Printer Offline: Causes and How to Get It Back Online

When your computer says your printer is offline, it just means they cannot communicate. Your machine is usually fine. The path between the two has simply broken down.

If you use Wi-Fi, a weak signal below 50 percent (or -70 dBm) will cause the connection to drop. Many modern printers also enter a deep sleep mode to save power and fail to wake up when you send a job. Your router can also cause this: if it reboots, DHCP often assigns a new IP address to the printer, leaving your computer port configuration pointing to the wrong address. Even an active VPN on your computer will block local network communication and make a network printer look offline.

The problem can also be physical. If you are using a USB hub instead of plugging directly into the computer USB port, your connection will drop.

Inside Windows, the Use Printer Offline setting can get checked by accident. Another culprit is the SNMP Status Enabled setting in your port configuration: if the printer does not respond to SNMP queries, Windows flags it as offline. Finally, look at the software. Hung data in the Windows Print Spooler service will falsely report an offline status, while corrupted driver registry keys will permanently lock the printer offline until you completely purge the driver.

• Loose or disconnected USB or Ethernet cables
• Printer is powered off or in a deep sleep mode
• The printer has changed its IP address on the local network
• The 'Use Printer Offline' setting is enabled in Windows
• Print spooler service on the computer is frozen
• Wi-Fi signal is weak or the printer disconnected from the wireless network
• Outdated or corrupted printer drivers

1. 1Verify the printer is turned on and the control panel screen is active.
2. 2Check that the USB cable is plugged securely into both the printer and the computer.
3. 3Look at the printer Wi-Fi light to ensure it is solid and not flashing.
4. 4Try printing a network configuration page directly from the printer control panel to confirm it has an IP address.

1. 1

   Disable Use Printer Offline Mode in Windows

   Open the Control Panel and go to Devices and Printers. Right-click your printer and select See what's printing. Click the Printer menu at the top of the window. Ensure there is no checkmark next to Use Printer Offline. If there is a checkmark, click it to disable the setting.

2. 2

   Restart the Print Spooler Service

   On Windows, press the Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter. Scroll down to find Print Spooler. Right-click Print Spooler and select Restart. This refreshes the connection queue.

3. 3

   Power Cycle Your Devices

   Turn off the printer. Shut down your computer. Unplug your wireless router from its power source for 30 seconds. Plug the router back in and wait for the internet to restore. Turn on your computer, then turn on your printer.

4. 4

   Assign a Static IP Address to the Printer

   If your printer keeps going offline, it may be changing IP addresses. Print a network configuration page to find the current IP address. Type this IP address into a web browser to open the printer's homepage. Go to the network settings and change the IP configuration from DHCP to Manual or Static. Save the settings.

5. 5

   Recreate the Printer Port in Windows

   Go to Devices and Printers, right-click your printer, and select Printer Properties. Go to the Ports tab and click Add Port. Select Standard TCP/IP Port, click New Port, and enter the static IP address you assigned to your printer.

6. 6

   Reinstall the Printer Driver

   Go to the printer manufacturer's website and download the latest driver package. Uninstall the current printer software from your computer, restart the computer, and run the downloaded installer to set up the printer fresh.