage first.
3. On the Sharing tab, check Share this printer and write down the Share name exactly. Select Apply and OK.
4. On the host, open Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings and turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.
5. On your PC, open File Explorer and type \\HostName in the address bar, with the host's computer name. Its shared printer should be listed.
6. On your PC, remove the failing printer in Printers & scanners with Remove, then restart the PC.
7. Select Add device, then Add manually, choose Select a shared printer by name and type \\HostName\ShareName. On Windows 10 the button is Add a printer or scanner, then The printer that I want isn't listed.

If the host is reached but Windows says it cannot connect for another reason, our guide to shared printer error 0x00000006 covers credentials and Point and Print restrictions.

Fix 2. Windows 11 22H2 and later: switch the client to RPC over named pipes

10 minutesRead the warningThe host is reachable, but your PC still gets 709, and either PC runs Windows 11 22H2 or later. Needs an administrator.

Since 22H2, a Windows 11 client asks the host over RPC over TCP. When that call is blocked, the connection fails. Turning on named pipes makes the client use the older method, which is the change users on Microsoft Q&A most often report as the one that cleared 709.

On Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise or Education: Group Policy. Open the Local Group Policy Editor, step by step in Open the Local Group Policy Editor, and change one policy.

1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc and press Enter.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers.
3. Double-click Configure RPC connection settings and select Enabled.
4. Under Protocol to use for outgoing RPC connections, select RPC over named pipes. Leave Use authentication for outgoing RPC over named pipes connections on Default.
5. Select OK, restart the PC and add the printer again as in Fix 1.

On Windows 11 Home: one command. Home has no Group Policy editor, so set the same value in the registry. Run it in Terminal (Admin), then restart the PC. It is the command Microsoft gives for this setting.

Client: use RPC over named pipes for print connections (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

Fix 3. On the host: let RPC over TCP in, or listen on named pipes too

15 minutesRead the warningYou can change the PC that shares the printer, several clients fail, or older Windows PCs connect to a Windows 11 host.

A Windows 11 22H2 or later host listens only on RPC over TCP. Microsoft says the most common issue is a firewall rule that blocks it. Older clients, or clients switched to named pipes in Fix 2, find no listener and get 709.

Route A, Microsoft's recommendation: allow RPC over TCP. The RPC Endpoint Mapper port 135 and the high ports 49152 to 65535 must reach the host, or one fixed port you choose.

1. On the host, check that no third-party firewall or security suite blocks incoming TCP 135 and 49152 to 65535 from your local network. Pause it for one test only if you must, then turn it back on: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment.
2. For one fixed port instead, open the Group Policy policy Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Printers > Configure RPC over TCP port, enable it and enter the port.
3. Allow that port through the firewall on the host, restart Print Spooler there, and try the printer again from the client.

The fixed port on Windows 11 Home, Microsoft's command. Replace <port number>; the highest allowed is 65535.

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcTcpPort /t REG_DWORD /d <port number> /f

Route B: let the host listen on named pipes and TCP. This fits a host that older PCs or Fix 2 clients use. On Pro, enable Configure RPC listener settings under Administrative Templates > Printers and set the protocols to RpcOverNamedPipesAndTcp. On Home, run the command below.

Host: listen for print connections on named pipes and on TCP

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcProtocols /t REG_DWORD /d 0x7 /f

Fix 4. Default printer: turn off Let Windows manage my default printer and set it in Settings

3 minutesNo risk709 appears when you select Set as default printer in Devices and Printers.

With Let Windows manage my default printer on, Windows picks the last printer you used and hides the Set as default button. Setting a default printer from the old Control Panel then clashes with the printer Windows chose itself.

1. Press Win + I and open Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. On Windows 10 open Devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Under Printer preferences, turn Let Windows manage my default printer off. On Windows 10 clear the check box of the same name.
3. Select the printer you want in the list. On Windows 10 select it and then Manage.
4. Select Set as default. Printer status should change to Default.

Fix 5. Default printer: clear the stale Device value in the registry

10 minutesRead the warningFix 4 did not help, or every attempt to set a default printer ends with 709.

