Printer is offline

Help, my printer is offline!

Now quickly print out the handouts and then quickly to the presentation, but it comes as it should - the printer does not print! The message: Printer offline appears on the computer display . But what can I do so that I can print again without symptoms and why is my printer offline at all?

This article deals fundamentally with the error message Printer offline. We will introduce you to various problem solutions with which you can change the status of your printer from offline to online and print properly again. The solution to the problem is often very simple and the reasons for such an error message are numerous: An outdated printer driver is a common cause. Likewise an error in Windows or an incorrectly configured control panel. A simple and common cause is an improperly inserted USB cable. As a result, communication between the printer and the computer cannot take place and proper printing is not possible. 

Table of Contents

First aid - the quick solution

So what to do when the printer shows as offline. You can get a quick solution to this error message from our first aid department. Most of the time, this long topic is a problem that can be solved quickly. 

Here you will find initial solutions that you can easily carry out at home so that the printer is quickly ready for use again: 

• Energy saving mode - the printer goes into energy saving mode when not in use. Press any key to wake up the printer
• Power connection - make sure the printer is plugged in
• Network connection - Check on the one hand the connection of the end device (PC / smartphone / tablet) to the network and on the other hand the connection of the printer to the network
• USB connection - Make sure that all direct connections using cables and connectors are correctly inserted
• Restart with printer offline - Restart both the end device and the printer and try to print again
• Distance Too Far - Reduce the distance between the router and the printer, the WiFi connection may be too weak. Tip: A repeater (WLAN repeater) can be helpful
• Printer is frozen / stuck - Force a hard reset by unplugging the printer. Then plug the power cord back into the socket and switch on the printer
• Printer accessories trigger internal problem in the printer - some printers switch themselves offline after a paper jam
• End device has connection problems - restart your end device: PC / mobile phone / laptop / and try again

You have carried out our suggested solutions for first aid, but you still receive the error message Printer offline? No problem! We'll help you troubleshoot. But what does it even mean when the printer is offline?

The statement of the error message Printer offline is relatively simple. This error message indicates that the end device cannot currently connect to the printer. The terminal is informed that the printer is offline and that printing is not possible for the user. With our instructions in the support area of Copiac , we offer you various suggested solutions with which you can easily solve your printer problems yourself. 

Windows operating system - printer offline

Almost 80%  worldwide use a Windows operating system. Many users use Windows in connection with a printer, fax machine or the like. To ensure that your printing device works properly with the Windows operating system, we have listed general solutions: 

USB connections 

• Check all printer cable connections
• If the end device has several USB ports, use a different one
• Switch off your printer and disconnect all connections to the end device and the power supply for at least 30 seconds - then restore all connections and restart the printer

Network connections and ping

The PC indicates that the printer is offline in device status ? Then you should definitely check whether the printer and the end device are in the same network. In the menu of your printer you can check which network it is in:

Ping command - check network connection

The ping command can be used to check whether there is a connection between the printer and the network:

Applies to Windows Vista / XP and 2000:

1. Open it under Start> Run . A Run window will now appear
2. Type the ipconfig command into the free field and confirm with OK or Enter
3. Another window opens. Now enter 'ping IP address of the printer' (e.g. ping XXX.XXX.XXX.X) and confirm with Enter . Note: Pay attention to the correct spelling and spaces when entering.

A. Find out printer IP with display
a. Turn off the printer, and enter the internal menu under Settings / ⛭> Network Settings > Network Setup on
b. As a rule, you will find the required IP address of the printer under the item Network Setup B. Find out the printer IP without display via Properties a. Call under Start

> Settings > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers on
b. Select the appropriate printer model with a right click from
c. Under Printer Properties > Connections > connection (first column) to find the IP address of the printer

1. If there is a connection , you will get the answer - Reply from printer IP - displayed
2. If there is no connection , you will get the message - Host unreachable / Request time out - displayed

Applies to Windows 7/8 and 10:

1. Press the Windows key and the letter R at the same time
2. An Execute field with an input function appears
3. Enter cmd in this field and confirm with OK or the ENTER key
4. Another window opens. Now enter 'ping IP address of the printer' (e.g. ping XXX.XXX.XXX.X) and confirm with Enter . Note: Pay attention to the correct spelling and spaces when entering.

