When you go to print a document, and then nothing happens, you'll likely look at your computer and find a "Printer Offline" error. The printer is powered on, all the cables appear to be in good working order, but Windows will not print.
Are you having problems connecting your printer? Don't worry, you aren't the only one. Printer connection issues are common, and in many instances there is nothing wrong with your computer or the printer itself. A couple of simple things to check should fix the problem most of the time.
Whether your printer is wired via USB or wireless, this article provides you with 10 practical ways to resolve printing issues in Windows.
Why Does Windows Say the Printer Is Offline?
One reason for this issue is that sometimes the printer will lose its wireless connection. Another possible explanation is that Windows has had difficulty communicating with the printer's driver, or it may have become bogged down attempting to complete a print job from some time ago.
Here are a few common causes:
- The printer has disconnected from Wi-Fi or USB.
- Windows is trying to use the wrong printer.
- A document is stuck in the print queue.
- The printer has been paused or set to offline mode.
- The printer driver needs an update.
- The Windows Print Spooler service isn't working properly.
- The router or printer's network settings have changed.
- Work on making these changes individually so that you can see which change worked.
- Make Sure the Printer Is Connected
The first step is always the most basic. This may seem like common sense, however, verifying your connection could potentially save you a significant amount of time.
First, verify that your printer is turned on and prepared to start printing. Check its display, if it has one, for any message(s) indicating that there may be a paper jam, a network connection failure, etc.
If you use a USB printer, remove the USB cord from the computer then re-plug the USB cord back into the computer. Try plugging the USB cord into another USB port on your computer to see if the issue is with the USB connection.
For a wireless printer, you will need to access the network configuration of the printer to verify if it is connected to your Wi-Fi network. Also make sure that the computer you are using is connected to a network which enables communication with the printer.
Once everything looks right, try printing a test page.
Restart the Printer and Your Computer
devices sometimes fail to communicate properly. Restarting the device can resolve transient issues that don't require changes to configuration.
Here's what to do:
- Turn off your printer.
- Restart your computer.
- Wait for Windows to finish loading.
- Switch the printer back on.
- Give it time to reconnect to Wi-Fi, if applicable.
- Try printing again.
If the printer begins functioning, the issue was likely a short-term communication problem. However, if the printer is still displaying as "offline," then proceed with the next possible solution.
Check Which Printer Windows Is Using
Windows is possibly sending your files to another printer, or the information you are viewing has been updated, but not reflected in the status display.
If you are on Windows 11, click "Settings" from your taskbar or start menu, then select "Bluetooth & Devices" and click on "Printers & Scanners." On the other hand, if you are running Windows 10, go to "Settings," then select "Devices," and finally, click on "Printers & Scanners."
Select your printer from the list. Verify its status and check to see if you can access the print queue.
When multiple printers exist, check that you are using the correct printer. You should check your computer's default printer settings to ensure that Windows does not continue to send documents to a printer which is no longer being used.
In some instances, the actual menu choices will vary based upon which version of Windows you are running and what type of printer software you use.
Clear Documents That Are Stuck in the Print Queue
Have you ever pressed "Print" numerous times and then realized that nothing happened? This could cause you to have many different print jobs waiting for you to process, and if one of your documents is stuck, it may prevent your other documents from printing.
To check:
- Open your printer's settings in Windows.
- Select the option to view the print queue.
- Look through the pending documents.
- Cancel any jobs that are clearly stuck and no longer needed.
- Wait for the queue to clear.
- Send a small test document.
When you are troubleshooting a problem, try not to click "print" multiple times. If you do this, your print queue may become more disorganized and you will have many copies of the document that have not yet been printed.
If the jobs refuse to clear, the Windows printing service may need attention.
Check Whether the Printer Is Set to Offline Mode
The "Use Printer Offline" option has been a standard feature in Windows' printer queue settings for many years. When this option is turned on, the computer can continue to believe that the printer is offline.
Open your computer's printer queue and view each menu option on your printer. If you notice that "Use Printer Offline" is checked, uncheck it. Additionally, verify if there are any print jobs currently being held up.
Because there are some differences in how these options appear on different systems, you may see something other than what is shown here.
When you have completed the process of updating the printer settings in Windows, allow some time for Windows to recognize that the printer has changed its status. If the "offline" setting was previously turned off (not checked), there may be another reason why your printer cannot be used.
