Printing a family photo or an important doc for work should be simple, right? Well, not when your printer has a mind of its own and seems to go offline for no reason. We’ve all been there.
Why does it actually happen though? It could be whole load of things. So, let’s roll up our sleeves – it’s time to do a bit of troubleshooting, and get rid of that printer offline message for good.
Why does my printer say ‘offline’?
Here are some of the most common culprits that might explain why your printer’s gone offline:
Network connection issues – if your printer isn’t properly connected to your Wi-Fi network or computer, it might go offline.
Offline mode – sometimes printers are set to offline mode by mistake. And that can stop them from printing anything at all.
Printer queue problems – if you’ve got a bunch of print jobs that have backed up, it can make your printer show up as being offline.
Outdated firmware – old firmware can cause compatibility issues. So, make sure you update it!
How do I get my printer back online?
Now that you know why it might have gone offline, let’s get your printer back up and running…
Restart your printer and computer
We know this sounds like the classic lazy IT solution but hear us out. Switch off your printer and computer or laptop. Then wait a minute or two and turn them both back on. It’s pretty simple, but sometimes it can easily fix any simple connectivity problems.
Check cables and network connectivity
If your printer is squeezed under a desk, it might have been kicked about a bit. Check that the cables are properly plugged in because they can easily come loose. Then see whether your printer is definitely connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your computer. If it isn’t they won’t be able to work together properly.
Make sure your printer isn’t in offline mode
Head to the control panel on your laptop or computer. Click on ‘Devices and Printers’, then right click on your printer and uncheck the box ‘Use Printer Offline’ if it’s checked. Simple.
Set your printer as default
Go back to the ‘Devices and Printers’ menu, right click on your printer and choose ‘Set as Default Printer’. This’ll make that specific printer your main one (if you have any others sharing the same network etc).
Clear your print queue
Open up ‘Devices and Printers’. Then right click on your printer and pick ‘See What’s Printing’. You might have a queue of jobs that have built up here – which could be stopping whatever you’re trying to print. Just cancel any of them that are pending, and hopefully you’ll be good to go.
Run the printer companion app
If your printer’s fairly new, it might have a handy companion app. This can help you to troubleshoot some issues without having to dig through a boring old manual. Just download the relevant app (that matches up with your model of printer) to your smartphone, and it should have some handy tips to get your printer working again.
Reset the printer spooler service
This is a little bit more techy. Fire up the ‘Run Dialog’ – you can use the shortcut Windows Key + R to speed things up a bit. Type in ‘services.msc’ then hit enter. Find ‘Print Spooler’ in the list, right click it, and then select ‘Restart’. This’ll then completely reboot it.
Update the printer firmware
Out of date firmware can play havoc with your printer. Head on over to the manufacturer’s website to download the latest firmware updates. Follow the instructions, and you’ll have it updated in no time.
Remove and reinstall your printer software
The nuclear option. Completely uninstall any printer software that’s knocking about on your computer. Then reinstall it by downloading up to date drivers from the manufacturer’s website. Or, if your printer is on the old side, you might have to reinstall it with the installation CD that came with it. Remember those?
Reinstall the drivers
Similar to the above. If updating your drivers doesn’t seem to work, fully uninstall the printer. Then as usual, go and download the latest drivers from whichever brand your printer is.
So, now you’ve got an idea why your printer is offline. Hopefully with these useful tips, you can sort any printer issues on your own. But, if you’re still running into some issues, you can visit one of our 16 stores and ask our experts.