You now have 2 options here:

Find out printer IP via router:

• Open the browser and enter the router's IP in the address line 
• Enter the relevant access data
• Now select Network. Here you will find a list of all devices connected to the network. If you can find your printer, there is a network connection

Find out printer IP via properties:

• Go to Start> Settings > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers
• Then right-click on the corresponding printer model
• Select Printer Properties from
• Under connection scan be found in the first column connecting the IP address of the printer

If you get a response - 0% loss - there is a connection between the printer and the network. If you get a response - not available / timeout - there is no connection .

Establish network connection according to printer manufacturer HP / Brother / Canon

For HP printers

Establish network connection with touchscreen display :

1. Select the setup symbol ⛭  in the menu
2. Tap Network Setup 
3. Select Restore network settings and confirm with Yes. The HP printer has been reset to the factory settings
4. Now select the item Wireless Settings 
5. Then follow the wireless setup wizard
6. Now select the corresponding WiFi network from the list of available networks 
7. Then enter the WEP or WPA key (network password) in the corresponding field
8. The HP network printer is now wirelessly available and ready to use for all end devices dialed into the network. 

Tip: For mobile devices, we recommend installing the HP ePrint app for the Android, iOS and Windows Phone operating systems. This enables wireless printing via tablet or mobile phone. 

Establishing a network connection without a touchscreen display :

1. For this process, the printer must be connected to a computer using a USB cable
2. Install the HP for your printer on your computer. If there is no CD or similar with the appropriate printer software , you can download the appropriate software from www.123.hp.com and then install it.
3. Under the Utilities item, select printer setup and software
4. Click on Wireless settings reconfigure and follow the appropriate instructions to the connection type in the HP Printer Assistant on your wireless change

For Brother printers

Establish network connection with touchscreen display :

1. Turn on the Brother printer
2. Press the Menu button on the control panel 
3. Use the + and - buttons to find the Network menu item and confirm with OK
4. Use the + and - buttons to find the WLAN menu item and confirm with OK
5. Use the + and - buttons to find the Setup Assist menu item . and confirm with OK
6. Activate WLAN ? Appears on the printer's display . Confirm this question with yes
7. Now select the corresponding WiFi network from the list of available networks. Navigate with the + and - buttons and confirm with OK
8. Enter the WEP or WPA key (network key) in the corresponding field and confirm with OK
9. Your Brother network printer is now wirelessly connected to the WiFi network. The printer is now available and ready to use for all end devices dialed into the network. 

Tip: We recommend installing the Brother iPrint & Scan app for the Android, iOS and Windows Phone operating systems for mobile devices . This enables wireless printing, scanning and faxing via tablet or mobile phone. 

Install Brother driver 

Applies to Windows / Mac / Linux:

1. First go to Brother's Support & Downloads page - https://support.brother.com/g/b/productsearch.aspx?c=de&lang=de&content=dl
2. Either search for your model name using the search box or search for your product
3. After you have identified and found your device, you need to select the appropriate operating system. The following operating systems are available:
4. Brother driver for Mac:

• Mac OS 8.x-9.x
• Mac OS X (10.2)
• Mac OS X (10.3)
• Mac OS X (10.4)
• Mac OS X (10.5)
• Mac OS X (10.6)
• Mac OS X (10.7)
• Mac OS X (10.8)

1. Brother driver for Windows

• Windows Server 2003 (32-bit)
• Windows 98
• Windows Me
• Windows 2000
• Windows XP (64-bit)
• Windows XP (32-bit)
• Windows Vista (64-bit)
• Windows Vista (32-bit)
• Windows 7 (64-bit)
• Windows 7 (32-bit)
• Windows 8 (64-bit)
• Windows 8 (32-bit)
• Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
• Windows 8.1 (32-bit)
• Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Windows 10 (32-bit)

1. Brother driver for Linux

• Linux (deb)
• Linux (rpm)

1. Click on the corresponding title of the appropriate software and start the download
2. Then follow the instructions of the installation program

