Offline printer? Check out possible causes and how to solve the problem

A printer stating that it is offline may mean failure to communicate with the device and the computer. The problem can be caused by several factors and therefore the solution is also different for each one. The error is simple to solve, although the repair may require more than one step.

Want To Buy A Cheap Printer? Find the best prices on Compare

Thinking about it, TechTudo has gathered the main causes of the problem and their respective corrections. The steps may change slightly depending on the manufacturer, but in essence, they are the same for brands like Samsung, Brother, Epson and HP. The procedures were made from Windows 10, but also work on Windows 7 and 8.1, as well as other versions of the system.

Check out seven printers that print more by spending less

How do I copy the Epson L355 printer?

Check connections

The main cause of the "offline printer" error occurs because it is disconnected from the computer. Make sure the USB cable is plugged in correctly if your connection is wired. If the device is wireless, make sure it is on the same Wi-Fi network as your PC. You can check this in the printer's own menu, which will vary according to the make and model used.

Offline Printer Error May Be Caused by Missing USB Cable Connection or Wi-Fi Networking

It is also important to make sure that the printer is plugged in properly. If it is a networked or shared printer, confirm that all the routers and computers required for peripheral operation are turned on. It is also important to evaluate if all the UPS, stabilizers and line filters are properly lit.

Change printer status for online

If all is right with the connections, simply try to force the printer to be recognized as online. To do this, first click the Start button and enter Settings. Go to "Devices" and in the left sidebar select "Printers and Scanners". Click on the offline printer and hit the "Manage" button.

Accessing Offline Printer Management Options in Windows 10

In the window that will open, click the "Open print queue" button. Now press the "Printer" menu and uncheck the "Use Offline Printer" option. This will cause the printer to go online and recognize your print queue again. In previous versions of Windows, the window is inside the "Printers and Faxes" menu.

Procedure to change printer status from offline to online

Perform troubleshooting

Windows has an integrated feature for checking printing problems. It analyzes aspects of the peripheral configuration and offers solutions from the errors found. When you are having trouble finding the root of the failure, running the tool can be a way to quickly discover what to change on the printer to make it work.

The feature is also in the "Printers and Scanners" menu. As in the previous topic, you should select the printer that is displaying the offline status and press the "Manage" button. In this window, click "Run troubleshooting" and wait for the system to perform the checks.

Windows Troubleshooter Analyzing Printer Errors Offline

The troubleshooting wizard will recommend changes that may resolve the offline printer problem. Click "Apply this fix" or, if you think the fault has another source, select "Ignore this fix". In the latter case, the tool will continue to provide other suggestions of procedures with the device.

Update or reinstall the printer driver

Printers usually work without your most recent driver being installed, but some functions may not be enjoyed by the user. If the software is experiencing a problem, the device may appear offline. Among the possible causes are simple failures, power outages or even viruses.

The simplest measure is to update the printer driver. Type "Device Manager" in the Taskbar and select the tool. Then expand the "Printers" option, select the model, right-click and press "Update Driver". On the screen that opens, choose the "Automatically search for updated driver software" option.

Updating the printer driver from the Windows Device Manager

If that does not work, uninstall and reinstall the printer driver. First, disconnect the device from the computer, either via USB or Wi-Fi. Then go to "Settings", go to "Devices" and enter "Printers and Scanners". Select the printer and press the "Remove Device" button. Then press "Yes" to confirm the operation.

Removing Printer Driver in Windows 10

Restart the computer, reconnect the printer, and reinstall the driver, which can be downloaded from the device manufacturer's website.

Clean the print queue

If you canceled a print while the printer was offiline, the time to print another file may occur if the new queue is also identified as offline. In this case, you must clean the print spooler to resume the job.

Type "services.msc" (without the quotation marks) in the search field of the Taskbar and select the "Services" tool. Locate the "Print Spooler" option, right-click on it and press "Stop."

Printer queue hang in Windows

Simultaneously press the Windows keys and "R" to open the "Run". Enter the address "C: \ Windows \ System32 \ Spool \ PRINTERS" (without the quotation marks) and press Enter. Delete all files in the "Printers" folder and return to the services window. Right-click "Print Spooler" and enter "Start."

Clean the print spooler in Windows

What is the best and cheap printer? Learn in the Forum