Printer Troubleshooting

Printer Offline? How to Get It Back Online

Last reviewed · General guidance — steps vary by model and operating system

“Offline” means your computer tried to talk to the printer and got no answer. The printer itself may be perfectly healthy: the message only tells you that the link between the computer and the printer is not working at that moment.

This guide works from the quickest checks to the more involved ones. Most offline problems are solved in the first three sections.

When this guide applies

  • Windows shows the printer as Offline in Settings or in the print queue.
  • macOS shows “The printer is not connected” or the printer is greyed out in the print dialog.
  • Jobs sit in the queue and never print, but the printer’s own control panel looks normal.
  • The printer printed yesterday and nothing has obviously changed.

Possible causes

Power or sleep state
The printer is switched off, in a deep sleep mode, or showing an error (paper, ink, open cover) that stops it accepting jobs.
Lost network connection
A wireless printer dropped off Wi-Fi, joined a different network, or the router was restarted or replaced.
Changed IP address
The router gave the printer a new address, but the computer is still sending jobs to the old one.
Stuck print queue
A failed job at the front of the queue blocks everything behind it.
“Use Printer Offline” is switched on (Windows)
This setting tells Windows to hold jobs instead of sending them.
Wrong printer copy selected
Windows sometimes creates a second copy of the printer (for example “Printer (Copy 1)”) and the old copy shows offline.

1. Do the quick physical checks

  1. Wake the printer and clear any error

    Press a button on the printer or touch its screen. Look for messages about paper, ink or toner, a jam or an open cover, and deal with them first. A printer with an error showing will often report as offline.

  2. Restart the printer properly

    Turn it off with its own power button, wait about 30 seconds, then turn it on again and wait until it is fully ready (the screen or lights stop changing). Turning it off with the button, rather than pulling the plug, lets it park the printhead correctly.

  3. Check the cable if you use one

    For a USB printer, unplug the cable at both ends and reconnect it, ideally directly into the computer rather than through a hub or dock. For an Ethernet printer, check the link light on the printer’s network port.

2. Confirm the printer is on the same network

Skip this section if your printer is connected by USB.

  1. Check the printer’s wireless status

    Most wireless printers show a Wi-Fi icon or light. A steady light usually means connected; flashing or off usually means not connected. The exact meaning varies by model, so check your printer’s manual if you are unsure.

  2. Print a network configuration page

    Most network printers can print a report showing the network name (SSID) and IP address they are using. It is usually found in the printer’s Setup, Network or Reports menu. Make sure the network name matches the one your computer uses.

  3. Restart the router if several devices have problems

    If other devices are also struggling, restart the router, wait until it is fully back up, then restart the printer so it rejoins the network.

  4. Reconnect the printer to Wi-Fi if needed

    If the printer is on the wrong network or not connected at all, follow our guide on how to connect a printer to Wi-Fi.

3. Clear the print queue

  1. Windows 11 and 10

    Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices (Windows 10: Devices) → Printers & scanners, select your printer and open the print queue. Cancel every job, then try printing a single test page.

  2. macOS

    Open System Settings → Printers & Scanners, select the printer and choose Printer Queue. Delete the stuck jobs. If the queue shows as paused, choose Resume.

  3. If jobs will not delete (Windows)

    Restarting the computer usually clears them. If not, an administrator can restart the Print Spooler service from the Services app. Only do this if you are comfortable with Windows administrative tools.

4. Check the Windows offline setting and printer copies

  1. Turn off “Use Printer Offline”

    Open the printer’s queue window, open the Printer menu and make sure Use Printer Offline is not ticked.

  2. Look for duplicate printers

    In Printers & scanners, check whether the same printer appears twice (for example with “Copy 1” in the name). Try printing to the copy that shows as ready, then remove the one that stays offline.

  3. Set the right default printer

    If Windows is set to Let Windows manage my default printer, it may pick a different printer from the one you expect. Turn that option off and choose your default printer yourself.

5. Remove and re-add the printer

If the printer’s IP address has changed, the simplest fix is often to remove it from the computer and add it again so the computer finds it at its current address.

  1. Remove the printer

    Windows: in Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove. macOS: select it in Printers & Scanners and use the remove (−) option.

  2. Add it again

    Follow how to add a printer to a computer. Choose the printer when it appears in the list of discovered devices.

  3. Consider a reserved IP address

    If the printer goes offline again every few days, its address may keep changing. Many routers let you reserve a fixed address for a device (often called a DHCP reservation). How to do this depends on your router; check its manual or app.

If it still isn’t working

Use the manufacturer’s diagnostic tool. Several manufacturers offer free troubleshooting utilities or apps. Download them only from the manufacturer’s official website or your device’s official app store. See our printer brand pages for where to look.

Try a different connection method to narrow down the cause. If the printer works over USB but not over Wi-Fi, the printer is fine and the problem is the network connection.

Update the operating system and printer firmware using the official update tools only.

Still offline? If the printer cannot print its own internal reports or shows a hardware error code, the problem is with the printer itself. Contact the manufacturer, or the retailer if it is under warranty.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my printer keep going offline?

The most common reasons are the printer’s IP address changing, the printer entering a deep sleep mode, or a weak Wi-Fi signal where the printer sits. Reserving an IP address on your router and moving the printer closer to the router often help.

Does “offline” mean my printer is broken?

Usually not. It means the computer cannot reach the printer at that moment. If the printer can print its own test or configuration page, the printer itself is generally working.

Do I need to reinstall the driver?

Not usually as a first step. Clearing the queue and re-adding the printer fix most offline problems. Reinstall the driver from the manufacturer’s official website if the problem persists.