Printer to Go Offline

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Printer Offline [FIX] – How to Resolve the Printer Offline Issue on Windows 10

ByFlexion Extruder August 16, 2023August 16, 2023

Operating printer on a daily basis is probably quite easy for many people, but it is different when it comes to “Printer Offline Fix” matter. Due to the intensity of printing activities, it can be quite disturbing to see the printer you use being offline.

There is no other option other than fixing the issue immediately if you wish to continue with your workload. Lucky for you, there are effective methods that can fix this problem at once. With only a few adjustments in the settings, then the offline printer should be back on immediately.

When your Windows PC is connected to an external device, you must make sure if the device is properly connected or not. Check the USB cables and see if they connect properly to both your PC and the device itself. Usually, an offline printer issue deals with the improper plug of a USB cable.

Other than the technical issue, an offline printer problem originates from within the system. Since many Windows services work at once at a specific time, it is difficult to notice what happens in the background. In other words, it is possible that the clashes between the driver updates and the system cause the printer to go offline. How to easily fix it is to restart the printer. With some luck, you will fix the offline printer issue once the device turns back on.

While some of the offline printer issues can be fixed with a simple restart, some of the other Windows users have reported otherwise. Despite the printer being properly connected to the Windows PC, the offline printer issue remains to exist. Moreover, the restart method cannot solve the error. In case this type of error keeps happening, you can perform the methods to fix an offline printer on a Windows PC we have curated in this article.

What Causes Your Printer to Go Offline

Whenever a device has an issue with your Windows PC, you have to check a system error aside from the technical problem. Just like any errors with the Windows Update, an offline printer, such as Epson printer, canon printer, or HP printer offline error can be caused by outdated or incompatible drivers.

Other than that, the offline printer issue may also deal with the printer spooler services problem. Either way, you should always be prepared to fix it whenever an offline printer error occurs.

To make sure your printer experiences an error, you can check the USB cable connecting your PC with the printer first. If the cable connects two devices properly, then you can continue to check the Windows device settings.

First, you can check the print command on your Windows PC and see if it works. Try to do this by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time to open the Run box. Then, you can type control printers and press Enter. Alternatively, you can head to the section “Devices and Printers” in Control Panel.

Afterward, you can choose the printer your PC is currently connected to. If you see the “Status: Offline” under the selected printer, then it means you cannot operate the device. In this case, you should perform the right method to fix this issue.

7 ways to Fix Offline Printer Error on Windows PC

In order to fix the offline printer error on your Windows PC, you can perform one of the methods we have curated below. Since the offline printer issue may be caused by different causes, one method cannot simply work for another. With that in mind, we wish you can try one of each method below and see which one works for you.

1. Checking Your Printer’s Connection

Just like any device, no matter Epson printer, canon printer, or HP printer, connected to your Windows PC, you should check the connection of the printer to the PC first. Upon fixing the error, you must make sure the connection between the printer and your Windows PC is set up properly. To do so, you can follow the method step by step.

Step 1: Proceed to shut your Windows PC down.

Step 2: Turn off your printer at once.

Step 3: Afterward, you can unplug every single cable connected to the printer, including the power cable.

Step 4: Then, you can press and hold the power button of the printer for about thirty seconds.

Step 5: Once again, plug the cables into the printer.

Step 6: Make sure to connect the USB cable from the printer to the USB port of your Windows PC. Try to change the USB cable if you cannot connect to the printer still.

Step 7: Make sure your Windows PC is connected via Ethernet. Check on the Ethernet port and make sure of the proper connection of your printer and the Windows PC.

Step 8: Alternatively, you can check on the wireless network if your printer is connected wirelessly. Make sure your printer is connected to your Windows PC network.

Step 9: Head back to the section “Devices and Printers” on the Control Panel and see if the offline printer error has been fixed.

2. Changing Your Printer’s Status

Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.

Step 2: Afterward, you can type control printers in the search box and press Enter to open “Devices and Printers” window.

Step 3: Alternatively, head to the Windows Control Panel and click on the section “Devices and Printers”.

Step 4: Proceed to right-click on the printer your Windows PC is currently connected to.

Step 5: Then, you can choose the option “Set as default printer” among the list of the options displayed.

Step 6: Once again, you can right-click on the printer you currently set as default and choose the option “See what’s printing“.

Step 7: Find the Printer Queue and check of any unfinished tasks. If there are any, you can remove them from the queue.

Step 8: On the Printer Queue, proceed to choose your current default printer and uncheck the box next to the option “Use Printer Offline”.

Step 9: Make sure to uncheck the box next to the option “Pause Printing” and see if the offline printer error has been fixed.

3. Updating the Printer Driver

Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.

Step 2: Afterward, you can type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.

Step 3: Locate the option “Print Spooler service” and right-click on it.

Step 4: Proceed to choose the option “Stop” from the list of the options presented.

Step 5: Once more, head to the Run box and type printui.exe /s /t2. Press Enter afterward.

Step 6: On the Printer Server Properties window, look for the printer device which may cause the error.