Windows keeps the default printer's name in the Device value of your user registry. If it still names a printer that was removed or renamed, or the key cannot be written, the new default is rejected as an invalid name. Answers on Microsoft Q&A point to this value.

1. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter. Select Yes.
2. Paste HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows into the address bar and press Enter.
3. Export the key with File > Export before you change anything.
4. In the right pane, double-click Device. If its data names a printer you no longer have, close the box, right-click Device and select Delete.
5. If Windows refuses with an access error, right-click the Windows key, select Permissions, select your account, check Full Control under Allow and select OK. Then delete Device again.
6. Restart the PC and set the default printer as in Fix 4.

The permission step is what users report when the key had lost write access for their own account. Give Full Control only to your own account on this one key, not to Everyone, as some old posts suggest.

Fix 6. Print server reached through an alias: use the real name or Microsoft's workaround

15 minutesLow riskOffice networks where clients connect to a print server through a DNS alias (CNAME) instead of its real name.

This is the case Microsoft documents by number. Clients that use the alias in the UNC path get 709, while the real host name works. Microsoft links it to some non-Microsoft DNS solutions providing name resolution.

1. Test the real name first. On a client, add the printer as \\RealServerName\ShareName. If this works, the alias is the cause.
2. If you can, deploy the printers by the real server name and stop here.
3. If the alias must stay, on the print server apply the DnsOnWire registry value from Microsoft's article 979602, which the 0x00000709 article links to.
4. On the print server, add the alias to the Hosts file C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts as a NetBIOS name, for example 192.168.0.10 PRINTALIAS, not as a full domain name.
5. Restart the Print Spooler service on the print server, then connect a client again by the alias.

Fix 7. Install pending updates on both PCs and restart Print Spooler

15 to 40 minutesNo riskOne of the PCs has not been updated for a long time, or the error began right after an update.

In October 2021 the Windows 10 update KB5006670 broke connections to shared printers with 709 for many users. Microsoft fixed it with KB5007253 on 22 November 2021, and later updates contain that fix. A host and client on very different update levels can also disagree on print security.

1. On both PCs, open Settings > Windows Update, install every update and restart. On Windows 10 the path is Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
2. On both PCs, press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
3. Right-click Print Spooler and select Restart.
4. Add the printer again from the client as in Fix 1.

If a restart of the spooler fails or it stops by itself, that is a different fault with its own code. Our guide to print spooler error 0x000006BA covers it. More on the Services window: Check and restart Windows services.

Fix 8. Add a network printer by its IP address instead of through the host

10 minutesLow riskThe printer has its own Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection, and the shared route keeps failing.

A printer with its own network port does not need another PC in between. Adding it by IP address on each PC creates a local Standard TCP/IP port, so no RPC call to a host takes place and 709 has nothing to fail on.

1. Find the printer's IP address on its control panel or on a network settings page it prints.
2. On your PC, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and select Add device. On Windows 10 select Add a printer or scanner.
3. Next to The printer that I want isn't listed, select Add manually (Microsoft also calls it Add a new device manually). On Windows 10 select The printer that I want isn't listed.
4. In the Add Printer window, choose the option to add a printer by its IP address or host name, select Next and type the printer's IP address.
5. Let Windows find the driver, or install the driver from the printer maker's site for your Windows version.
6. Remove the old shared printer entry so that apps do not keep using it.

Still getting error 709? Where the real cause is written

The 709 box never says which side failed. Before you change anything else, find out whether your PC reaches the host at all, and what the print system logged at that moment. Send these facts along if you ask for help.

• What to send to support: both Windows versions, the printer model, how it is connected (USB to the host or its own network port), the exact path you used, and the output of the reg query command.
• Microsoft support. For business networks, Microsoft's 0x00000709 article asks for a TSS trace for printing problems and links to the instructions.
• Is it hardware? No. The code comes from Windows before any page is sent, so ink, paper, cables and the printer's own settings are not involved. If the printer prints from the host, the printer is fine.

How to keep error 0x00000709 from coming back

Most 709 errors come back after a feature update changes the print settings on one PC, or after a printer is removed but stays the default. A few habits keep it away.

