Printer shows “Offline” in Windows: how to fix it

When Windows marks a printer as Offline, it means the computer can’t talk to it, not necessarily that the printer is broken. Most cases are fixed by one of the first four steps. Work through them in order and test a print after each one.

1. Check the basics (30 seconds)

• Is the printer switched on and showing Ready on its screen, with no error such as a paper jam, open cover or empty toner?
• USB printer: unplug the cable from both ends and plug it back in. Try a different USB port on the computer.
• Network or Wi-Fi printer: check that it’s connected to the same network as your computer. Many printers can print a network or Wi-Fi status page from their own menu.

2. Restart the printer and the computer

Turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds and turn it on again. Then restart Windows (a full Restart, not Shut down). This clears most temporary connection problems.

3. Turn off “Use Printer Offline”

Windows sometimes switches a printer into offline mode by itself and leaves it there.

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners (Windows 10: Settings → Devices → Printers & scanners).
2. Click your printer, then Open print queue.
3. In the queue window, open the Printer menu and make sure Use Printer Offline is not ticked.
4. While you’re there, cancel any stuck jobs: Printer → Cancel All Documents.

4. Make sure you’re printing to the right printer

If the printer has been reinstalled, Windows can end up with two copies, such as HP LaserJet and HP LaserJet (Copy 1), and only one of them works.

• In Printers & scanners, look for duplicates. Print a test page from each one (Printer properties → Print test page).
• Remove the one that stays offline, and set the working one as default.
• Turn off Let Windows manage my default printer if Windows keeps switching your default.

5. Restart the Print Spooler service

The Print Spooler is the Windows service that sends jobs to printers. When it gets stuck, every printer can show offline.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
2. Find Print Spooler, right-click it and choose Restart.

If jobs are stuck in the queue and won’t cancel, clear them completely. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

net stop spooler
del /Q /F %systemroot%\System32\spool\PRINTERS\*
net start spooler

This deletes only the waiting print jobs, not your printers or drivers.

6. Network printers: check the IP address

This is the most common cause in offices. Windows remembers the printer at one IP address, then the router gives the printer a different address after a restart, so Windows can’t find it.

1. Print the printer’s network configuration page from its menu and note its current IP address.
2. In Windows, open the printer’s Printer properties → Ports tab and look at the port it uses.
3. If the port shows an old IP address, click Add Port → Standard TCP/IP Port and enter the current IP address, then select that new port.

Stop it happening again: give the printer a fixed address. The cleanest way is a DHCP reservation on your router or firewall, so the printer always receives the same IP. Alternatively, set a static IP on the printer itself, outside the router’s DHCP range.

Tip: If the printer has a status page reachable in a browser, typing its IP address into the address bar is a quick way to confirm the computer can reach it.

7. Turn off SNMP status (network printers only)

Windows uses SNMP to ask network printers whether they’re online. Some printers don’t answer it correctly, so Windows wrongly marks them offline even though printing would work.

1. Printer properties → Ports → select the TCP/IP port → Configure Port.
2. Untick SNMP Status Enabled → OK.

8. Reinstall the printer and driver

If nothing else works:

1. In Printers & scanners, remove the printer.
2. Download the latest driver for your exact model and Windows version from the manufacturer’s website.
3. Add the printer again, using its IP address for network printers.

Still offline?

• Try printing from another computer or phone. If nothing can print, the problem is the printer or the network, not Windows.
• Check whether a VPN, firewall or security software was recently installed, since these can block local network devices.
• On managed office networks, the printer may be shared through a print server. Ask IT whether the server or the printer’s queue is down.