PDE.plugin Will Damage Your Computer: How to Fix it

The PDE.plugin will damage your computer error on Mac is one of the concerning issues users encounter. Some users think the PDE.plugin to be a virus trying to destroy their PC.

This is false, however, as an incompatible or unsigned HP Printer driver causes the error. Fortunately, as scary as the error message looks, it can be easily fixed with the right instructions, which we will provide in this comprehensive guide.

What causes the PDE.plugin to damage your computer error?

The major cause of the PDE.plugin damage error is an incompatible driver, as reported by official sources. This is due to HP unintentionally revoking credentials on some older versions of Mac drivers.

This led to a situation where most users cannot print and get this error instead.

How can I get rid of PDE.plugin will damage your computer?

1. Update Mac

1. Click the System Preferences option from the Apple menu bar in the corner of your screen.
   
2. Select the Software Update option and wait for the scan to complete.
3. Now, click the Upgrade Now button to install any available updates.
   

If you are dealing with the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error, the problem has been fixed with the release of a new printer software driver update that is compatible with the latest Mac versions.

2. Delete and re-add HP Printer

1. Select System Preferences from the Apple menu, as shown in the previous solution.
2. Choose the click Printers & Scanners options.
   
3. Now, select the HP printer and click the minus sign (remove button).
   
4. Next, click the Delete Printer option.
   
5. From here, visit the official HP website to download and install HP printer driver software.
6. Now, go back to the Printers & Scanners menu, as shown above.
7. Finally, click the Add button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

If you are unable to find the HP software update via the System update, then you can uninstall and reinstall the latest version of the software for your printer model.

This should come with the latest driver that should get rid of the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error.

3. Reinstalling the HP printer driver

1. Open Finder and select the Applications option.
2. Drag the HP or Hewlett-Packard folder to Trash.
   
3. Now, go back to Finder and press the Command + Shift + G keys to open the Go to Folder box.
4. Type /Library/Printers and hit the Return button.
5. Now, delete the HP or Hewlett-Packard folder.
6. Right-click the Trash icon, and select the Empty Trash option.
   
7. From here, repeat steps 1 to 4 in solution 2 above to remove your HP printer.
8. Restart your device and visit the official website to download and download the latest HP driver.
   
9. Open the downloaded file and double-click the DMG option.
10. Now, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process.
11. Finally, go back to the Printers & Scanners page to re-add your printer.

In some cases, you might need to remove everything that has to do with your HP printer and add them again. This is because the problem might be down to your printer driver certificate.

Reinstalling everything should fix the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error. Besides, reinstalling also helps with the An error was encountered while trying to load this plugin message in BetterDiscord.

4. Use HP Easy Start to update your driver

1. Download the HP Easy Start software and install it on your Mac.
   
2. Now, run the software when it finishes installing and click the HP Easy Start tab at the top.
3. Choose Uninstall HP Software to remove everything that has to do with the HP software and the driver.
   
4. After the removal is complete, choose the Set Up New Device option.
5. Finally, follow the onscreen instruction to install the latest drivers and restart your Mac.

If manually removing your driver failed to get rid of the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error, you can employ the Easy Start tool from HP.

This software will remove all instances of the HP software, including all printer updates, and help you install the latest versions.

5. Use AirPrint to reinstall the printer

1. Choose System Preferences from your Apple Menu and select Printers & Scanners.
   
2. Remove your HP printer if it is still on the list of printers.
3. Click the + sign.
4. Now, select the Add Printer or Scanner option.
   
5. Locate your HP printer name and click the Use or Print Using option.
6. Next, select AirPrint and click Add next to your printer name.
   
7. Finally, try to print with the printer to see if it works.

Since the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error is due to driver issues, you can actually print with your driver on Mac without a driver. This is possible with the help of the AirPrint feature that supports wireless printing.

However, your printer needs to be an AirPrint-enabled printer to use the feature. To confirm, check the list of compatible printers.

How to prevent this message from popping up in the future?

To prevent the PDE.plugin will damage your computer error on Mac in the future, you should always check for and install the latest Mac updates regularly.

This should mainly include software updates for your drivers too, which will prove helpful since HP already released newer drivers to fix it.

While the PDE.plugin will damage your computer on Mac can look scary, it is not the most difficult to fix. The issue, which was caused by a mistake from HP, can be resolved by simply updating your PC, among other solutions.

We have detailed the steps you need to follow to restore normalcy on your PC in this guide. All you have to do is to apply the fixes carefully.

Lastly, if your Macbook is not connecting to any printer at all,  we have a detailed guide you can use to fix it.