For Canon printers

1. First install the software for the corresponding Canon printer using the enclosed CD or download the correct printer driver for your model from https://www.canon.de/support/
2. The installation process you can choose between the connection methods Wireless LAN Connection and USB Connection Select
3. Follow the further instructions in the installation guide by making your selection and confirming with Next
4. To establish a wireless connection, select at 2-1 Setup Procedure Selection the Cableles setup from
5. If you have followed all steps of the installation process, the Windows setup has been successfully completed and your Canon device is now a network printer

Firewall as cause of printer offline

During a printing process, the terminal device tries to establish communication with the printer so that data can be exchanged and a command can be executed. The end device is usually equipped with security software. The so-called firewall controls and filters the incoming and outgoing data traffic. In some cases, the firewall classifies the printer as an external threat. 

To protect the computer, the firewall prevents communication between the printer and the end device. Suddenly it is no longer possible to print, the printer software cannot be installed or the error message Printer offline appears on the display. Another problem is that the printer appears to be online but still does not print. What can you do as? We will show you solutions with which you can solve these problems.

Deactivate firewall:

1. Click on Start and select Settings 
2. Select PC Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & Network Protection 
3. Click on the appropriate network profile 
4. Change the setting under Windows Defender Firewall to Off
5. Communication between the printer and the computer should now be possible 

Note: It is fundamentally very important to have the firewall activated to protect your data from unauthorized access. In this guide we only deactivate the firewall for a short time. 

Share a feature or app 

1. Select Start menu item Control Panel from
2. Then click on Windows Defender Firewall
3. Click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall - this is on the left  
4. Then find the appropriate feature for your printer in the list
5. Make sure that all programs from the printer manufacturer are approved. Pay attention to the network - private or public
6. In the upper right, click Change Settings to allow a program or feature. To do this, put a tick in the corresponding column - private or public

Note: Basically, only a firewall should be active on your computer. Several active firewalls can block each other and thus negatively affect their function. 

Activate firewall:

1. Select Start > Settings > PC Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & Network Protection
2. Click on the appropriate network profile
3. Change the setting under Windows Defender Firewall to On

Delete / empty print queue and restart spooler

Another cause of error can be the printer queue . The printer has hung up and cannot print for various reasons. The printer appears offline and does not print. With the help of the following instructions, we will show you how to simply delete the printer queue so that you can print your jobs again. 

1. Select Start  on the bottom left of the button
2. Then go to the menu item PC settings 
3. Select Devices > Printers and Scanners 
4. Click the appropriate printer and select queue open from
5. Now select all the documents listed and click on Document > Cancel 
6. The queue should now be empty and the printer is ready for use again. The user can restart printing.

If printing does not start, the print queue must be completely closed and the spooler restarted. Basically, the spooler is responsible for starting print jobs in Windows. Note : If there is a USB connection between the printer and the PC, disconnect it for the following steps.
 

1. First open the Task Manager with the key combination Ctrl + Shift + Del 
2. Click More Details and look in the list under Processes for the process Spooler Subsystem Application or spoolsv.exe
3. Click on the appropriate process and select the bottom right end task of
4. Now switch to the Services tab and look for the Spooler or Print Queue service 
5. Click the right mouse button on the service and choose Restart from

Uninstall a printer that is listed more than once

Your inkjet or laser printer shows the error message Printer offline, although it is clearly displayed and connected according to the active session? A possible cause for this can be that the printer is listed several times in the device manager . If there are multiple listings, the computer cannot decide which printer to communicate with. So what can be done to prevent the printer from displaying the error message offline ? 

The following steps will help you solve the problem: 

1. Call under Start menu item Settings > Control Panel on
2. Click Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers
3. Take a look at all available printers and uninstall the printer models listed several times. Note: If the printer has a USB connection to the PC, disconnect it!
4. To do this, right- click on the relevant printer and select Remove device . Then follow the instructions on the screen 
5. After removing all repeated printers, go to Start > Programs and remove the printer software / driver 
6. Turn off your computer and then restart it
7. Download the appropriate driver from the manufacturer's website for your printer and install the printer driver . Note: Do not reconnect the printer via USB until the installation program prompts you to do so. 

