Having trouble getting your printer back online? Don’t worry – this is a common issue that can be caused by a variety of factors, but it’s usually easy to fix. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some simple troubleshooting steps to help you get your printer back online and ready to print.
Step 1: Check the connection
The first thing to check when your printer is offline is the connection. Make sure that your printer is connected to your computer or network, and that both are powered on. If you are using a wired connection, check that the cable is securely connected to both the printer and your computer.
If you are using a wireless connection, make sure that your printer is connected to your Wi-Fi network. You may need to enter your Wi-Fi password again if the connection has been lost.
Step 2: Restart your printer and computer
If the connection is not the issue, try restarting your printer and computer. Sometimes, a simple restart can fix connectivity issues and get your printer back online.
To restart your printer, turn it off and unplug it from the power source for about 30 seconds. Then, plug it back in and turn it on. Wait a few minutes for the printer to initialize and try printing again.
To restart your computer, save any open files and close all applications. Then, click the Start menu and select Restart. Once your computer has restarted, try printing again.
Step 3: Set your printer as the default printer
If your printer is not set as the default printer, it may show as offline even when it is connected and ready to print. To set your printer as the default printer, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Printers & scanners.
4. Find your printer in the list and select it.
5. Click the Manage button.
6. Click on Set as default.
Once your printer is set as the default printer, try printing again to see if it is back online.
Step 4: Clear the print queue
If there are any print jobs stuck in the print queue, it can cause your printer to show as offline. To clear the print queue, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Printers & scanners.
4. Find your printer in the list and select it.
5. Click the Open queue button.
6. Select all of the print jobs in the queue and click Cancel.
Once the print queue is cleared, try printing again to see if your printer is back online.
Step 5: Update or reinstall the printer driver
If none of the above steps have worked, it’s possible that the issue is with the printer driver. A corrupted or outdated driver can cause your printer to show as offline, so updating or reinstalling the driver may fix the issue.
To update the printer driver, follow these steps:
1. Click the Start menu and select Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Printers & scanners.
4. Find your printer in the list and select it.
5. Click the Manage button.
6. Click on Printer properties.
7. Click on the Hardware tab.
8. Click on Properties.
9. Click on Change settings.
10. Click on the Driver tab.
11. Click on Update Driver.
12. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the driver.