Step 7: Once you find the culprit, you can remove it.

Step 8: Proceed to confirm the deleting process by clicking on the option “Yes”.

Step 9: Once again, go to the services.msc from the Run box.

Step 10: Proceed to right-click on “Print Spooler” and choose the option “Start”.

Step 11: Then, you can look for your printer’s manufacturer site.

Step 12: Afterward, you can download the most recent printer driver your Windows PC is currently connected to.

Step 13: Once you get the downloaded file, you can install it on your Windows PC.

Step 14: Alternatively, you can use the printer software which originally comes with your printer device. Most of the times, the software that comes with the device can be detected by the network.

Step 15: At last, check if the offline printer error on your Windows PC has been fixed or not.

4. Restarting Print Spooler Service

Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.

Step 2: Afterward, you can type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.

Step 3: Locate the “Print Spooler service” on the list of services and double-click on it.

Step 4: Check whether or not the Startup type is set to Automatic. Make sure the service is running as well.

Step 5: Put a stop to the service.

Step 6: Afterward, you can click on the option “Start” to restart the Print Spooler service.

Step 7: Then, you can click on the option “Apply” and OK to save and apply the changes.

Step 8: Then, you can add the printer once more.

Step 9: See if the printer can turn online back again.

5. Adding Another Printer Device

If you cannot stand an Offline HP printer, canon printer, or Espon printer and wishes to use another one, then you can add another printer device. Keep in mind that this method only works if you connect your printer via network and not a USB cable. To perform this method, you can follow the steps below.

Step 1: Head to the Windows’ Settings by pressing Windows and I buttons at the same time.

Step 2: Afterward, you can go to the section “Devices”.

Step 3: On the left-hand menu, you can click on the section “Bluetooth & other devices”.

Step 4: Then, you can click on the option “Devices and printers“ on the right pane.

Step 5: Proceed to right-click on the printer you wish to connect to.

Step 6: Choose the “Printer properties” among the options presented on the list.

Step 7: Afterward, you can switch to the “Ports” tab and click on the option “Add Port…”.

Step 8: Choose the option “Standard TCP/IP Port” under “Available port types”.

Step 9: Then, you can proceed to choose the option “New Port”.

Step 10: Once you see the “Add Standard TCP/IP Printer Port Wizard”, proceed to click on the “Next” button.

Step 11: Then, you can type the Printer’s IP Address and Port name. Look for the manual from the printer box.

Step 12: Afterward, you can click on the “Next” button to continue.

Step 13: Wait until the Standard TCP/IP Printer data has been created and click on the Finish button to complete the method.

Step 14: At last, your second printer has already been installed. There, you can fix the offline printer error on your Windows PC.

6. Reinstalling the Printer Drivers

Step 1: Open the Run box by pressing Windows and R buttons at the same time.

Step 2: Afterward, you can type “control printers” in the search box and press Enter to open Devices and Printers.

Step 3: Proceed to right-click on the printer device your computer is currently connected to.

Step 4: Then, you can choose the option “Remove device” among the options displayed on the screen.

Step 5: Confirm the removal process by clicking on the option “Yes”.

Step 6: Once you finish removing the driver, you can download the most recent printer drivers from the official site of your printer’s brand.

Step 7: Afterward, you can reboot your Windows PC.

Step 8: Once the Windows turns back on, you can press Windows and R buttons again to get to the Run box.

Step 9: Then, you can type “control printers” on the search bar and press Enter.

Step 10: Proceed to click on the option “Add a printer” under the section of Device and Printers.

Step 11: As your PC connects to the printer, the Windows system will detect the printer at once.

Step 12: Proceed to select your printer and click Next to continue.

Step 13: At last, you can set your printer as default and choose the option “Finish”.

Step 14: Check whether or not the offline printer error has been fixed.

7. Performing Printer Troubleshooter

Step 1: Go to the Control Panel and search for troubleshooting using the search box.

Step 2: Proceed to click on the option “Troubleshooting” from the search result.

Step 3: Afterward, look at the left window pane and choose the option “View all”.

Step 4: On the “Troubleshoot computer problems” list, you can choose the option “Printer”.

Step 5: Proceed to follow the instructions displayed on the screen.

Step 6: Wait until the Troubleshooter finishes operating.

Step 7: At last, you can restart your Windows PC and fix the offline printer error on your Windows PC.

Conclusion

Due to the importance of the printer, you cannot just let your Windows PC experience offline printer error for long. Sometimes the offline printer issue can be fixed with a simple restart. You can also check on the technical issues with the printer itself to solve the error. Try to plug and unplug the USB cable in order to perform a quick fix to the offline printer issue. Other than that, you can try to turn the printer off and on to make sure the printer starts fresh.

If the error continues to persist even after a quick restart, then the cause of the error may come from within the system. You can try to perform one of the methods above to fix it. Keep in mind that the causes of offline printer errors can be varied from one Windows PC to another. If you wish to fix the issue, then you have to try each method and see which one can fix the error for you.

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