Printer shows as offline
Your printer is switched on but your computer or phone says it's offline. Work through these checks to get Windows, Mac, Chromebook or phone printing again.
Quick fix
Turn the printer off, unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in, then restart your computer. Print a test page. On Windows, open the print queue and make sure Use Printer Offline and Pause Printing are not ticked.
Didn’t work? Go to the full stepsYou might see
- The printer is listed as Offline in Windows or macOS settings
- Jobs sit in the queue with a status such as Offline or Printer not connected
- The printer works for other devices but not for yours
- It went offline after a restart, an update or a power cut
Usually caused by
- Printer asleep or disconnected from Wi-Fi
- Printer given a new IP address by the router
- Queue paused or set to Use Printer Offline
- Computer on a different network, guest Wi-Fi or a VPN
- Unreliable WSD port or a stuck Print Spooler on Windows
Step-by-step fix
Work through the steps in order and check each one off. Most people are printing again before the last step.
Windows 11 / 10
0 of 5 steps tried
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Check and restart the printer
Clear any error on the printer's screen, such as a jam or empty cartridge, and check it's on the same Wi-Fi network as your PC. Turn it off, unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, then restart the PC.
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Turn off offline mode
Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (Windows 10: Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners), select the printer and choose Open print queue. Cancel old jobs, and if there's a Printer menu, untick Use Printer Offline and Pause Printing.
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Restart the Print Spooler
Select Start, type
cmd, choose Run as administrator and run the command below. Both parts should report success; then try printing again.net stop spooler && net start spooler -
Check the port address
Note the IP address on the printer's network configuration page. On the printer's page, open Printer properties > Ports; if the ticked port shows an old address, click Configure Port and enter the new one.
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Replace a WSD port
If the ticked port starts with WSD, click Add Port > Standard TCP/IP Port > New Port, enter the IP address and tick the new port. If it then prints but still says offline, untick SNMP Status Enabled under Configure Port.
macOS
0 of 4 steps tried
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Restart and resume the queue
Restart the printer and the Mac. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners, select the printer, click Printer Queue and click Resume if it's shown.
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Check the status in Terminal
Open Terminal and run the command below. Idle or enabled means the printer is ready; disabled means its queue is paused.
lpstat -p -
Remove and re-add the printer
Select the printer, click Remove Printer, then click Add Printer, Scanner, or Fax and choose AirPrint in the Use menu. If it isn't listed, add it on the IP tab.
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Reset the printing system
As a last resort, Control-click in the printer list and choose Reset printing system. It removes every printer and job, so add your printer again afterwards.
Chromebook
0 of 3 steps tried
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Confirm the Wi-Fi network
Select the time at the bottom right and check you're on the same Wi-Fi network as the printer.
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Restart both devices
Restart the printer and the Chromebook, press Ctrl + P and look for the printer under Destination.
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Remove and save the printer again
Open Settings, search for Printers, remove the printer with the three-dot menu next to it, then save it again or add it by IP address.
iPhone, iPad and Android
0 of 3 steps tried
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Join the same Wi-Fi network
Your phone only sees printers on the same Wi-Fi network. Check the network name and turn off any VPN app.
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Restart the printer and phone
Restart the printer, wait until it's ready, then restart the phone. On iPhone, a No AirPrint Printers Found message often clears after this.
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Update the printing app
On Android, update your print service or the printer maker's app from Google Play. On iPhone, keep iOS up to date.
Did this fix it?
Good. To confirm everything is healthy, print a test page. It takes a minute and shows any quality problems early.
Try these next
Still stuck? Our printer assistant can walk you through it by live chat, free. . Or the The troubleshooter asks a few questions and narrows it down. If your printer is under warranty, the manufacturer can repair or replace it at no cost. Find their official support site on our brand pages.
Common questions
Why does my printer say offline when it is turned on?
Offline means your computer can't reach the printer, not that the printer is off. Usually it dropped off Wi-Fi, changed IP address, or the queue was paused.
Will reinstalling the printer delete anything?
No. Removing and re-adding a printer only removes its entry and any waiting jobs on your computer. Your documents aren't affected.