Printer Says Offline? How to Fix It
Seeing the word "offline" next to your printer is frustrating, especially when you only want to print a single page. The reassuring news is that an offline message almost never means your printer is broken. Most of the time it simply means your printer and your computer have lost track of each other, and that is something you can very often fix in just a few minutes.
We'll walk you through it, one calm step at a time. Start at the top and stop as soon as your printer comes back online — there is no need to complete every step if an earlier one solves it. Take your time; nothing here can harm your printer or your computer.
Step by step
Follow these steps
Start with the simple things
Before changing any settings, check the basics. Make sure the printer is switched on and that no warning lights or error messages are showing on its screen. Confirm there is paper in the tray and no paper jam inside. If your printer connects with a USB cable, gently unplug it and plug it back in firmly at both ends. If it connects over Wi-Fi, glance at the printer's display to see whether it still shows a wireless connection. A quick look here often points you straight to the cause.
Restart the printer, router, and computer
A fresh start clears most temporary glitches. Turn the printer off and, if you can reach it easily, unplug it from the wall for about 30 seconds, then plug it back in and turn it on. If your printer is wireless, restart your Wi-Fi router the same way. Finally, restart your computer. Bring everything back up in this order — router first, then printer, then computer — and give each one a full minute to finish starting before you test a print.
Make sure both devices are on the same network
For a wireless printer, your computer and printer must be joined to the same Wi-Fi network. Many printers can print a network or Wi-Fi settings page from their on-screen menu, which shows the network name they have joined. On Windows, select the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar to see your computer's network; on a Mac, select the Wi-Fi icon in the top menu bar. If the two do not match — for example, one is on a 'Guest' network — reconnect the printer to the same network your computer uses through the printer's built-in Wi-Fi setup.
Turn off 'Use Printer Offline' and clear the queue
Windows has a setting that can hold a printer in offline mode. Open Settings, then go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (on Windows 10, it is Devices > Printers & scanners). Select your printer and choose Open print queue. In the window that opens, select the Printer menu at the top and make sure 'Use Printer Offline' is not checked. While you are there, cancel any stuck documents by right-clicking them and choosing Cancel. On a Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select your printer, choose Open Print Queue, and remove any jobs that appear stuck by selecting the small x beside them.
Restart the print service (Windows) or reset printing (Mac)
If print jobs still will not clear, restart the background service that manages printing. On Windows, press the Windows key + R together, type services.msc, and press Enter. In the list, find Print Spooler, right-click it, and choose Restart. On a Mac, you can reset the printing system: open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, hold the Control key and click anywhere in the list of printers, then choose 'Reset printing system.' Please note that this removes all of your printers, so you will re-add yours in the next step — use it only if the earlier steps did not help.
Set your printer as the default and remove duplicates
Sometimes the computer is quietly sending pages to the wrong printer, or to an old copy of it. On Windows, go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. If you see 'Let Windows manage my default printer,' turn it off, then select your printer and choose 'Set as default.' Remove any duplicate entries — such as a second copy ending in '(Copy 1)' — by selecting them and choosing Remove. On a Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, delete any duplicates with the minus button, and pick the correct printer from the 'Default printer' dropdown.
Re-add the printer or refresh its software
If the printer is still offline, adding it again gives the connection a clean start. On Windows, remove the printer from Printers & scanners, then choose 'Add device' and let Windows find it again; if you are prompted, allow it to download the software it needs. On a Mac, open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select Add Printer or the plus button, choose your printer from the list, and follow the prompts. If your printer came with setup software from the maker's website, downloading and reinstalling the current version can also refresh an out-of-date driver.
Questions & answers
Frequently asked questions
Why does my printer keep going offline?
The most common reasons are a printer that went to sleep, a brief Wi-Fi dropout, or a document stuck in the print queue. None of these mean your printer is failing. Restarting your devices and clearing the queue, as described in the steps above, resolves most repeat offline messages.
Will restarting my printer or clearing the queue delete my documents?
No. Clearing the print queue only removes the pages that were waiting to print. The original files stay safely on your computer, and you can simply send them to print again once the printer is back online.
I've tried these steps and my printer is still offline. Can someone help?
Yes. If you would like a hand, Printer Help Hub offers a free, no-pressure consultation. Our support hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM ET. If any work would carry a cost, we will explain it clearly and give you a quote to approve before any paid work begins. We are an independent support service and are not affiliated with any printer manufacturer.
Prefer to talk it through?
Start a free chat and tell us what your printer is doing. We'll help you sort it out — calmly, and with the cost explained before any paid work.
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