Today we are going to explain how to fix the PrintNightmare security bug on Windows 10. Using this vulnerability, hackers can take control of your PC under certain circumstances. Last week, Microsoft officially admitted the problem and released a hotfix and they recommend all users to install the latest Windows Update immediately.
How to fix the PrintNightmare security bug on Windows 10?
We leave you with the technical aspects of the patch and we should say that it is very easy to install. You just have to follow some easy steps that we are going to detail below.
Option 1: Visit Windows Update
To get started, you should go to the Start menu and then click on Settings. It is the icon on the left side of your screen. From there, you will be taken to the Windows 10 Settings app, where you should click Update & Security Later Test for updates. Windows 10 will start checking for updates.
If you have the latest version of Windows May 2021 (21H1) or May 2020 (20H1) update, make sure to see the KB5004945 code in the Windows Update patch notes to fix the PrintNightmare bug. This is an automatic patch for Windows 10 Home, Pro, and other versions of Windows 10.
Download the Windows 10 update and let it install in the background. After a few minutes, your PC will be automatically restarted.
If you have an older version of Windows 10 (Windows 10 November 2019 Update, also known as 19H2), you will see KB5004946 as a patch. For all other versions of Windows 10 (Windows 10 April 2018 Update, also known as version 1803), you should see KB5004949 as a patch in Windows Update. In all cases, your PC will install immediately and require a quick reboot.
Option 2: Download the patch from the Microsoft Update catalog
In some rare cases, you might not see this patch in the Windows Update. Normally Microsoft makes sure that all users receive the update automatically. But if you aren’t able to install it you can download it manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
You should be looking specifically for the version KB5004945, it is available for all recent versions of Windows 10. Although the KB5004946 version is for those who have Windows 10, November 2019 update installed. Finally, there is the KB5004949 version for the Windows 10 April 2018 update or version 1803.
After clicking the download button next to these updates in the catalog, a pop-up window will appear. Click on the MSU file download it to your PC. After downloading, you can click on the file and install it. Your system should automatically reboot afterward.
Option 3: What if you have an older version of Windows?
If you have an older version of Windows (with extended support for Windows 8.1 or Windows 7), the patches you have to install are different. You should visit Windows Update and should check for updates as usual. In Windows 8.1, download the patch called KB5004954. Meanwhile, in Windows 7, find the version called KB5004953. And the procedure you should follow is the same as before. In summary, download the patch, install it on your PC, then restart.