Frequently asked questions

What does error 0x00000709 mean?

It is Windows system error 1801, ERROR_INVALID_PRINTER_NAME: "The printer name is invalid." Windows tried to use a printer by its name and the print system could not reach a printer under that name. In practice it comes in two situations. When you connect to a printer another PC shares, the host did not answer on the protocol your PC uses. When you set a default printer, an old printer name is stuck in your user settings. Fix 1 and Fix 4 are the starting points.

Why do I get printer sharing error 709 between two Windows 11 PCs?

Because Windows 11 version 22H2 changed print connections between computers. Microsoft says clients now use RPC over TCP by default and hosts listen only on RPC over TCP, with named pipes switched off. If the host's firewall or security suite blocks the RPC ports, the connection fails. Users on Microsoft Q&A report 709 between two 25H2 PCs that went away with the named pipes setting. Try Fix 1, then Fix 2 on the client or Fix 3 on the host.

Why does a Windows 10 PC get 0x00000709 from a printer shared by Windows 11?

The Windows 11 host listens only on RPC over TCP since version 22H2. Users report that older clients, Windows 10 and Windows 7 among them, fail with 709 against such a host. The cleanest fix is on the host: open the RPC ports for your local network, or set it to listen on named pipes and TCP (Fix 3). Keep the Windows 10 PC fully updated, and remember that Microsoft stopped servicing Windows 10 on 14 October 2025.

Is printer error 709 a fault of the printer?

No. The code comes from Windows before a page is sent, so ink, paper, cables and the printer's own settings are not the cause. The fault is in the connection between the two PCs, in the printer path, or in your saved default printer. A quick test: print a test page on the PC the printer is attached to. If that works, the printer is fine and the fixes on this page apply to the other PC or to the connection.

Is it safe to switch print connections to RPC over named pipes?

It works, but Microsoft does not recommend it. The company says named pipes should be used only when RPC over TCP is not an option, and moved Windows 11 to TCP to improve print security. For a small home network behind a router, users report it as a practical fix. In an office, open RPC over TCP on the host instead (Fix 3). Either way, never add the extra settings that lower RPC authentication.

Can I fix 0x00000709 on Windows 11 Home without Group Policy?

Yes. Windows 11 Home has no Local Group Policy Editor, but every policy in Fix 2 and Fix 3 has a registry value behind it. Microsoft gives the reg add commands for RpcUseNamedPipeProtocol, RpcProtocols and RpcTcpPort under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC. Run them in Terminal as administrator and restart the PC. Back up the key first, and avoid tools that add gpedit to Home.

Why can't I set a default printer, with error 0x00000709?

Usually because Windows still keeps an old default printer. With Let Windows manage my default printer on, Windows chooses the default itself, and Microsoft says the Set as default button is hidden until you turn it off (Fix 4). If the error stays, the Device value in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows may name a printer that is gone, or the key may not be writable for your account (Fix 5).

Did a Windows update cause error 0x00000709?

It has happened. In October 2021 the Windows 10 update KB5006670 broke connections to network print servers, with 709 among the error codes users reported. Microsoft fixed that known issue with KB5007253 on 22 November 2021, so a fully updated PC no longer has it. The Windows 11 22H2 change to RPC over TCP was intended, not a bug, and its settings are in Fix 2 and Fix 3.

How do I undo the registry changes from this page?

Delete the values you added, then restart the PC. For the client: reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\RPC" /v RpcUseNamedPipeProtocol /f. For the host, use the same command with RpcProtocols or RpcTcpPort. If you used Group Policy, set the policies back to Not Configured. For the default printer, import the .reg file you exported in Fix 5 by double-clicking it.

Is "operation could not be completed error 0x709" the same as 0x00000709?

Yes. Windows writes the code with eight digits, 0x00000709, but zeros in front of a number change nothing. So 0x709, 0x00709, 00000709, "error 709" and "printer error 709" all mean the same thing. That is error 1801, "The printer name is invalid." The text around it is the same in every case: "Operation could not be completed" and the advice to check the printer name and the network. Menu names differ only in other Windows languages.