Printer Showing Offline? Here's How to Get It Back Online

Your printer is plugged in, turned on, and connected, but your computer insists it is offline. When printer offline becomes an issue, the cause is usually something you can fix yourself. A printer showing offline status is one of the most misleading error states in computing because the printer itself is often working fine. The "offline" label usually means the communication link between your computer and the printer has broken, and your operating system has stopped trying to send jobs to it.

This guide walks you through the exact steps to bring a printer back online on both Windows and Mac.

What Causes a Printer to Show Offline

Connection Interruption

A loose USB cable, a dropped Wi-Fi connection, or a router restart can all cause the computer to lose contact with the printer. The computer marks it as offline after failing to communicate with it.

Printer Sleep Mode

Many printers enter a deep sleep mode after a period of inactivity. While the printer wakes up when you press a button, your computer may not recognize the wake-up and keeps the offline status until you manually intervene.

Print Spooler Service Errors

The Windows Print Spooler service manages all print jobs. If this service crashes or hangs, every printer on the system appears offline regardless of their actual connection status.

Driver or Software Issues

A corrupted driver, a failed Windows update, or a conflict between the printer software and a recent operating system patch can break the communication channel between your computer and printer.

How to Bring Your Printer Back Online on Windows

Step 1: Disable "Use Printer Offline" Mode

1. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
2. Click your printer and select Open print queue.
3. Click Printer in the menu bar.
4. If Use Printer Offline has a checkmark next to it, click it to uncheck it. This tells Windows to start sending print jobs again.

Step 2: Restart the Print Spooler Service

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll down and find Print Spooler.
3. Right-click it and select Restart.
4. If it is stopped, right-click and select Start.
5. Close the Services window and check your printer status.

Step 3: Remove and Re-Add the Printer

If the printer is still offline, remove it completely and add it again. Go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners, select the printer, and click Remove device. Then click Add a printer or scanner and let Windows detect and reinstall the printer.

How to Fix Printer Offline on Mac

Step 1: Check the Printer Status

1. Open System Settings > Printers & Scanners.
2. Select your printer. If it shows "Offline" or "Paused," click the Resume button (if paused) or wait a moment for macOS to attempt reconnection.

Step 2: Reset the Printing System

1. In Printers & Scanners, right-click in the empty area of the printer list.
2. Select Reset printing system. This removes all printers and their settings.
3. Click the + button to re-add your printer. macOS will automatically download the correct driver.

This approach resolves most macOS printer offline issues because it clears any corrupted printer configuration data that the operating system was using.

Network Printer Specific Fixes

Wireless and network printers have additional failure points compared to USB-connected printers.

• Restart the router. Unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in. Wait two minutes for the router to fully boot before checking the printer.
• Reconnect the printer to Wi-Fi. On the printer's control panel, navigate to the wireless settings and reconnect to your network. If the password recently changed, the printer cannot reconnect until you enter the new password.
• Assign a static IP to the printer. DHCP lease expiration can change the printer's IP address, causing your computer to lose contact. Assign a static IP on the printer's network settings page (accessible via the printer's control panel or its web interface at the current IP address). According to PCMag's printer troubleshooting guide, a static IP address is the single most effective fix for network printers that repeatedly go offline.
• Check for firmware updates. Visit the printer manufacturer's support website and check whether a firmware update is available for your model. Firmware updates often fix network stability issues.

If your printer connects via Wi-Fi and keeps dropping the connection, our guide on printer not connecting to Wi-Fi covers wireless-specific troubleshooting in more detail.

Having printer problems too? Check our guide on printer not printing.

When the Printer Hardware Is the Problem

If no software fix brings the printer online, the issue may be hardware-related. Try connecting the printer to a different computer. If it also shows offline on a different computer, the printer's network card or USB port may be defective. For USB printers, try a different USB cable and a different USB port on your computer. For network printers, try connecting via USB temporarily to confirm the printer itself works.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my printer go offline every time I turn off my computer?

Some printers lose their "online" status when the computer shuts down and do not automatically reconnect when the computer starts again. Disabling "Use Printer Offline" mode and ensuring the Print Spooler service is set to start automatically usually prevents this. You can also try power cycling the printer after starting your computer.

Can a firewall cause my printer to show offline?

Yes. A firewall on your computer or router can block the ports used for printer communication. Try temporarily disabling the firewall to test. If the printer comes online, add an exception for your printer software in the firewall settings rather than leaving the firewall disabled.

How do I find my printer's IP address?

Most network printers display their IP address in the wireless or network settings menu on the printer's control panel. You can also print a network configuration page from the printer's settings menu. Alternatively, log into your router's admin page and check the list of connected devices.

Is there a difference between "offline" and "error" printer status?

Yes. "Offline" means the computer cannot communicate with the printer at all. "Error" means the computer can see the printer but the printer is reporting a problem such as a paper jam, empty ink, or an open cover. Error status usually includes a more specific message about what is wrong.