If your printer is offline, you can quickly and easily get your printer online again. See this step-by-step guide for HP, Brother, Canon, Epson printers.
Why is my printer offline?
There can be various reasons why your printer reports 'offline' when you try to print.
It may be due to:
- Lack of connection to the Internet - check if you need to connect to the printer's direct wireless connection. When connecting a wireless printer to a network, make sure it is connected to the same network as your computer.
- Failure to update the printer firmware. Most printer brands are constantly making new updates for the printer. Therefore, check regularly on the website if there should be a newer version of firmware. Updating the printer firmware may resolve the issue.
- Last may be that you just need to reinstall the printer software.
HP printer is offline - Get it online again
Why is my HP printer offline? When your printer reports offline, it will cause printing problems. Here's a step by step guide on how to get started printing again.
This guide is for HP printers and Windows computers, and can be used if you experience the following:
You will receive this status message from the printer, ‘Offline’ or on the computer, ’Printer offline’- and the printer does not print.
Step 1:
Use your HP Print and Scan Doctor to check the connection. If you have not already downloaded it, then it is a great idea to do so - it can be used for a lot of troubleshooting when it comes to printing problems.
HP Print and Scan Doctor is a program for Windows that you can download for free and thereby solve most printing and scanning problems, such as whether something is wrong, since the printer reports 'offline' but also in the case of, for example, missing or corrupted printer drivers, connection problems, firewall problems, scan error messages, and when print jobs are stuck in the print queue.
Step 2: Reset Job List - Also Called 'Reset Print Environment'
- Selecting 'Reset your printing environment' can alleviate some problems. This can reconnect the printer and the device you are printing from:
- Turn off the printer, wait approx. 10 seconds, and then disconnect the printers’ power cord from the printer.
- Turn off the computer or device you are trying to print from.
- Connect the printers’ power cord to the printer, and then turn on the printer if it does not start automatically.
Step 3:
- If the printer is connected via a wireless connection, restart the router.
- Unplug the power cord from the wireless router.
- NOTE: The Internet service is disconnected if the router is not turned on.
- Wait 10 seconds and reconnect the power cord to the router.
- Wait for the router's 'Online' indicator to appear.
- Click the button indicating wireless or the control panel icon for wireless to turn off the connection and turn it on again after 10 seconds
- Wait for the printer and router to connect.
- Turn on the computer.
- Insert the power cord back into the printer.
- Try printing.
- If you can print, you've done troubleshooting. If the printer does not print and still reports ‘offline’, proceed further:
Step 4: Set as default printer - check the settings again
The settings for which printer is registered as the default printer, i.e. the one that will be used automatically when printing, may have been changed from the one you normally use. The settings for a printer with another driver installed may have changed.
- Change the default printer driver to the originally installed driver and confirm that the printer is not set for offline use.
- Search for devices in Windows, and then click Devices and Printers in the list of results.
- Right-click the name of the HP printer that is active (not faded), and then select Use as default printer.
- Change the gray icon to the color icon which should be the default printer
- Click 'Print'. If you can print, you're done troubleshooting.
Brother printer is offline - Getting the printer online
When your Brother printer reports ‘offline’, there are several things you should look into:
Step 1:
Check that your printer is turned on and that the 'on' or 'power' indicator is lit.
If the LCD screen is blank / not lit, the Brother printer may be off or without power, check the machine to see if it wakes from ‘sleep’. If it does not, check that it is plugged in and that the power outlet is turned on.
Check the LCD screen for any error messages. An example would be “Paper Jam” or Ink / Toner Empty. ”If the LCD screen indicates an error, you should address it.
Step 2:
Check that your Brother printer is set on your computer as the default printer - that it is this printer that is automatically selected when you choose to print a document or photo.
If your Brother printer is not set to 'Default Printer', you will not be able to print. Make sure your Brother printer is selected here. If it is not the default printer, set it as the default printer:
- Open the printer folder and make sure your Brother printer is connected.
- Windows XP: Click Start => Printers and Faxes
- Windows Vista: Click Start => Control Panel => Hardware and Sound => Printers
- Windows 7: Click Start => Printers and Devices
- Windows 8 or later: Open Control Panel - Click Hardware and Sound => Printers and Devices
- If your Brother printer is not registered here, right-click on the Brother printer icon and select 'Set as default printer'.
