Printer offline fix: how to get your printer back online

A printer offline fix almost never involves a screwdriver. When Windows or macOS shows a printer as offline, it is telling you one thing: the computer sent a request and the printer did not answer. The printer may be asleep, on another network, at a new address, or the computer may be holding on to an old connection. This guide works through the causes in the order they usually turn up, so you fix the simple ones first and only reinstall when you have to.

If you are dealing with a different symptom, such as jobs stuck in the queue while the printer shows as ready, see our print spooler fix instead. For a full map of printer problems by symptom, start at the printer troubleshooting guide.

Step 1: Check the printer itself

Walk over to the printer before touching the computer.

• Wake it up. Press a button or touch the screen. Many printers drop into a deep sleep that some computers read as offline.
• Read the display. A paper jam, open door, empty tray or cartridge message can stop the printer from accepting jobs. Clear that first; our paper jam guide covers the physical side.
• Check the network light or icon. A solid wireless icon usually means it is connected; a blinking one usually means it is searching. The exact meaning differs by model, so check the printer manual if in doubt.
• Print a network configuration page. Most network printers can print one from the control panel (often under Settings, Network or Reports). It lists the network name (SSID) and the IP address the printer is using right now. Keep it next to you; you will need the address later.

If the configuration page shows a different network from your computer, for example a guest network or a separate 5 GHz name, the printer and computer cannot see each other. Reconnect the printer to the same network your computer uses, or read our guide on a printer that keeps disconnecting from Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Restart in the right order

Restarting sounds lazy, but the order matters. Restart the router first and wait until the internet works again. Then turn the printer off, wait about 30 seconds and turn it back on. Finally restart the computer. This way each device joins a network that is already up, and the router hands out fresh addresses.

For USB printers, unplug the cable at both ends, plug it straight into the computer (not a hub or monitor port) and try a different cable if you have one.

Step 3: Clear the queue and turn off offline mode

Windows 11

1. Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners and select your printer.
2. Choose Open print queue.
3. In the queue window, open the Printer menu. If Use Printer Offline is ticked, click it to untick it.
4. Still in the Printer menu, choose Cancel All Documents if old jobs are stuck.

If cancelled jobs refuse to disappear, the print spooler service is stuck. The print spooler fix shows how to clear it safely.

Also on the Printers & scanners page, check whether Let Windows manage my default printer is on. If it is, Windows may be sending jobs to whichever printer you used last, which can look like the right printer is offline. Turn it off and set your printer as default.

macOS

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners and select the printer.
2. Click Printer Queue. If you see a Resume button in the toolbar, the queue is paused; click it.
3. Delete any job that shows an error so the rest can go through.

Step 4: Check the port or address (Windows)

This is the fix people miss. When a printer is added by IP address, Windows creates a port that points at that address. If the router later gives the printer a new address, Windows keeps knocking on the old door.

1. In Printers & scanners, select the printer and open Printer properties.
2. Go to the Ports tab and look at the ticked port.
3. If it is a TCP/IP port with an address, select it and click Configure Port. Compare the address with the one on your network configuration page. If they differ, type the new address and click OK.
4. While you are there, untick Enable bidirectional support only as a test. If the printer comes online, the status check was failing; you can leave it off, though ink levels may no longer show on screen.

To stop this from coming back, reserve an address for the printer in your router’s settings (often called DHCP reservation or a static lease). The printer then keeps the same address forever. Router menus vary, so look in the router’s admin page or manual for “DHCP” or “address reservation”.

Step 5: Use the built-in troubleshooter

On Windows 11, the printer troubleshooter now runs through the Get Help app. From Printers & scanners, select the printer and look for the troubleshooter option, or search for “printer troubleshooter” in Get Help. It restarts the spooler, checks the port and fixes some settings automatically. It does not fix everything, but it is quick.

Step 6: Remove and add the printer again

If the printer still shows offline, give the computer a clean start.

• Windows 11: in Printers & scanners, select the printer and choose Remove. Restart the computer, then choose Add device and pick the printer when it appears. If it does not appear, choose Add manually and add it by IP address using the address from your configuration page.
• macOS: select the printer in Printers & Scanners, click Remove Printer, then add it back with Add Printer, Scanner or Fax. Most current network printers work with AirPrint and need no extra software.

If removing and re-adding does not help on a Mac, Apple’s last-resort step is Reset Printing System: Control-click in the printer list in Printers & Scanners and choose it. This deletes all printers and presets, so you will need to add them again afterwards. For other macOS-specific causes, such as a printer that stays paused or stopped working after a macOS update, see printer not working on Mac.

If the printer does not appear at all when you try to add it back on Windows, the problem has moved from “offline” to “not detected”. Our guide to a printer not showing up in Windows 11 covers network discovery, sharing settings and adding by IP address.

When offline is a driver problem

A small number of offline cases come from a broken or missing driver, usually after a Windows update. The sign is that the printer shows “Driver is unavailable” under its name, or printing fails with a driver error. That has its own fix in our guide to printer driver is unavailable.

Quick reference

Symptom	Most likely cause	First thing to try
Offline after the router restarted	New IP address	Update the port, then reserve an address
Offline only in the morning	Deep sleep	Wake the printer, adjust sleep settings
Offline on one computer only	Old port or queue on that computer	Remove and re-add the printer there
Offline and the display shows an error	Jam, door, paper or cartridge	Clear the message on the printer
Use Printer Offline keeps coming back	Status checks failing	Check the port and bidirectional support

Most printers that show offline are back online by step 4. If yours is still offline after a full remove and re-add on a working network, the problem is likely the printer’s network hardware or firmware, and the manufacturer’s own support resources for your model are the next stop.