Common Causes

A printer may appear offline because of:

• Network connection problems
• USB cable problems
• Incorrect printer IP address
• Stuck print jobs
• Print Spooler problems
• Incorrect printer selected as default
• Driver problems
• Printer sleeping or powered off

Step 1: Check the Printer

First, check the physical printer.

1. Make sure the printer is powered on.
2. Check the display for error messages.
3. Make sure paper is available.
4. Check the toner or ink.
5. Check the USB or network cable.
6. For Wi-Fi printers, verify that the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network.

Step 2: Check the Printer in Windows

Open: Settings Bluetooth and devices Printers and scanners

Select the printer and check its status.

Step 3: Clear the Print Queue

A stuck print job can prevent new documents from printing. Open the printer print queue and cancel documents that are stuck.

Step 4: Restart the Print Spooler

Press Windows + R, enter services.msc, find Print Spooler, right-click and select Restart. Then try printing again.

Step 5: Check the Network Printer

For a network printer, find its IP address. From Command Prompt, run: ping 192.168.1.100

Step 6: Reinstall the Printer

1. Remove the printer from Windows.
2. Download the correct driver from the manufacturer website.
3. Reinstall and restart the computer.