You're not alone if your Brother printer abruptly stops functioning and displays a "Driver Unavailable" error. Both Windows and Mac computers frequently experience this problem, which typically arises when the driver is out-of-date, corrupted, missing, or incompatible with your operating system.

The Brother printer driver is a crucial piece of software that serves as a translator between your computer (OS) and your Brother printer, allowing them to connect, deliver print and scan jobs, and make effective use of all functions (such as color settings and duplex printing).

Steps To Fix Brother Printer Drivers Errors - 

1. Reinstall the Brother Printer Driver.

• Disconnect the printer USB (if connected via cable).

• Go to the Brother printer drivers page.

• Enter your printer model (example: HL-L2321D, MFC-J1010DW, DCP-T520W).

• Download the latest Full Driver & Software Package.

• Install the driver and restart your computer.

• Reconnect your printer or re-add it if using WiFi.

2. Update Your Windows or Mac System

For Windows:

• Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates

• Install all printer and security updates

• Restart your PC

For macOS:

• Open System Settings > General > Software Update

• Install available updates

3. Use Windows Device Manager to Update Drivers

1. Search Device Manager

2. Expand Printers or Print queues

3. Right-click your Brother printer

4. Select Update driver

5. Click Search automatically for drivers

4. Remove Old or Corrupted Printer Drivers

Steps (Windows):

1. Open Control Panel > Devices and Printers

2. Right-click your Brother printer

3. Select Remove device

4. Press Win + R, type printui /s /t2

5. Delete any leftover Brother drivers

6. Reinstall the correct driver from Brother’s website

5. Check Your Printer Connection (USB or WiFi)

Check if:

• The USB cable is working and plugged in firmly

• You’re connected to the correct WiFi network

• Printer is not in sleep mode

• Printer firmware is up to date

6. Reset the Print Spooler Service 

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc

2. Find Print Spooler

3. Right-click → Restart

4. Try printing again

The driver for the Brother printer. Although the unavailable warning can be annoying, there are easy solutions. Reinstalling the most recent driver or deleting outdated driver files usually fixes the issue right away.

FAQs

1. What causes the Brother printer driver unavailable error?

It happens when the driver is outdated, corrupted, missing, or incompatible with your system.

2. How do I fix driver unavailable without reinstalling?

You can update the driver via Device Manager, restart the print spooler, or install system updates.

3. Is downloading Brother drivers safe?

Yes—only if downloaded from Brother’s official support website.

4. Does Windows 11 cause this error?

Yes, some Windows 11 updates may remove or replace printer drivers.