Windows 10 does not recognize printer driver.

This drove me buggy too as I have three printers and a scanner all recent with Win 8.1 drivers.

I did not even realize they were not working in Win 10 for a few days until I needed to scan and print.

Reboot, make sure the printers are on and USB cables/hubs properly inserted. Often, regardless of OS, using a different computer based USB port will trigger a reconfiguration of USB recognition.

If you can not reinstall the printer drivers downloaded from the printer manufacturer unplug the printer, reboot, and plug the USB cable from the printer into a different computer based USB port. If the printer still is not recognized you still may not be able to reinstall the drivers manually.

You can go into System, delete the USB drivers and reboot which will force reconfiguration of them but do not do this if you are unfamiliar with these things.

Manufacturers do not make major changes to printer drivers over generations of printers, many new printers are exactly the same as the prior generation but in a different looking enclosure. The basic driver model for the last several Microsoft OSes I believe is basically is the same. Ergo Win 7 and 8 drivers = Win 10 drivers for the most part. Presumably the required in-place upgrade to Win 10 should have identified the already installed drivers.

Presumably.

Why Windows 10 did not recognize common devices on the first several passes in these situations is known only to Microsoft and they never are upfront about these issues, one reason users are so fond of Microsoft (Apple is even worse: try getting an answer why your new USB drive that is recognized on every other computer is only fitfully recognized in OSX).

Often after multiple tries doing the same things magically all seems to work. You have probably got things working in a similar hit or miss fashion.

I don't understand this at all. I'm 67 yrs old and go back to computers that ran on vacuum tubes. (If there's anyone left in the world who even know what a "vacuum tube" is!) I am w-a-a-y pre"windows" and more analog than digital. 

Can't you find someone who can translate the "techy" replys into plain English so we digitally challenged "granny's can get it too?

This drove me buggy too as I have three printers and a scanner all recent with Win 8.1 drivers.

I did not even realize they were not working in Win 10 for a few days until I needed to scan and print.

Reboot, make sure the printers are on and USB cables/hubs properly inserted. Often, regardless of OS, using a different computer based USB port will trigger a reconfiguration of USB recognition.

If you can not reinstall the printer drivers downloaded from the printer manufacturer unplug the printer, reboot, and plug the USB cable from the printer into a different computer based USB port. If the printer still is not recognized you still may not be able to reinstall the drivers manually.

You can go into System, delete the USB drivers and reboot which will force reconfiguration of them but do not do this if you are unfamiliar with these things.

Manufacturers do not make major changes to printer drivers over generations of printers, many new printers are exactly the same as the prior generation but in a different looking enclosure. The basic driver model for the last several Microsoft OSes I believe is basically is the same. Ergo Win 7 and 8 drivers = Win 10 drivers for the most part. Presumably the required in-place upgrade to Win 10 should have identified the already installed drivers.

Presumably.

Why Windows 10 did not recognize common devices on the first several passes in these situations is known only to Microsoft and they never are upfront about these issues, one reason users are so fond of Microsoft (Apple is even worse: try getting an answer why your new USB drive that is recognized on every other computer is only fitfully recognized in OSX).

Often after multiple tries doing the same things magically all seems to work. You have probably got things working in a similar hit or miss fashion.

Well stated! We evolved with computers. From the ground floor of FORTRAN, COBOL AND BASIC to DOS then Windows. Our problem is we don't have the knowledge or ability to go into the file and rewrite the batch programs without doing an advanced degree in Windows and we don't have the flip/flow chart the 'techs' use when troubleshooting.

I use Windows 10.

Four days ago I had a black screen, the boop...all the pages, icons, screens became WIDE and BIG. If I heard once I heard 100 times to go to the settings and adjust the display via the plus or minus button. There! That will solve it. NO. It is not an adjustment issue. Pressing Ctrl+zero would resolve that type of issue. Keep in mind this is not just BIG...it is WIDE. Rectangle rather than square icons.

It's the video driver...uninstall, restart, reinstall...Yup, that's your problem buddy! No, had no effect. Problem persisted.

Restore to a specified date. Worked! Yeah! I left the room, returned and the problem resumed. Try another restore point. Not possible. No restore points showing, and can't enter a new one.

After using the troubleshooting option numerous times and having the results say, 'Your computer works as advertised...can find no problems.' I resorted to drastic measures and did a 'restart'. Wiping out all of my favorites...because in Windows 10 the Favorites folder is hidden in the bowels of the hidden files and can't be found to organize or save by the average end user. I'm not best pleased, but if I created it I can recreate it. Damn inconvenient, though.

Now I'm ready to start my reset operating system...this should resolve the display issues...Nope...same as before the reset with the added bonus that I cannot install my printer...because the system says the printer driver is missing. Nope...I'm not that much of a novice...I downloaded the manufacturer's driver for my model printer...over and over. Still no joy...and no printer...although I still have the WIDE display that no Internet fix from Microsoft, HP (my computer manufacturer), CNet, or countless forums has resolved...Did you try hitting the + sign on the Hub to !00%? Only 100 times, but that is another story.

After four days of frustration and still no resolution...I bit the very expensive bullet and ordered a new computer...Why didn't I take it to the Geek Squad or someone like them? Because they would charge me for the privilege, cobble the thing back together and the system would still be missing something here or there...more jiggling the wire...unplug...plug...no unplug the computer first, then the printer...now connect the printer end of USB first then the computer end.

My truth is that whatever information I need is never available in a viable way from Microsoft, Apple, HP, Acer or whomever. It boils down to 'You need to buy a new system'. Because somewhere along the line you were not able to download a needful update...and because there are a gazillion updates a week it's easy to have one fall out of the system, never to be located by anyone. I've had Office 365, 2016 since July...at least twice a week when I log in to either Word. Outlook, or Excel I am prompted to install updates which have been added since you last logged in (yesterday).

I love my desktop, or I did until four days ago...yes it's eight years old, but it runs my programs  for accounting and word processing, I can surf the net and cruise Facebook without incident...I replaced the hard drive two years ago. It worked fine until 20 Nov 2017 at 3 p.m. 

Now that I've wasted four days on useless troubleshooting and tech speak from people who think they know...'I'll ask my friend, he's a wiz'. The Wiz said, 'Looks like your system doesn't recognize your video driver.' Swell, Sparky...and the solution is? 'Uh...uninstall, restart...' Note to Sparky...didn't work, don't try.

It would be nice if there was a site where information could be sourced that works the first try, instead of the shot gun approach by a self-proclaimed guru who read the flip/flow chart wrong.

I feel the pain of those who rely on the younger generation to 'know' how to fix it. They don't...they're just guessing...and guessing wrong 90% of the time.