Recommended Free Tools
cnmdr61.dll is a Canon printer-driver file, not a normal Windows system component. If Windows reports that cnmdr61.dll is missing, was not found, or could not be loaded, repair or reinstall the affected Canon printer driver rather than downloading the DLL by itself.
The file is identified as BJ Raster Printer Graphics Driver, part of the Canon BJ Raster Printer Driver for Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000. It was published by CANON INC. The error may appear while adding a printer, opening printer properties, printing, starting the Print Spooler, or launching an old Canon utility.
Before you begin
Do not download cnmdr61.dll from a random DLL archive and copy it into System32 or `SysWOW64. A replacement file can have the wrong version, architecture, dependencies, or malicious modifications. Even a genuine copy may not repair the printer package that references it.
You need to identify:
- The Canon printer model involved
- Whether Windows is 32-bit or 64-bit
- The program or Windows component showing the error
- Whether the problem began after removing, updating, or reinstalling a printer
To check your Windows architecture, open Settings > System > About and look at System type. To identify the printer, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners on Windows 11, or Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners on Windows 10.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchPC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
Also check Settings > Apps > Installed apps for Canon software. The error may name an executable or utility even when the printer itself is not obvious.
Fix 1: Reinstall the complete Canon printer package
Time needed: 10 to 20 minutes
This is the most likely solution. cnmdr61.dll should normally arrive as part of the complete printer-driver package for the exact Canon model.
1. Remove the affected printer
- Open Settings.
- Select Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners on Windows 11.
- Select Devices > Printers & scanners on Windows 10.
- Choose the Canon printer.
- Select Remove or Remove device.
- Confirm the removal.
If you have several Canon printers, identify the model mentioned in the error before removing anything. Multiple Canon drivers can coexist, and removing the wrong package can affect another printer.
2. Uninstall Canon software
- Open Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
- Search for Canon.
- Remove the printer utility, setup program, or driver associated with the affected model.
- Restart Windows when prompted.
On older Windows installations, you can use Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall a program instead.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →3. Obtain the correct package
Use Canon’s official support site and search for the exact printer model. Select the driver intended for your Windows release and processor architecture. If Canon does not offer a current package, check Windows Update or the printer’s original installation media.
Do not install a driver for a similar-looking model. Canon model families can use different driver files and utilities.
4. Install and test
- Run the Canon installer as an administrator if necessary.
- Follow the setup instructions.
- Connect or select the printer when the installer requests it.
- Open Settings > Printers & scanners.
- Select the printer and choose Print a test page.
The repair worked if the driver installs without the DLL error and the test page prints. If setup still reports cnmdr61.dll, continue with the clean driver removal in Fix 2.
When manually hunting through several Canon packages, it is easy to choose an outdated or incompatible driver. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan for driver problems and show what needs attention; its free scan identifies issues, while the full version performs the driver installation. It is optional, and the exact Canon model-specific package remains the preferred source.
Fix 2: Remove the stale printer-driver package
Time needed: 10 to 15 minutes
A printer can disappear from Settings while its driver remains installed. The Print Spooler may then continue referencing an incomplete Canon package.
Rank #2
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Scan & Copy Handling - Utilize the device’s integrated scanner for efficient scanning and copying operations
Remove the old package
- Press Win + R.
- Type
control printers. - Press Enter.
- In the Devices and Printers window, select any affected Canon printer.
- Choose Print server properties from the toolbar.
- Open the Drivers tab.
- Select the Canon driver associated with the affected model.
- Choose Remove.
- Select Remove driver and driver package if Windows offers that choice.
- Confirm the removal.
If Windows says the driver is in use, close all printer programs and restart the Print Spooler:
- Press Win + R.
- Type
services.msc. - Press Enter.
- Find Print Spooler.
- Right-click it and select Restart.
- Try the driver removal again.
You can also restart the service from an elevated Command Prompt:
net stop spooler
net start spooler
To open an elevated Command Prompt, open Start, type Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
After removing the package, restart Windows. Install the complete Canon driver again, or let Windows Update select a compatible driver.
If the Canon driver does not appear in Print server properties, the error may come from an old Canon utility rather than the active printer. Check Installed apps and remove or reinstall that utility.
Fix 3: Install a compatible Windows driver
Time needed: 10 to 30 minutes
The available file metadata associates cnmdr61.dll with a legacy Canon driver for Windows XP and Windows 2000. That does not establish compatibility with modern Windows 10 or Windows 11.