Step 3:
Delete all pending print jobs.
Windows XP and Windows Vista: Double-click on the icon for your Brother printer and select Printer => Cancel All Documents.
Windows 7 or later: Right click on the icon for your Brother printer => See what is queuing for printing => 'Printer' => 'Cancel all documents'
Step 4:
Check the status of the printer under printer settings on your computer.
Is the printer still reporting ‘Offline’?:
Windows XP and Windows Vista: Right click on the icon for your Brother printer and choose Use Printer Online - click OK
Windows 7 or later: Right click on the icon for your Brother printer => select Printer jobs => Printer => Use printer offline - here you need to uncheck the box.
Does your Brother printer reports 'Paused'?
Windows XP and Windows Vista: Right-click on the icon for your Brother printer and select 'Continue Printing'. If the menu shows Pause Printing, there is no problem in printer status. Click 'Continue' or 'OK'.
Windows 7 or later: Right click on the icon for your Brother printer => See what is printing => Printer => Pause printing uncheck / check box.
Canon printer is offline - Get your printer online again
If you use a wireless connection when you try to print, you may receive the message 'Printer offline'. There can be several possible reasons for this message.
Therefore, you might want to check out the following:
Step 1:
Check that your printer is turned on and that the 'on' or 'power' indicator is lit.
If the LCD screen is blank / not lit, the Canon printer may be off. Check that it is plugged in and that the power outlet is turned on.
Check the LCD screen for any error messages. An example would be “Paper Jam” or Ink / Toner Empty. ”If the LCD monitor indicates an error, you need to respond to it.
Step 2: Network
The computer and the internet connection or the wireless router may have lost the connection. Restart the computer, and then try printing again.
Step 3: Connection
The internet connection or the wireless router and the wireless printer may not be able to communicate.
Turn off and restart the Internet connection and the printer to restore communication.
Step 4: Set as default printer
Your Canon printer may not be set as the default printer.
Check the Printers folder to set the Canon printer as the default.
Open the printer folder and make sure your Brother printer is connected.
Windows XP: Click Start => Printers and Faxes
Windows Vista: Click Start => Control Panel => Hardware and Sound => Printers
Windows 7: Click Start => Printers and Devices
Windows 8 or later: Open Control Panel - Click Hardware and Sound => Printers and Devices
Step 5:
Delete all pending print jobs.
Windows XP and Windows Vista: Double-click the icon for your Canon printer and select Printer - Then select 'Cancel All Prints'.
Windows 7 or later: Right-click on the icon for your Canon printer- See what's in line for printing then 'Printer' and finally 'Cancel all prints’
Epson printer is offline - Get your printer online again
Why is my Epson printer offline? When your printer reports offline, there may be several reasons for why you are having trouble printing.
This guide applies to EPSON printers and Windows computers, and can be used if you experience the following:
You will receive this status message from the printer, ‘Offline’ or on the computer,’Printer offline’ - and it is not possible to print.
Here's how you do it:
- Check that there is power to your printer. Then you should check that there is a connection between the printer and the computer and that both have contact with the wireless internet. You may need to restart both - here's how:
- Turn off the printer, wait approx. 10 seconds, and then disconnect the printer power cord from the printer.
- Turn off the computer you want to print from.
- Reconnect the printers’ power cord to the printer and turn on the printer.
- Restart router.
- Unplug the power cord from the wireless router to disconnect the power connection.
- Wait 10 seconds and plug the wire on the router again - turn it on.
- Wait for the router's 'Online' indicator to appear.
- Press the button that shows wireless connection to turn off the connection, wait 10 seconds and then turn it on again - then the router searches for networks again.
- Wait for the printer and router to connect.
- Turn on the computer.
- Insert the power cord back into the printer.
- Try printing.
Is it still not possible to print? Then you can do the following: The 'Default Printer' setting.
Settings on your computer may have changed to a printer with another driver installed.
Change the default printer driver to the printer you want to use if it is not already registered here.
Select 'Print'. If you can print, you're done troubleshooting.