Although printers are one of the most widely used hardware devices, they can sometimes malfunction and interrupt your work. 

If you frequently use printers, you have probably come across situations where your device is ready to print but your system’s printer status indicates offline.

Many users complain that they are experiencing printer-related problems frequently with various printer companies such as Canon, Brother, HP, etc. So, if you are also facing Brother printer offline errors on Windows 10 or errors with any other printer, then don’t worry this guide will help you through it. 

Let us go through some basic and quick techniques to solve offline printer issues on your Windows 10 system. 

Effective Solutions to Fix Printer Issues

Here are some of the easy workarounds you can apply to your Windows system in order to fix your printer’s offline error.

Check the connections

First, check all of your printer cables. Make sure they are properly connected to the computer and printer.

Next, make sure your internet network is functioning properly. Fix your WiFi problems if you’re experiencing trouble accessing the internet.

Third, try utilizing an alternate method to link the computer to your printer if it is possible. Use Ethernet if you’re on Wi-Fi, and vice versa.

Reboot your system and printer

Power cycling is the process of repeatedly turning something on and off. Although this is an old technique, it may help you effectively. 

Start by turning off your computer and printer. After that, disconnect the printer’s power cord, wait a minute, then replug it. Wait for your printer to fully start up; it might take longer this time as it won’t be coming back from standby.

Restart your computer after turning on the printer to see if it is now connected.

Run the troubleshooting tool

There are several troubleshooters in Windows 10 that are designed to find and fix any problems. You can try running a printer troubleshooter in order to resolve the printer’s offline problem.

Follow the below steps to perform troubleshooting.

1. To access Settings, press the Windows key + I. 
2. Then, select the Devices option and move to Printers & Scanners section.
3. Now, select Run the troubleshooter option under Related settings on the right-hand menu.

The troubleshooter will then start up and perform a number of tests. If there are any issues, it will let you know about them and the steps to fix them.

Tweak the “Use Printer Offline” mode

On your system, make sure the “Use Printer Offline” setting is not turned on. This could have been unintentionally activated by you, your printer, or your software.

To check it, follow these steps. 

1. To open Settings, hit the Windows key + I. Navigate to Devices > Scanners & Printers. 
2. Now, choose your printer and click on the Open queue option.
3. Select the Printer option from the toolbar. Then, check whether the checkbox near “Use Printer Offline” is checked or not. If it is checked, uncheck it to turn it off.

Remove the print queue

Numerous problems, including the printer offline error, can be brought on by a backed-up print queue. Hence, it is advisable to remove it.

To remove the print queue, follow the below steps.

1. Press Windows key + I to access Settings. Then, move to the Devices section and select the Printers & scanners option. 
2. Here, choose your printer, and click on the Open queue option.
3. Now, on the toolbar, choose Printer and hit the Cancel All Documents option. 

Set your printer as Default

Windows has the ability to make the most recent printer you used as your default printer. This can be useful, but it may also be the cause of the offline status of the printer you wish to utilize.

To fix it, refer to the below-given steps.

1. Navigate to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners on your system. 
2. Now, pick your printer, and then click on Open queue.
3. Select the Printer option from the toolbar and choose the Set As Default Printer option.
4. A notification will pop-up warning you that “Windows will stop managing your default printer” when you set your printer as the default. If you agree, select the OK option.

If you ever wish to reactivate this option, go back to the Printers & Scanners tab and select the “Allow Windows to manage my default printer” option.

Restart your print spooler service

The print spooler is a service that manages communication with your printer. You may restart this service to put back your printer online.

To perform this, follow the steps given below.

1. Go to the Start menu on your system and search for Services. 
2. Then, select the relevant search result. Scroll down through the list of services and find the Print Spooler option. 
3. Then, right-click on it and choose the Restart option. 

Update your printer drivers

If none of the above methods worked for you, try to update your drivers. As drivers are responsible for the smooth working of your hardware devices, corrupted and outdated drivers may lead to errors. 

To solve this problem, try updating your driver through the steps given below.

1. Press the Windows key + X simultaneously to open up the Device Manager window.
2. Double-click on the Printers option to expand it. Locate your printer and right-click on it.
3. Select the Update driver option. Follow all the on-screen instructions to perform the update process successfully.

Also Read: Why Hire an Offline or Online Subject Matter Expert?

Conclusion

To conclude, all the aforementioned methods were the solutions to make an offline printer go online in Windows 10 system. Hopefully, you’ve found a solution to your printer offline problem, and your printer is now working again.

Nikitha