A legacy 32-bit printer driver may fail on a 64-bit Windows installation because the operating system requires a compatible driver package and architecture. Do not assume that placing a 32-bit DLL in a 64-bit system folder will solve this.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteTry Windows’ own driver path:
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Select Add device.
- Wait for Windows to search.
- If the printer is listed, select it.
- Follow the installation prompts.
- Print a test page.
If Windows cannot find it:
- Select Add manually.
- Choose the connection method that matches the printer.
- Select the printer model if it appears.
- Allow Windows Update to load additional printer drivers if offered.
- Select the exact model and complete setup.
For an older printer, Windows may provide only a basic driver. Basic printing may work while advanced Canon utilities, scanning, or special printer features remain unavailable.
Rank #3
- Affordable Versatility - A budget-friendly all-in-one printer perfect for both home users and hybrid workers, offering exceptional value
- Crisp, Vibrant Prints - Experience impressive print quality for both documents and photos, thanks to its 2-cartridge hybrid ink system that delivers sharp text and vivid colors
- Effortless Setup & Use - Get started quickly with easy setup for your smartphone or computer, so you can print, scan, and copy without delay
- Reliable Wireless Connectivity - Enjoy stable and consistent connections with dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz or 5GHz), ensuring smooth printing from anywhere in your home or office
- Seamless Multi-Page Handling - Tackle multi-page documents with ease using the Auto Document Feeder (ADF) for quick scanning and copying
If Canon provides no driver for your current Windows architecture, the practical choices are to use a compatible Windows driver, keep the printer connected to a supported older computer, use a supported virtual machine where appropriate, or replace the printer. Reinstalling only cnmdr61.dll cannot make an unsupported driver architecture compatible.
Check the driver through Device Manager
Device Manager is useful for identifying the hardware, although printer packages are often managed through Windows’ printer settings.
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand Printers, Print queues, or Other devices.
- Find the Canon device.
- Right-click it and select Properties.
- Open the Driver tab.
- Note the provider, date, version, and available Update Driver, Roll Back Driver, or Uninstall Device options.
If the issue started immediately after a driver update, choose Roll Back Driver if available. Otherwise, uninstall the device, restart Windows, and install the correct Canon package.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Fix 4: Check Windows Security quarantine
Time needed: 5 to 10 minutes
Antivirus software can quarantine a legitimate old driver file, especially when the file is uncommon. Quarantine alone does not prove that cnmdr61.dll is malware.
- Open Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Choose Protection history.
- Look for an entry involving
cnmdr61.dll, Canon software, or the printer installer. - Review the detected file path and action.
- Restore or allow the item only if you can verify that it came from the Canon driver package and matches the expected printer installation.
Do not disable antivirus protection to install a DLL from an unknown website. If the file was quarantined from an old installer, download a fresh package from Canon or use Windows Update instead. A clean official reinstall is safer than restoring an isolated file without checking its origin.
Fix 5: Repair Windows components with DISM and SFC
Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes
These commands are secondary for this error. cnmdr61.dll is associated with a Canon printer driver, so System File Checker is not normally expected to restore it. Use these commands when other Windows components are also failing, Windows Update is broken, or the problem began after broader system corruption.
Run DISM first
- Open Start.
- Type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Run:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to finish.
- Restart Windows if requested.
Run SFC second
Open an elevated Command Prompt again and run:
sfc /scannow
Wait until verification reaches 100 percent. Restart Windows, then retry the printer installation.
Possible results include:
- Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations: Windows protected files appear intact.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them: Restart and test the printer again.
- Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them: Run DISM again, restart, and repeat SFC. Then focus on reinstalling the Canon driver.
Repeating SFC will not replace a missing third-party Canon driver package.
Rank #4
- Wireless Print/Copy/Scan
- Up to 2 years of ink included (2)
- Print up to 6,000 black & white / 7,700 color pages using a single set of inks! (1)
- Save up to $1,000 on ink (1)
- 1.35” Square LCD display
If manually deciding whether Windows corruption is involved becomes difficult, Outbyte PC Repair can scan and identify repair issues; the free scan shows what it finds, while the full version performs the repair. It is optional, and reinstalling the Canon package remains the direct fix for a missing printer-driver file.
Fix 6: Use System Restore after a recent driver change
Time needed: 15 to 30 minutes
Use System Restore if the error began immediately after a Canon driver update, printer removal, cleanup program, or other software change.
- Press Win + R.
- Type
rstrui.exe. - Press Enter.
- Select Choose a different restore point if that option appears.
- Select a restore point from before the error began.
- Select Scan for affected programs to review the expected changes.
- Confirm the restore point.
