Printer shows offline on Windows: what to check
When Windows marks a printer as offline it usually means the computer cannot reach it, not that the printer is broken. These checks fix most cases in a few minutes.
Start with the basics
- Check the printer is switched on, has no error on its display and is not out of paper or toner.
- Turn the printer off, wait 30 seconds and turn it back on. Give it a minute to reconnect to the network.
- Restart the computer. A full restart clears more than shutting down and starting up again.
- For a network printer, check its cable is plugged in and the light on the port is on, or that it is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the computer.
Check the print queue
- Open Settings, then Bluetooth and devices, then Printers and scanners, and select your printer.
- Open the print queue. If the Printer menu shows Use Printer Offline ticked, untick it.
- Cancel any stuck documents in the queue, then try printing a test page.
- If the printer appears twice, for example as "Copy 1", try printing to the other entry. The working one is often the duplicate.
If it is still offline
- Print a network configuration page from the printer’s own menu and note its IP address.
- Compare it with the address the computer uses: in Printers and scanners select the printer, then Printer properties, then the Ports tab.
- If the addresses differ, the printer has been given a new address by the router. Remove the printer from Windows and add it again.
- Ask whoever manages your network to reserve a fixed address for the printer, so it does not change again.
When it is not your computer
If nobody in the office can print, the problem is with the printer or the network rather than one computer. If only one person cannot print, focus on their computer’s queue and drivers.
Still stuck?
Download the remote support tool from our remote support page and call us on +264 83 376 4016, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 17:00. You can also email info@microtechnamibia.com.