Run the Windows Printer Troubleshooter
Windows has built-in troubleshooting utilities that assist with identifying some common print issues.
Start up the "Settings" menu and search for the troubleshooting area. Depending upon which version of Windows you have, you will either locate a "Printer Troubleshooter" or a "Diagnostic Option" within the "Get Help" application.
Follow the prompts and review any suggested fixes.
A problem-solver will not be able to fix every issue with a computer, especially when the issue is related to either a physical problem with the computer, or a significant network-related issue. However, using a problem-solver is usually a good first step to take prior to attempting other more complex solutions.
Restart the Print Spooler Service
The Print Spooler is a Windows based application that handles print requests and maintains a queue of print jobs. When the print spooler hangs up, you will experience problems with print jobs getting stuck or the printer itself hanging up.
You can restart it through Windows Services:
Press Windows + R on your keyboard.
Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
Find Print Spooler in the list.
Right-click it.
Choose Restart, if available.
Try printing a test page.
Additional problem solving may be required if the service stops working or continues to fail.
Please do not delete files from your Windows system folder, or change advanced service settings unless you have specific instructions. These actions may lead to additional complications when done improperly.
Update the Printer Driver
Your printer driver is used to facilitate communication between Windows and your printing hardware. When a printer driver becomes out-of-date, damaged, or cannot work with the operating system on which you are running Windows, then you may experience difficulties printing.
The safest method of downloading drivers is to go to the printer maker's official support site. Look up your specific model, then find the driver that is recommended for your OS.
Follow the manufacturers instructions to install the program on your computer and then restart your computer when prompted.
If the offline issue occurred right after you updated your drivers, read the manufacturer's instructions prior to attempting to use an earlier version of the driver.
Avoid downloading drivers from unknown web sites. If you download the wrong driver, it could create even bigger issues than you are currently experiencing. Also, if you download drivers from an unapproved source, they may include unwanted software.
Look for Wi-Fi or Network Problems
Wireless printers require a steady network connection. If you have recently changed your router (restarted it, replaced it, or reconfigured it), then the printer will no longer be accessible by your computer.
Confirm the printer is connected to the right wireless network. You may be able to verify this by checking the printer's display or looking at your printer's network configuration page.
You may want to confirm that your computer and printer are able to talk to each other over the network. Some things that can stop these two devices from being able to see each other include guest networks, device isolation settings, and some router configurations.
Windows may try to communicate with the printer's previous IP address if it was modified. Follow the manufacturer's directions for reconnecting the printer properly rather than making changes to your advanced network settings unless you have a good reason to do so.
Remove and Set Up the Printer Again
If you've attempted all of the previously mentioned solutions to correct your "offline" status on the printer, then try deleting the printer from your computer's operating system (Windows) and re-installing it.
Before starting, make a note of the printer's model and connection type.
Open the Settings menu, then click on "Printers & Scanners" and find the problematic printer. After finding the printer, remove it from your computer. Once you have removed the printer, go through the Windows "Add device" or "Add printer" steps to add it back to your computer.
Confirm your wireless printer is connected to your network prior to starting. If Windows does not locate your wireless printer automatically, please consult the setup instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Removing a printer can also result in losing some of the printer's individual setup. Therefore, please be certain that you have saved all of the unique setup options that you require prior to beginning.
Still Seeing the Printer Offline Message?
If you're still having trouble after trying all of the previous suggestions, stop making random changes to your settings. You can narrow down why things are going wrong by looking at a few specific details:
The printer's manufacturer and model
Whether you're running Windows 10 or Windows 11
Whether the printer uses USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet
Any error messages shown on the printer or computer
Whether another computer can print successfully
For additional troubleshooting support, please review this "printer offline troubleshooting guide" , which will help guide you on what to do next if you wish to research your issue further.
Final Thoughts
Seeing a "printer offline" message can be frustrating, however, this doesn't necessarily indicate that the printer has stopped working. There are several things that may cause the inability to print including; a disconnected cable, poor network stability, a stalled print queue, or a problem with your printer drivers.
Begin with the simplest checks first, and only make use of the more complex methods as necessary. When you check the printer after each modification you will be able to easily find what caused the problem and prevent from making other unnecessary changes.
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