Windows 10 - printer offline

If the printer shows the error message offline under the Windows 10 operating system, follow these steps to solve the problem:

Check cables and network connection

First, check all cable and network connections. Further information can be found in our first aid and under Windows operating system - Printer offline . 

Disconnect power supply

1. Disconnect all power to the printer 
2. Wait about 30 seconds 
3. Reconnect the printer to the electrical outlet and try to print

Delete printer and add new one

1. Select bottom left of the button starting from
2. Then go to PC settings 
3. Under Devices > Printers and scanners from
4. Click the appropriate printer and select Remove Device from
5. Confirm with Yes
6. Then select the menu item Add printer and scanner
7. After the update , click on the corresponding printer model with Add device
8. After the printer has been fully installed with the update and the current printer driver, the printer should no longer be displayed as offline

Printer is in Use printer offline mode

1. Select bottom left of the button starting from
2. Then go to Settings > PC Settings 
3. Under Devices > Printers and scanners from
4. Click the appropriate printer and select queue open from
5. Click Printer and make sure that the Use printer offline mode is not selected 
6. If the mode Use printer offline is switched on, then click on the mode and switch it off. You can easily switch your printer from offline to online. 

Set printer as the default printer

1. Select bottom left of the button starting from
2. Then go to Settings > PC Settings 
3. Under Devices > Printers and scanners from
4. Click the appropriate printer and select Manage from
5. In the last step, select as default

Printer has problem with supplies

Apparently empty ink and toner cartridges or a paper jam can trigger an error message. Eliminate these sources of error by checking whether the printer cartridges and toner have been correctly installed in the printer. You should also check the fill level of the consumables. Open the paper tray and other maintenance hatches to rule out a paper jam as a source of error. Make sure you use safe and compatible products, especially when it comes to ink cartridges and toner consumables. 

Windows 8 - printer offline

Do you use an inkjet or laser printer with an end device running on the Windows 8 operating system? Then follow these suggestions to get rid of the Printer Offline error message:

Check cables and network connection

First, make sure that all cable and network connections are working properly. Further information can be found in our first aid and under Windows operating system - Printer offline . 

Disconnect power supply

Disconnect the power supply to the printer according to the instructions for disconnecting the power supply in Windows 10 printer offline . 

Printer offline or paused?

1. Open flying start the menu and select Search from
2. Click on Settings and enter devices and printers in the search
3. Right click on your printer
4. Go to print jobs Show 
5. Then click on Printer . Make sure that the Stop printer and Use printer offline boxes are not checked
6. If there is a check mark next to the fields, click on the corresponding field so that the check mark disappears 
7. If the settings cannot be adjusted, uninstall the corresponding printer and completely reinstall it with the current driver 

Windows 7 - printer offline 

You want to print, but the error message Printer offline appears? The following suggested solutions are suitable for users of the Windows 7 operating system.

Check cables and network connection

First, check all cable and network connections. Further information can be found in our first aid and under Windows operating system - Printer offline . 

Disconnect power supply

Follow the instructions for disconnecting the power supply in Windows 10 printer offline and disconnect the printer from the power supply. 

Use printer offline Windows 7

1. Click on Start and select the point Control from
2. Then go to Devices and Printers
3. Right- click the affected printer
4. Under Print jobs call the menu item printer on
5. Make sure that Use printer offline is not checked
6. If there is a check mark, click on the corresponding field so that it is removed

MacOS - printer offline

The print job started, but your Mac reports the message Printer offline or printer not responding ? Follow the steps below and fix the problem so that you can print again without any symptoms. 

Remove and add printers 

Remove a printer from Mac:

1. Select the apple and click on System Settings 
2. Remove the printer by selecting the appropriate printer and clicking Remove

Adding a printer on Mac:

1. A USB connection is used to establish a connection between the Mac and the printer
2. The message Would you like to download and install software for "printer manufacturer and model" appears on the screen . Select install and follow the instructions
3. After the installation, open the menu item Printer & Scanner or Print & Scan again and check whether the printer has been recognized
4. Unless specified to the printer, click on the + in the Printer Browser and select the item other printers or scanners Add from
5. If the printer has a network connection, it will be listed under Add another printer or scanner from> Printer nearby . Click the printer you want to install

Reset the printing system on Mac 

Note: Resetting the printing system will delete all printer devices in the queue.