- Let Windows restart and complete the process.
System Restore can affect installed programs, drivers, registry settings, and system files. It does not remove personal documents. After Windows starts, reinstall the correct Canon driver if necessary.
Do not copy cnmdr61.dll manually
Why System32 and SysWOW64 are not interchangeable
Windows uses architecture-specific locations and driver rules. Copying the same file into both folders does not convert a 32-bit printer module into a 64-bit driver, repair its dependencies, or create the printer-driver registry configuration it needs.
A copied DLL can also leave the system with mismatched files: the printer package may expect a different companion module, configuration file, or driver version.
Why regsvr32 usually does not apply
regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that expose registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer, commonly used by COM or ActiveX components. A printer graphics-driver module is normally installed and registered through the printer-driver package.
Do not routinely run:
regsvr32 cnmdr61.dll
If Windows reports that DllRegisterServer is missing, that usually means the command is inappropriate, not that the printer file is damaged. Use the Canon installer or Windows printer-driver installation process instead.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →When “the specified module could not be found” is misleading
The message may mean that Windows cannot load a dependency required by cnmdr61.dll, not necessarily that the named file itself is absent. Other possibilities include:
- The Canon driver package was only partially removed
- A required companion file is missing
- The printer driver is incompatible with the Windows architecture
- The Print Spooler has a stale reference
- Permissions prevent the driver from loading
- A security product quarantined part of the package
- The old Canon utility is incompatible with the current Windows release
That is why reinstalling the complete package is more reliable than replacing one file.
Best Value
- ALL-IN-ONE: Print, Copy, Scan features for full control at your fingertips. Single-sided printing only.
- FAST PRINT SPEEDS: Print approximately 7.7 (black) / 4 (color) images per minute.
- EASY SETUP: Get running in just a few minutes thanks to a streamlined and easy setup process out of the box.
- EASY TO INSTALL INK: Print full color with only 2 (no mess) easy-to-replace ink cartridges.
- 1.5” LCD SCREEN: Get the job done with an intuitive and easy to use 1.5” segment LCD screen.
Likely causes and the correct response
| Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|
| Canon printer software was removed or damaged | Remove the old package and reinstall the exact model’s complete driver |
| A printer update left stale spooler references | Remove the driver package from Print server properties and restart Print Spooler |
| Antivirus quarantined the file | Check Protection history and reinstall from an official source |
| An old XP/2000-era driver is incompatible | Use a current Canon or Windows driver, a supported older system, or replace the printer |
| Windows components are corrupted | Run DISM, then SFC |
| The error comes from an old Canon utility | Repair or uninstall and reinstall that utility |
| A dependency is missing | Reinstall the complete package rather than copying the DLL |
How to confirm the repair worked
The issue is resolved when:
- The Canon printer installs without a missing-DLL message.
- The printer appears under Printers & scanners.
- Printer properties open normally.
- The Print Spooler remains running.
- A Windows test page prints.
- The Canon utility launches without the error, if that utility is still compatible with your Windows version.
If printing works but an old Canon utility still fails, the remaining problem is likely application compatibility rather than the active printer driver.
FAQ
Is cnmdr61.dll a Windows system file?
No. It is associated with the Canon BJ Raster Printer Driver for Windows XP and Windows 2000. It should not normally be treated as a general-purpose file for System32.
Which Canon printer installed it?
The file is linked to a Canon BJ Raster printer-driver family, but the available information does not establish one universal printer model. Check the error, installed Canon software, printer list, and old installation media to identify the exact model.
Should I download cnmdr61.dll from a DLL website?
No. The file may be wrong for your driver, wrong for your architecture, incomplete, or unsafe. Install the complete package from Canon, Windows Update, or supplied Canon media.
Will SFC restore the file?
Usually not. SFC repairs protected Windows system files. Because this is a third-party printer-driver component, reinstalling the Canon driver is the appropriate first repair.
Do I need to register the DLL?
Normally no. Printer driver modules are installed through the printer package. regsvr32 is generally irrelevant unless the vendor specifically instructs you to use it for a component that supports registration.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Why did the error appear after upgrading Windows?
A legacy Canon driver may no longer be compatible with the new Windows architecture, driver-signature requirements, or spooler behavior. Look for a newer model-specific package before attempting manual file replacement.
What if Canon no longer supports my printer?
Try Windows Update or the built-in Add Printer workflow. If no compatible driver exists, use the printer with a supported older computer or replace it. A standalone copy of cnmdr61.dll will not solve a fundamentally unsupported driver.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