1. Select the apple and click on System Preferences 
2. Click depending on the version of the operating system from the menu Printers & Scanners or Print & Scan to
3. Click with the right-click on the appropriate printer
4. Then select Reset printing system and confirm with Ok (Reset)
5. You will then need to reinstall the printer

Update drivers in the OS operating system 

Outdated drivers and software can cause communication problems between the printer or fax machine and the computer . This causes error messages and it cannot be printed. We therefore recommend updating and updating devices regularly. This applies not only to computers and laptops, but also to printers with the printer software and the printer driver. You can find step-by-step update instructions here to ensure that the iMac runs stable and safely

1. Turn on your iMac and click the apple icon 
2. Select the menu item System Settings > Software Update
3. If updates are available for your MacOS operating system, select Update now 

Printer offline after changing cartridges

As soon as the ink in the printer cartridges runs out, some inkjet printers go offline. However, you have changed the inkjet printer cartridges and now it still displays the error message Printer offline? We will help you to solve this problem so that you can print properly again. 

Note: This problem is less common with laser printers that use toners.

1. Step: First check whether all existing cable connections are properly seated
2. Step: Make sure that the corresponding cartridges have been properly replaced and inserted
3. Step: If steps 1 and 2 did not lead to success with the printer, carry out all the necessary steps for your operating system:

• Windows
• Mac 

Printer offline after changing router

The router was changed and suddenly the error message Printer offline appears and printing can no longer be done. Use the following steps to rule out sources of error so that you can print with your printer again without any problems.

1. Step: First, make sure that both the router and the printer are turned on. If one of the devices is switched off, no print jobs can be sent.
2. Step: Printer and router must be in the same network. You will find detailed help on this subject under point 3.b Windows network connection.
3. Step: The printer and router are too far apart so that the WiFi signal is too weak. Move the two devices closer to each other or amplify the WiFi signal with a repeater to achieve a greater WiFi range. 
4. Step: Check the cartridge status of the inkjet printer. Inkjet printers often report Printer offline as soon as the printer cartridges are empty. If these are still sufficiently filled, you can exclude this source of error.

Printer offline by manufacturer

Your printer's status shows offline or paused? The following instructions provide suggested solutions for Brother / Canon / Epson / HP printers. 

Brother printer with offline or paused message

1. Power: Make sure the Brother printer is plugged in
2. Power saving mode: The device may be in power saving mode. Press any key to wake up. 
3. Connection to the computer: 

• If a USB cable is used, make sure it is properly attached
• If you have a wireless network connection, make sure you have a correct connection. You can find more information under Create a Windows network connection for Brother devices

1. Brother standard printer : Look under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers , whether there is a green check mark next to the corresponding printer. If not, set the printer as the default printer.
2. Use Brother printer offline: Check the status of your Brother printer under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > Right click on the Brother printer > View jobs > Printers . With printer off line are not using a hook must stand if necessary remove this.
3. Stop Brother printer: Check the status of your Brother printer under Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers > Right click on the Brother printer > View jobs > Printers . There must be no tick when the printer is stopped; remove it if necessary.

Canon printer is shown as offline

With the printer models from the manufacturer Canon, the error message Printer offline is not uncommon. First try all possible solutions yourself so that you can print properly again. To do this, go through our general Windows step-by-step instructions. 

Epson printers from offline to online

In order for you to be able to print properly with your Epson printer again, the error message Printer offline must go. You will find the right answers in our general solution approaches. 

Note: Please note that most printers should only be connected to the computer after the installation instructions have been requested. 

Repair HP printers offline using HP Print and Scan Doctor 

HP offers its customers a service with which offline problems can be solved quickly. This software will automatically indicate what the problem is. For example, if the HP printer driver for the printer model is not up-to-date, the program prompts the user to install a suitable printer driver. For example, if the HP printer is not set as the default printer, the program prompts you to set the printer as the default printer.

Download HP Print and Scan Doctor from here ( https://support.hp.com/en-us/topic/printscandoctor-printing-problems ) and follow the appropriate instructions after installation.